In this essay from South African Child Gauge 2017, the authors seek to respond to the following questions:
- Why are caring relationships important for children’s development?
- What do we know about systems of care for children in South Africa?
- What are the factors that can compromise care?
- What are the interventions that can improve the quality of caring relationships?
The essay explains the importance of nurturing care and affection for children's wellbeing and development and describes the different forms of care in South Africa, including family care, adoption, foster care, kinship care, and other community-based care mechanisms. The essay addresses the impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic on children's care, including the increased use of kinship care for children whose parents have died from the disease. The essay also discusses possible impediments to providing adequate care to children and provides examples of programs and interventions that can improve children's care, including home visiting, community-based care, and youth programs.
