Children’s perspectives on child well-being : a pathway to sustainable futures. A case study in the Brits and Rustenburg areas in North West Province

Abstract

Well-being is a multi-dimensional construct that refers to the positive relationship that one has with others, feeling content and having a degree of control over one’s life. Child well-being involves physical, mental, cognitive, social, material and environmental domains of well-being. Given that child well-being was often studied from the perspectives of adults, this study was conducted with the aim of understanding the subjective well-being of children - or how children perceive their own well-being - as a pathway to sustainable futures. As children’s development is influenced by their environment, the ecological systems theory was the theoretical framework for the study. A qualitative research approach and an interpretative research paradigm were adopted to understand children’s subjective views on child well-being. As the research findings were aimed to inform social work practice, the study was categorised as applied research. An instrumental case study design was relevant for understanding the well-being of children by exploring their own views. By means of purposive and snowball sampling, a study sample of 10 children in middle childhood were recruited in the Brits and Rustenburg areas in the North West province. Semi-structured interviews guided by an interview schedule and visual communication cards were used to collect data. Thematic data analysis was implemented to analyse the data. Research ethical principles guided the implementation of the study to prevent harm to the research participants. The findings from the study revealed that children’s well-being was associated with children being happy, loved and cared for, while their well-being was influenced by their interactions with their parents, siblings, members of the extended family, friends, teachers and even their pets. The research findings show that meeting children’s needs, having access to relevant community resources, and positive environmental conditions would support children’s well-being. The participants also suggested actions by adults and by children themselves that could enhance child well-being. The study revealed that children can voice their opinions on child well-being and that they can participate collaboratively with adults in enhancing their well-being if their views are considered and they are given opportunities for participation. All things considered, social workers can be in the frontline when it comes to protecting and enhancing children’s well-being by acting, amongst others, as advocates and educators for relevant interventions and services on different ecological levels. Further research on child well-being in South Africa can inform interventions to enhance the well-being of South Africa’s children.