scholarly journals Does the unconditional cash transfer program in South Africa provide support for women after child birth? Barriers to accessing the child support grant among women in informal work in Durban, South Africa

2022 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Silondile Luthuli ◽  
Lyn Haskins ◽  
Sphindile Mapumulo ◽  
Christiane Horwood
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Child Support ◽  
Working Women ◽  
Cash Transfer ◽  
Transfer Program ◽  
Application Process ◽  
Informal Workers ◽  
Child Support Grant ◽  
Unconditional Cash Transfer

Abstract Background The child support grant (CSG) is the largest unconditional cash transfer program in Africa and aims to alleviate poverty and improve child health and nutrition in low-income families in South Africa. Among informal working women, the CSG is an important source of income after childbirth when informal workers are unable to work, but reports suggest that women experience delays in accessing the CSG. We explore experiences and challenges of accessing the CSG among informal workers in Durban, South Africa. Methods We undertook a longitudinal mixed-methods cohort study. Women informal workers were recruited during pregnancy and followed-up for up to one year after the baby was born. Quantitative questionnaires and semi-structured in-depth interviews were used to collect data about women’s plans for applying for the CSG, the application process, use of the CSG in the household, and household food insecurity. Interviews were conducted in IsiZulu by experienced researchers. Descriptive analysis of quantitative data used SPSS v26, and framework analysis using NVIVO v12.3 was used for qualitative analysis. Results Twenty-four informal working women were enrolled. The CSG received for older children was reported as an important and reliable source of income for mothers after childbirth. However, delays receiving the CSG for the new baby meant this support was unavailable to first-time mothers. The complex application process for the CSG required mothers to travel to various government departments to complete the required documentation, often taking the baby with them. This was costly and time-consuming for mothers who were already vulnerable, and led to delays in obtaining CSG funds. Many women experienced moderate or severe food insecurity before and after the baby was born. As a result, some mothers had to return to work earlier than planned, disrupting childcare and breastfeeding. Conclusions Cash transfer programmes can effectively support low income households and improve outcomes for mothers and children. In South Africa there is a need for innovative approaches to streamline CSG applications, so women can access the funds immediately post-delivery to fill a resource gap and provide support at a vulnerable time for mothers and their children.

scholarly journals Does The Unconditional Cash Transfer Program in South Africa Provide Support for Women After Child Birth? Barriers To Accessing The Child Support Grant Among Women in Informal Work in Durban, South Africa

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Silondile Luthuli ◽  
Lyn Haskins ◽  
Sphindile Mapumulo ◽  
Christiane Horwood
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Child Support ◽  
Working Women ◽  
Cash Transfer ◽  
Transfer Program ◽  
Application Process ◽  
Informal Workers ◽  
Child Support Grant ◽  
Unconditional Cash Transfer

Abstract Background The child support grant (CSG) is the largest unconditional cash transfer program in Africa and aims to alleviate poverty and improve child health and nutrition in low-income families in South Africa. Among informal working women, the CSG is an important source of income after childbirth when informal workers are unable to work, but reports suggest that women experience delays in accessing the CSG. We explore experiences and challenges accessing the CSG among informal workers in Durban, South Africa Methods We undertook a longitudinal mixed-methods cohort study. Women informal workers were recruited during pregnancy and followed-up for up to one year after the baby was born. Quantitative questionnaires and semi-structured in-depth interviews were used to collect data about women’s plans for applying for the CSG, the application process, use of the CSG in the household, and household food insecurity. Interviews were conducted in IsiZulu by experienced researchers. Descriptive analysis of quantitative data used SPSS v26, and framework analysis using NVIVO v12.3 was used for qualitative analysis. Results Twenty-four informal working women were enrolled. The CSG received for older children was reported as an important and reliable source of income for mothers after childbirth. However, delays receiving the CSG for the new baby meant this support was unavailable to first-time mothers. The complex application process for the CSG required mothers to go to various government departments to complete the required documentation, often taking the baby with them. This was costly and time-consuming for mothers who were already vulnerable, and led to delays in obtaining CSG funds. Many women experienced moderate or severe food insecurity before and after the baby was born. As a result, some mothers had to return to work earlier than planned, disrupting childcare and breastfeeding. Conclusion Cash transfer programmes can effectively support low income households and improve outcomes for mothers and children. In South Africa there is a need for innovative approaches to streamline CSG applications, so women can access the funds immediately post-delivery to fill a resource gap and provide support at a vulnerable time for mothers and their children.

