欧美福利100000

In South Africa, the聽Child Support Grants (CSG)聽reaches over 10 million children. These grants have been effectively meeting children鈥檚 constitutional rights and evidence shows that children in households that receive a CSG enjoy better health and nutrition, are more likely to attend school and enjoy improved material well-being.聽聽聽

But child support grants are not enough on their own to address the complex and multidimensional needs of children. Many social development experts advocate for complementary interventions called Cash Plus interventions to strengthen the positive effects of grants and mitigate the psychosocial, structural and systemic risks that compromise a child鈥檚 well-being.

One example of a Cash Plus intervention in South Africa is Sihleng鈥檌mizi, which means 鈥淲e care for families鈥� in isiZulu. Sihleng鈥檌mizi was based on聽prior research聽supported by the Department of Monitoring and Evaluation and the European Union in a partnership between the CSDA, the 欧美福利100000 of Chicago and the Utrecht 欧美福利100000. A family strengthening intervention for CSG beneficiaries was subsequently designed, implemented and evaluated.

Professor Patel together with researchers from the CSDA did a聽蝉迟耻诲测听to establish the effectiveness of Sihleng’imizi in supporting families in their care roles for better child well-being. A key element of Sihleng’imizi was to develop alternative ways of disciplining children, improving communication, problem-solving skills and positive role modelling by caregivers and family members.

Our findings suggest that 80% of families involved in the programme reduced the use of harsh forms of discipline and parents were more involved in their child鈥檚 schooling and learning. This suggests that complementary family strengthening interventions can offer positive outcomes for children.

Read the full report聽丑别谤别听or read news articles on the research聽here.