Behavioural Experiences Endured in Child-Headed Households: The Case of Tshakhuma Village in The Vhembe District of Limpopo Province, South Africa

Abstract

Child-headed households are not new in the world and South Africa is not an exception. Situations do exist where older siblings often head up  households. Some households are headed by children who sometimes have the support of an older person from the neighbourhood while others  do not have any support at all. There are also children who care for their sick parents  nd who do not receive any adult support. HIV/AIDS orphans in  child-headed households in the South African context are likely to be poorer and less healthy than children who are not orphans. The pressures  of having to care for parents and siblings while trying to earn an income, can cause children to drop out of school, even while their parents are still  alive. This prompted the current study which investigates challenges and experiences of those children who are providing a living for their  households in Tshakhuma village. The study employed a qualitative approach to collect and analyse the data. The findings of the study are that  young children heading households often suffer from starvation and malnutrition. Additionally, they are also less likely to receive the medical  attention and healthcare they need. The current study submits that shortage of resources is also part of the challenges they come across, while  others are sexually exploited at an early age, thus leading them vulnerable to risks of HIV/AIDS and abuse due to lack of parental guidance,  education, and protection.