The Influence of the Child Support Grant on Education and Health Capabilities of Children

2018 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacqueline Moodley ◽  
Jenita Chiba ◽  
Leila Patel
Keyword(s):  
Household Income ◽  
Child Support ◽  
Early Years ◽  
Cash Transfer ◽  
Access To Services ◽  
School Enrolment ◽  
Education And Health ◽  
Child Support Grant ◽  
Basic Services ◽  
Unconditional Cash Transfer

This article describes research which sought to understand how the Child Support Grant, an unconditional cash transfer in South Africa, influences children’s capabilities in education and health. Of children aged five to 14 years, who are legally required to attend school, the presence of the grant was found to enhance enrolment in the early years of education and resulted in healthier body mass indices. This finding was despite child beneficiaries residing in poorer households with lower access to services than children not receiving the grant. Some services, however, such as water and electricity proved vital to the promotion of school enrolment and the health of these children. The research highlighted the need for resources in the form of basic services to supplement household income in order to enhance child capabilities required for development.

How family and child cash transfers can empower women: Comparative lessons from Brazil and South Africa

2020 ◽  
pp. 146801812098142
Author(s):  
Wendy Hunter ◽  
Leila Patel ◽  
Natasha Borges Sugiyama
Keyword(s):  
Social Service ◽  
Child Support ◽  
Cash Transfer ◽  
Transfer Program ◽  
Income Transfer ◽  
Transfer Programs ◽  
Economic Decision Making ◽  
Bolsa Familia ◽  
Child Support Grant ◽  
Income Assistance

By leveraging a comparison of Brazil’s Bolsa Família and South Africa’s Child Support Grant, this article probes whether and how income transfer programs enhance the standing of women recipients. Empowerment is assessed according to economic decision making, bodily protection and integrity, and psycho-social wellbeing and growth. The comparative analysis determines that regular income assistance boosts the self-esteem and agency of women recipients in both countries. At the same time, it underscores the heightened benefits obtained in Brazil as a result of the cash transfer program being embedded in a stronger public health and social service network. That Bolsa recipients interact with these associated institutions generates multiple downstream benefits. The broader lesson is that income transfer programs need to operate in deliberate coordination with an array of ancillary social service institutions to deliver the maximum benefits for women’s empowerment.

scholarly journals The dynamic relationship between cash transfers and child health: can the child support grant in South Africa make a difference to child nutrition?

2015 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 356-362 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wanga Zembe-Mkabile ◽  
Vundli Ramokolo ◽  
David Sanders ◽  
Debra Jackson ◽  
Tanya Doherty
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Child Health ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Child Support ◽  
Maternal Education ◽  
Child Poverty ◽  
Child Growth ◽  
Cash Transfer ◽  
Price Inflation ◽  
Child Support Grant

AbstractObjectiveCash transfer programmes targeting children are considered an effective strategy for addressing child poverty and for improving child health outcomes in developing countries. In South Africa, the Child Support Grant (CSG) is the largest cash transfer programme targeting children from poor households. The present paper investigates the association of the duration of CSG receipt with child growth at 2 years in three diverse areas of South Africa.DesignThe study analysed data on CSG receipt and anthropometric measurements from children. Predictors of stunting were assessed using a backward regression model.SettingPaarl (peri-urban), Rietvlei (rural) and Umlazi (urban township), South Africa, 2008.SubjectsChildren (n746), median age 22 months.ResultsHigh rates of stunting were observed in Umlazi (28 %), Rietvlei (20 %) and Paarl (17 %). Duration of CSG receipt had no effect on stunting. HIV exposure (adjusted OR=2·30; 95 % CI 1·31, 4·03) and low birth weight (adjusted=OR 2·01, 95 % CI 1·02, 3·96) were associated with stunting, and maternal education had a protective effect on stunting.ConclusionsOur findings suggest that, despite the presence of the CSG, high rates of stunting among poor children continue unabated in South Africa. We argue that the effect of the CSG on nutritional status may have been eroded by food price inflation and limited progress in the provision of other important interventions and social services.

