A step in the wrong direction: linking the South Africa Child Support Grant to school attendance

Placing conditionalities on cash transfers imposes costs on those seeking the benefit, and on the implementing institutions. A small, unconditional but means-tested regular cash transfer - the Child Support Grant (CSG) - for young South African children in households living in poverty was introduced...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The journal of poverty and social justice : research, policy, practice policy, practice, 2011-02, Vol.19 (1), p.5-14
Main Author: Lund, Francie
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Antipoverty programs
Beneficiaries
Benefit plans
Child poverty
Child support
Child Support Grant
Children
Conditionality
Cost benefit analysis
Households
Money
Poverty
Poverty alleviation
Regulation
School attendance
Social policy
Social security
South Africa
Welfare
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Summary:Placing conditionalities on cash transfers imposes costs on those seeking the benefit, and on the implementing institutions. A small, unconditional but means-tested regular cash transfer - the Child Support Grant (CSG) - for young South African children in households living in poverty was introduced in 1998. A new regulation requires that beneficiaries attending school have to show proof of regular attendance twice a year. Education is highly valued in South Africa, and school attendance is not a priority problem. The quality of education for children from households in poverty is, however, dismal. Unnecessary additional administrative burdens will now be imposed. All the evidence points strongly against the new policy.
ISSN:1759-8273
1759-8281
DOI:10.1332/175982711X559118