“LIFE IS NOT PAP AND VLEIS”: POVERTY IN CHILD-HEADED HOUSEHOLDS IN GAUTENG1
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15270/47-2-132Abstract
Richter (2004:9) suggests that child-headed households (CHHs) are much more vulnerable economically than adult-headed households. “Income in orphan households has been found to be 20-30% lower than in non-orphan households” (Richter, 2004:9). This is confirmed by Donald and Clacherty (2005). Children in child-headed households survive on about one-third of the resources (money as well as contributions in kind, such as gifts or food, etc.) available to adult-headed households. This is because these children lack the presence of parents, they have limited means of generating an income and they are unable to effectively sustain their households (Donald & Clacherty, 2005:24).Downloads
References
BARKER, F. 2007. The South African labour market, theory and practice (5th ed). Pretoria: Van Schaik Publishers.
BLESS, C. & HIGSON-SMITH, C. 1995. Fundamentals of social research methods – an African perspective (2nd ed). Cape Town: Juta.
DEMMER, C. 2004. Aids and bereavement in South Africa. Social Work/Maatskaplike Werk, 40(3):296-318.
DESMOND, C. & GOW, J. 2002. The current and future impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic on South Africa’s children. Chapter 6 of the overall study, “AIDS, public policy and child well-being”, edited by Giovanni Andrea Cornia. Pietermaritzburg: University of Natal Press.
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. n.d. Social tract: module on the impact of HIV on families, vulnerable groups and youth – child-headed households [Online] Available: http://www.doh.gov.za/docs/misc/hiv/manual/impact_families.pdf. [Rev: 08/10]
DONALD, D. & CLACHERTY, G. 2005. Developmental vulnerabilities and strengths of children living in childheaded households: a comparison with children in adult-headed households in equivalent impoverished communities. African Journal of AIDS Research, 4(1):21-25.
FOUCHÉ, C.B. 2007. Qualitative research designs. In: DE VOS, A.S., STRYDOM, H., FOUCHÉ, C.B. & DELPORT, C.S.L. Research at grass roots – for the social sciences and human service professions (3rd ed). Pretoria: Van Schaik Publishers.
GAUTENG DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT (DSD) REPORT. 2008. Child headed households in Gauteng Province: A survey of the prevalence and experiences of families in Gauteng. Unpublished report by Chiastolite Professional Services.
HULLEY, C. 2006. Child-headed households and human rights. Centre for the study of Violence and Reconciliation.
JONES, L. 2005. Childcare in poor urban settlements in Swaziland in an era of HIV/AIDS. African Journal of AIDS Research, 4(3):161-171.
LIGHTHELM, A.A., MARTINS, J.H. & VAN WYK, H.D.E.J. 2000. The South African nine provinces: population and economic welfare measures. Research Report No. 276, Bureau of Market Research. Pretoria: University of South Africa.
LOOTS, A.E. 1998. Job creation and economic growth. South African Journal of Economics, 66(3):319-336.
LOUW, H. 2007. Men at the margins: day labourers at informal hiring sites in Tshwane. Pretoria: University of South Africa. (PhD thesis)
MAQOKO, Z. 2006. HIV/AIDS orphans as heads of households: a challenge to pastoral care. Pretoria: University of Pretoria. (MA thesis.)
MAQOKO, Z. & DREYER, Y. 2007. Child-headed households because of the trauma surrounding HIV/AIDS. HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies, 63(2):717-731.
MARTINS, J.H. 2004. Minimum and supplemented living levels in the main and other selected urban areas of the RSA. Research Report No. 334, Unisa Bureau of Market Research. March.
MEINTJES, H. & GIESE, S. 2006. Spinning the epidemic: the making of mythologies of orphan-hood in the context of AIDS. Childhood: A Global Journal of Child Research, 13(3):407-430.
MEINTJES, H., LEATT, A. & BERRY, L. 2006. Demography of South Africa’s children. Children‟s Institute [Online] Available: http://www.ci.org.za/depts/ci/pubs/pdf/general/ gauge2006/gauge2006_demography.pdf. [Rev: 04/08/2006].
MOHR, P. 2010. Understanding the economy (1st ed). Pretoria: Van Schaik Publishers.
REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA (RSA). 2005. Children’s Act Number 38 of 2005. Pretoria: Government Printer.
RICHTER, L. 2004. The impact of HIV/AIDS on the development of children. In: PHROAH, R. (ed) A generation at risk? HIV/AIDS, vulnerable children and security in South Africa (ISS monograph) No. 109:10-13. Pretoria: ISS.
RICHTER, M. & DESMOND, C. 2008. Targeting AIDS orphans and child-headed households? A perspective from national surveys in South Africa, 1995-2005. AIDS Care, 20(9):1019-1028.
RUBIN, A. & BABBIE, E. 1997. Research methods for social work (3rd ed). Pacific Grove: Brookes Cole.
SOUTH AFRICAN INSTITUTE OF RACE RELATIONS (SAIRR). 2009. Child-headed families up 25% – SAIRR Report. Media Report. 13 July 2009. South African Institute of Race Relations [Online] Available: http://www.raceleader.org.za/press-office/press-releases/press-release-child-headed-families-up-25-13-jul-2009.pdf. [Rev: 06/10/2009].
SLOTH-NIELSEN, J. 2004. Realising the rights of children growing up in child-headed households: a guide to laws, policies and social advocacy. Cape Town: Creda Communications.
SMART, R. 2003. Policies for orphans and vulnerable children: a framework for moving ahead. Policy Project.
SOUTH AFRICAN GOVERNMENT SERVICES. 2009a. Foster child grant. [online] Available: http://www.services.gov.za/ServicesForPeople/Socialbenefits/fosterchildgrant.aspx? Language=en-ZA. [Rev: 02/11/2009].
SOUTH AFRICAN GOVERNMENT SERVICES. 2009b. Care dependency grant. [online] Available: http://www.services.gov.za/ServicesForPeople/Socialbenefits/fosterchildgrant. aspx ?Language=en-ZA. [Rev: 02/11/2009].
STATISTICS SOUTH AFRICA. 2007. A national poverty line for South Africa. Pretoria: Government Printer.
STATISTICS SOUTH AFRICA. 2008a. Income and expenditure survey 2005/2006: analysis of results. Pretoria: Government Printer.
STATISTICS SOUTH AFRICA. 2008b. Report No. 01-00-01. ISBN NO. 978-0-621-37635-7. Pretoria: Government Printers.
STATISTICS SOUTH AFRICA. 2008c. Statistical Release No. P0100. Income and expenditure of households 2005/2006. Pretoria: Government Printers.
TUCKER, P. 2008. Children’s rights addressed by education facilities: human rights organisation applauds KZN DOE decision to create boarding facilities at schools for orphans. Centre for Applied Legal Studies. [Online] Available: http://209.85.229.132/-search?q=cache:D8hMy6uusnkJ:web.wits.ac.za/NR/rdonlyres/32C4015E-4D58-453C-91B8-4D01E405AA9/0/KZNDOEBoardingschools. [Rev: 06/10/2008].
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
This journal is an open access journal, and the authors and journal should be properly acknowledged when works are cited.
Authors may use the publishers version for teaching purposes, in books, and with conferences.
The following license applies:
Attribution CC BY-4.0
This license lets others distribute, remix, tweak, and build upon your work, even commercially, as long as they credit you for the original creation.
Articles as a whole may not be re-published with another journal.