Many children in South Africa live outside of parental care, due to orphanhood, parental labour migration, unemployment, and for other reasons. Family members and other adults thus play an important role in providing substitute care. Non-parental caregivers have been found to experience high levels of psychological distress and burden, potentially leading to poor outcomes for children. The present analysis examines whether these and other potential risk factors are associated with caregiver-perpetrated physical aggression towards adolescent girls living outside of parental care in the Free State province.
Preparation and support for caregivers may reduce adolescents’ risk of caregiver-perpetrated physical aggression in South Africa