WEBINAR SERIES SHINES SPOTLIGHT ON EARLY ACCESS TO CHILD SUPPORT GRANTS AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

By Cuma Pantshwa.

• Receiving the CSG within a child’s first year significantly improves cognitive outcomes, while delays harm development.
• Adolescent Mothers Encounter Key Barriers; Structural issues like delayed eligibility, limited education, and insufficient support restrict timely grant access.
• Recommendations include flexible grant processes, targeted outreach, and integrated support services to address the needs of adolescent mothers and their children.

The Department of Social Development (DSD) and the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) are continuing their thought-provoking 2025 webinar series, presenting research from the Social Security Review Vol. 2: Social Security in the Time of COVID-19. This collaboration highlights evidence-based insights into South Africa’s social protection landscape, showing how policy and practice intersect to improve lives.
The recent second edition focused on a theme central to DSD’s core mission: Integrative Support; Child Support Grants, Food Assistance, and Economic Stability, highlighting compelling evidence that early grant access can transform the lives of one of South Africa’s most vulnerable groups: the children of adolescent mothers.

The Research Finding: Timing is Everything

Presented by Ms Claire Tatham of the University of Cape Town, the study “Grants and Development”. Exploring the relationship between Child Support Grant Access and Child Cognitive Development in children of adolescent mothers in South Africa” investigated whether the timing of Child Support Grant (CSG) access could help mitigate developmental risks.
Her findings were both clear and urgent:
• Early Access = Better Development: Receiving the CSG within a child’s first year is associated with a significant boost in cognitive scores.
• Delays Cost Development: Every month of delay in accessing the grant results in a measurable decline in cognitive outcomes.
• Mother vs. Caregiver Applications: On average, adolescent mothers face a one-month longer delay than caregivers, underscoring the need for targeted interventions.

Barriers and Realities for Adolescent Mothers

The research identified a range of structural and social barriers to timely grant access, from lower education levels, transition into eligibility until the mother turns 16, lack of caregiver support, and limited awareness of rights.
These challenges are compounded by South Africa’s rising adolescent pregnancy rates, up 48.7% for girls aged 10–14 and 17.9% for those aged 15–19 between 2017 and 2021, placing more children at risk of poor developmental outcomes, malnutrition, and disrupted schooling.
While the CSG remains a vital lifeline, the research stressed that cash alone isn’t enough. Complementary services such as parenting support and healthcare are essential to achieving lasting impact.

Policy Recommendations from the Research

Ms Tatham’s team proposed actionable steps, including:
• Flexible CSG processes that reflect diverse caregiving arrangements.
• Targeted outreach to first-time, low-educated adolescent mothers.
• Stronger service linkages to ensure grant access is coupled with holistic support.

“In line with the objectives of these ongoing webinar series, the department welcomes the enriching insights that provide fresh impetus to intensify awareness efforts, streamline application processes, and close the gap between policy intent and on-the-ground access”, said Mr Anthony Makwiramiti, Chief Director: Social Insurance.
As the DSD–HSRC webinar series continues, it is not only creating a platform for researchers to share evidence but also fostering collaboration between policymakers, practitioners, and communities to work together to ensure that no child’s potential is lost because support came too late.