Addressing multi-dimensional child poverty: The experiences of caregivers in the Eastern Cape, South Africa

This paper explores the experiences of caregivers in the Eastern Cape Province regarding the alleviation of child poverty, and presents a case for the expansion of monetary support to effectively address the multi-dimensional focus of child poverty in South Africa. The Social Development Approach (SDA)1 was used together with the Child Focused Multi-dimensional Model (CFMDM)2 to explore the research problem. A phenomenological research design was followed by conducting semi-structured interviews and a focus group discussion with 20 participants who were purposively drawn from four urban and rural areas in the Eastern Cape. The findings concur with the view that the Child Support Grant (CSG)3 monetary support should be increased to better accommodate the multi-dimensional child poverty needs of the CSG recipients.