Social work, child support grants and child care in the first 1,000 days: A case study of disposable nappy expenditure in Calvinia-West, South Africa

Abstract

The first 1,000 days after birth are a critical period in a child’s development, as this phase establishes the foundation of the child’s physical, cognitive, emotional and social welfare. South Africa’s child support grant (CSG), which aims to provide financial assistance to primary caregivers of children in low-income households, therefore has a substantial impact on children’s growth and development. A basic good that greatly “dilutes” the value of the CSG is disposable nappies. This case study reports on the spending patterns on disposable nappies by caregivers receiving CSGs during the first 1,000 days of the child. A survey using both quantitative and qualitative questions was administered to 193 caregivers in a Northern Cape township to investigate the purchasing patterns of caregivers using disposable nappies. The results show that caregivers spend close to the equivalent of the CSG on nappies, leaving very little for the nourishment and care of the infant. Recommendations to supplement governmental cash grants are thus made to the social work profession. These include co-designing comprehensive programmes for improving the care of children in their first 1,000 days and linking the community with the necessary professionals and resources to support these programmes. The study also highlighted the lack social work research in this critical stage of children’s lives.