Challenges Confronting Child and Youth Care Workers and Organisations in Their Work Milieu during the Covid-19 Pandemic in South Africa

Abstract

Child and youth care is devoted to protecting vulnerable children and youths and enhancing their well-being. Covid-19 brought many challenges to both child and youth care workers and centres in their work milieu in South Africa. Guided by a qualitative research design and the use of purposive sampling, the study sought to understand the experiences of practitioners working at different child and youth care centres. The data were collected using semi-structured interviews and a thematic analysis was used to guide the analysis. The article offers insights into the challenges faced by practitioners at these organisations during the Covid-19 pandemic. In summary, the children at these facilities presented with emotional distress and behavioural problems due to the protracted separation from their parents, family reunification was affected and the child and youth care workers themselves had to deal with increased personal fear and distress as their colleagues tested positive for Covid-19. More important were the new and diverse changes that had to be made to safeguard the well-being of the staff and children at these facilities.