Protecting children’s mental health to reduce violence and poverty

Protecting children’s mental health to reduce violence and poverty

According to UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund), violence against children remains a critical challenge facing South African society today. Despite tremendous efforts to curb this violence experienced by children, our country carries a legacy of violence and extreme inequality. This legacy, along with poverty and unemployment, impacts children’s safety and wellbeing, leaving many of them at risk of domestic violence, substance abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect.

In addition, these factors can also impact the mental health of children – and a recent Child Gauge by the Children’s Institute has identified children and adolescents in South Africa continue to face multiple adversities that erode their mental health.

It is vital that we do more to challenge the silence and stigma that prevent people from seeking care

Violence and the impact on mental health

According to the Child Gauge report, 42% of children in South Africa have experienced violence including physical violence and sexual abuse. Violence is pervasive, with 99% of children in some areas experiencing or witnessing some form of violence in their homes, schools, or communities.

UNICEF has found that a third of girls in South Africa experience some form of violence, often from someone they know.

This constant exposure to violence, along with other societal factors, can have a deep impact on the mental wellbeing of children.

The Children’s Institute’s Director, Professor Shanaaz Mathews, says in the immediate aftermath of a violent event, children may experience waves of fear, anxiety, panic and shock; and without appropriate support, these feelings may give rise to post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, substance use and other mental health challenges.

“Given the scale and intergenerational nature of violence against children, our response to trauma needs to extend beyond dedicated psychological and psychiatric services,” said Prof Mathews. “Other services such as education, health, social services and the criminal justice system need to recognise and respond to the physical, social, and emotional impact of trauma on children, and on the professionals and caregivers who are there to help them heal,” she added.

She added that the environments in which young people live have a profound impact on their mental health.

“The characteristics of a neighbourhood – whether it is peaceful and clean or violent and dirty – has a bigger impact on the mental health of the people who live in it than their own individual predispositions,” said Prof Mathews. Almost two-thirds of South Africa’s children live in poverty, frequently in environments where the stress of material insecurity is made worse by inadequate services, discrimination and violence. In addition, almost 40% of children live below the food poverty line.

“These children and adolescents are at particular risk of poorer mental health which can perpetuate an intergenerational cycle of poverty, violence and ill health,” said Prof Mathews.

Building a supportive society Although between 10% and 20% of South African children will develop a mental disorder or neurodevelopmental disability, every child needs support during their development, said Professor Mark Tomlinson from the Institute for Life Course Health Research at Stellenbosch University.

“The ordinary support of parents, teachers and communities can help build resilience and set children on a positive trajectory. Due to historical neglect and underinvestment in mental health, there are serious gaps in prevention and care for children and adolescents in South Africa,” he said.

These gaps often lead to gross human rights violations that rob children and adolescents of their quality of life, and potential to build resilience, said Bongani Majola, Chairperson of the South African Human Rights Commission.

Christine Muhigana, Country Representative at UNICEF South Africa, said that it is vital that we do more to challenge the silence and stigma that prevent people from seeking care – especially as UNICEF South Africa’s U-Report found that 65% of young people with mental health issues did not seek help.

Child and adolescent mental health is the foundation of a strong, vibrant and healthy society, the report said, which is why investing early to promote children’s optimal mental health and wellbeing is one of the best investments we can make. It offers an opportunity to break the cycle of poverty, violence, and mental ill health.

The report calls on the government and South African society to create a more supportive and enabling environment that nurtures child and adolescent mental health, protects them from harm, and enables them to access care and support.

South Africa’s children in numbers

• 20 million: The number of children under the age of 18

• 20% of children do not live with either of their biological parents

• 36% of children live in households where nobody was earning income through employment or self-employment

• 12.9 million children receive the Child Support Grant

• 83.5% of children are fully immunised in their first year

• 97% of children attend school and have access to education

• 57% of children are living in urban areas

• 70% of children have piped drinking water at home

• 78% of children have an adequate toilet at home