The Relationship between the Child Support Grant and Teenage Fertility in Post-Apartheid South Africa

2013 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 505-519
Author(s):  
Eric O. Udjo
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Teenage Pregnancy ◽  
Child Support ◽  
Social Assistance ◽  
Vulnerable Groups ◽  
Child Support Grant ◽  
The Right ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

Governments often provide some form of social assistance to vulnerable groups. The right to social security is enshrined in the South African Constitution and the Social Assistance Act 13 of 2004. The country provides for a child support grant to single parents or caregivers who are low-income earners. The impact of the child support grant on teenage pregnancy in South Africa has aroused interest in the last couple of years, sparking debate that it may be encouraging teenage pregnancy. However, empirical evidence has been produced to confirm this relationship. This study examines the relationship between receiving the child support grant and being pregnant with another child in two national data sets using logistic regression analysis and empirical data. The results indicate that teenagers who receive the child support grant are significantly less likely to be pregnant with another child compared with teenagers who do not receive the child support grant.

scholarly journals Effects of a Large-Scale Unconditional Cash Transfer Program on Mental Health Outcomes of Young People in Kenya

2016 ◽  
Vol 58 (2) ◽  
pp. 223-229 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelly Kilburn ◽  
Harsha Thirumurthy ◽  
Carolyn Tucker Halpern ◽  
Audrey Pettifor ◽  
Sudhanshu Handa
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Young People ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Cash Transfer ◽  
Mental Health Outcomes ◽  
Transfer Program ◽  
Unconditional Cash Transfer

scholarly journals Maximizing the impact of the Canada Child Benefit: Implications for clinicians and researchers

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maximilian Pentland ◽  
Eyal Cohen ◽  
Astrid Guttmann ◽  
Claire de Oliveira
Keyword(s):  
Child Poverty ◽  
Cash Transfer ◽  
Transfer Program ◽  
Application Process ◽  
Persistent Problem ◽  
Transfer Programs ◽  
Previous Child ◽  
The Cost ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Child Benefit

Abstract Child poverty remains a persistent problem in Canada and is well known to lead to poor health outcomes. The Canada Child Benefit (CCB) is a cash transfer program in effect since 2016, which increased both the benefit amount and number of families eligible for the previous child benefit. While the CCB has decreased child poverty rates, not all eligible families have participated. Clinicians can play an important role in screening for uptake of the program and helping families navigate the application process through several free resources. While prior research on past programs has shown benefit of similar cash transfer programs to both child and parental outcomes (both health and social), the CCB has not yet been extensively studied. Research would be valuable in both assessing the cost effectiveness of the program, especially across different income groups, and improving implementation in hard-to-reach populations.

scholarly journals ‘I decided to go back to work so I can afford to buy her formula’: a longitudinal mixed-methods study to explore how women in informal work balance the competing demands of infant feeding and working to provide for their family

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Silondile Luthuli ◽  
Lyn Haskins ◽  
Sphindile Mapumulo ◽  
Nigel Rollins ◽  
Christiane Horwood
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Infant Feeding ◽  
Informal Economy ◽  
Child Support ◽  
Working Hours ◽  
Antenatal Visit ◽  
Framework Analysis ◽  
Informal Work ◽  
Informal Workers

Abstract Background In South Africa almost 2 million women work informally. Informal work is characterised by poor job security, low earnings, and unsafe working conditions, with high rates of poverty and food insecurity. The peripartum period is a vulnerable time for many working women. This study explored how mothers navigate the tension between the need to work and the need to take care of a newborn baby, and how this affects their feeding plans and practices. Methods A mixed methods longitudinal cohort method was employed. Informal workers were recruited in the last trimester of pregnancy during an antenatal visit at two clinics in Durban, South Africa. Data were collected using in-depth interviews and quantitative questionnaires at three time points: pre-delivery, post-delivery and after returning to work. Framework analysis was used to analyse qualitative data in NVIVO v12.4. Quantitative analysis used SPSSv26. Results Twenty-four participants were enrolled and followed-up for a period of up to 1 year. Informal occupations included domestic work, home-based work, informal trading, and hairdressing, and most women earned <R3000 (US$175) per month. Participants had good knowledge of the importance of breastfeeding for child health. Most women planned to take time off work after the birth of their babies, supporting themselves during this time with the child support grant (CSG) received for older children, their savings, and support from the baby’s father and other family members. However, financial pressures forced many mothers to return to work earlier than planned, resulting in changes to infant feeding practices. Several mothers tried expressing breastmilk, but only one was able to sustain this while away from the baby. Most participants introduced formula, other foods and fluids to their babies when they returned to work or stopped breastfeeding entirely, but some were able to change their work or adapt their working hours to accommodate breastfeeding. Conclusions Interventions are needed within the social and work environment to support mothers with breastfeeding while they continue earning an income in the informal economy. The extension of the CSG to the antenatal period could assist mothers to stay at home longer post-delivery to breastfeed their babies.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document