An exploratory study of resilience building strategies in community based child and youth care in Inanda Kwa-Zulu-Natal

Abstract

Resilience building has been widely studied, yet there is limited literature on its practical implementation, particularly in the South African context. In community based care settings, resilience plays a crucial role in helping children and youth overcome adversity, enabling them to lead meaningful lives despite challenging circumstances. This study explores resilience-building strategies used in community based care in Inanda Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, with a focus on the experiences of child and youth care workers (CYCWs). The study underpinned by ecological systems theory and the strength-based approach, which provided a lens to understand how CYCWs draw on both internal and external resources to support resilience. Using a qualitative research approach, the study employed purposive and convenience sampling to recruit twenty CYCWs for semi-structured interviews. Participants shared their experiences and the strategies they used to foster resilience among children in their care. Through thematic analysis, five key themes emerged: CYCWs’ understanding of resilience, the importance of resilience building in child and youth care, effective resilience-building strategies, challenges faced in resilience building, and suggestions for improvement. The findings reveal that resilience building involves strategies such as encouraging and building children up, facilitating behaviour change, promoting positive coping skills, ensuring academic success, and fostering participation in sports. A strength based approach, spirituality, and mentorship programs were also identified as key resilience-building methods. However, resilience efforts are constrained by contextual challenges such as lack of parental and community support, emotional strain on CYCWs, inadequate services, and limited access to basic resources. In addition, children in their care are often exposed to poverty, violence and the effects of HIV/AIDS, which exacerbate their vulnerabilities. The study also highlights the need for continuous professional development, training, and improved reunification processes with families. These insights contribute to the growing body of knowledge on resilience in community-based care and also provide practical recommendations for strengthening resilience-building strategies among vulnerable children not only in South Africa but around the world.