Implementation of the child support grant: a study of four provinces and recommendations for improved service delivery
Date
2008-03-18T11:02:22Z
Authors
Goldblatt, Beth
Rosa, Solange
Hall, Katharine
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Abstract
Since its inception in 1998, the Child Support Grant (CSG) has been rolled out very rapidly and now reaches more than seven million children. It is having a significant impact on the alleviation of poverty by increasing children’s access to food, education and health care.
Despite this remarkable achievement, not all poor children are managing to access the grant. The way in which the grant is implemented is not always consistent across provinces or even within provinces. Certain implementation problems mean added burdens for poor primary care-givers in their interaction with the Department of Social Development (DSD), and some of the other government departments. Many of these problems can be easily solved and conditions be improved for grant applicants and beneficiaries. Such improvements would go a long way towards the realisation of all people’s rights to social assistance, as set out in Section 27 of the South African Constitution. Improvements in implementation would also bring current practice in line with administrative law as set out in the Constitution, legislation and common law.
Description
Published in January 2006
Keywords
Child support grants, Poverty alleviation, Social assistance, South Africa