Connecting Cash Transfers with Care for Better Child and Family Well-Being: Evidence from a Qualitative Evaluation in So
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Connecting Cash Transfers with Care for Better Child and Family Well‑Being: Evidence from a Qualitative Evaluation in South Africa Leila Patel1 · Eleanor Ross1 Accepted: 3 October 2020 © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2020
Abstract Limited evidence exists of the effectiveness of combining cash transfers and family strengthening interventions in developing country contexts. This study provides evidence from an evaluation of a bespoke family strengthening intervention for Child Support Grant beneficiaries in 10 urban communities in Johannesburg, South Africa. A qualitative pre-post design was used to assess the effectiveness of this combination intervention including a nine-month follow-up study. Participants were randomly assigned to intervention and non-intervention groups allowing for comparison between the groups over time. The intervention improved child-caregiver and family relations; strengthened networks of social support and caregiver engagement in schooling and enhanced parenting and financial capabilities. Findings were inconclusive in improving symptoms of depression and in nutritional knowledge and skills. Combination interventions of this kind have the potential to improve child and family well-being in certain domains. Keywords Cash transfers · Family strengthening programs · Child Support Grant recipients · Social protection · South Africa · Intervention research Social protection policies and cash transfers in particular have expanded in important ways in developing countries to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty and inequality (Barrientos, 2013; Bagstagli et al., 2016). An evaluation synthesis study of social protection programs for children and families in developing countries shows positive wellbeing outcomes in different domains (UNICEF, 2015). However, cash transfers on their own are not able to address the complex and multi-dimensional needs of children and their families and complementary interventions are advocated in South Africa (Patel et al., 2017). There is growing support for combination cash transfers (social protection) and family care interventions to improve people’s lives (Banerjee et al., 2015) and particularly in promoting child and adolescent well-being in Sub-Saharan Africa (Roelen et al., 2017; Cluver et al., 2016). Different models of combination have * Leila Patel [email protected] Eleanor Ross [email protected] 1
Centre for Social Development in Africa, University of Johannesburg, PO Box 524, Auckland Park, Johannesburg, South Africa
been identified, also known as ‘cash plus’ programs that may include psychosocial support, in-kind transfers, improved access to social supports and linkages to services, education, communication and information strategies, behavior change and improving care giver practices to mention a few (Roelen et al., 2018). Family strengthening interventions are one kind of complementary service that could be provided to boost outcomes for disadvantaged children and their families along with cash transfers. Som
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