Balancing the roles of employee and primary child caregiver: experiences of single mothers formally employed in Otjiwarongo, Namibia
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Date
2019
Authors
Markus, Julia Ndeyapewa
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Abstract
The number of single mothers entering the workforce is an ever-increasing trend throughout
the world, including countries in sub-Saharan Africa, such as Namibia. Usually, single mothers
face many challenges fulfilling the roles of employee and primary caregiver simultaneously.
Although the challenges experienced by employed, single mothers have been well researched
in developed Western and European countries, there is a gap of knowledge regarding how
formally employed, single mothers in sub-Saharan Africa, including Namibia, experience
trying to balance the responsibilities of employee and primary caregiver of their children.
Occupational social workers can play a meaningful role in supporting employees in the
workplace, including employed, single mothers who are facing caregiving challenges that are
negatively impacting on their work responsibilities. The main aim of this research was thus to
explore how employed single mothers in Namibia experience trying to balance the roles of
primary caregiver and employee, so that key role players within the workplace, especially
occupational social workers, can gain more insight into how these challenges can best be
addressed. To realise this aim, a qualitative research approach was adopted using the
phenomenological research design. Fifteen employed mothers in Otjiwarongo, a small town of
about 28 000 inhabitants in the Otjozondjupa region, were purposively selected as the research
sample. Data were gathered by conducting individual interviews with the participants. The
research tool was pre-tested with an employed single mother who met the sample selection
criteria. Thematic analysis was employed to analyse data. The main findings based on data
analysis were that fulfilling the role of mother is difficult when facing work pressure and
working long hours. Stress experienced in the work environment is often carried over to the
home environment, and vice versa. Focus on work activities can also be undermined when
experiencing concerns about the well-being of their children, especially if they are young.
Women try to balance their simultaneous roles by employing reliable caregivers to take on the
responsibility of caregiving when they are at work. Based on research findings, it is
recommended that occupational social workers work towards implementing policy and practice
within the work environment that facilitates personal contact between mother and child.
Description
A research study presented in partial fulfilment of the requirement for
the Masters of Arts in Occupational Social Work to the Faculty of Humanities, School of Human & Community Development, University of the Witwatersrand, 2019