Search Climate Insights Directory

The study found that an integrated intervention of parenting programmes and social activation led to significant decreases in children's internalising and externalising behaviours and a reduction in parenting stress. While there was a trend toward decreased spanking, overall positive parenting levels remained stable. Social network analysis revealed that programme participants became more influential, potentially spreading positive parenting practices to non-attendees. However, the impact was undermined by systemic risks including intimate partner violence, poor mental health, and substance abuse, which the authors argue must be addressed through integrated social and government services to optimise outcomes.

The study found that while parenting programmes can reduce parenting stress and improve children's mental health, their overall effectiveness is undermined by systemic issues such as intimate partner violence, substance misuse, and poor adult mental health. The intervention showed a trend toward reduced spanking and increased positive parenting among Afrikaans-speaking caregivers, but failed to achieve a community-wide shift due to linguistic barriers and severe socio-economic stressors.

The report examines three community-based organisations (CBOs) in South Africa—Seven Passes Initiative, Net vir Pret, and Hantam Community Education Trust—to identify common elements for sustainable violence prevention. It argues that successful interventions must be aligned with local culture, prioritize the building of social capital, and manage the tension between immediate service delivery and long-term community transformation. The findings highlight that while these CBOs have fostered significant 'intangible' gains like trust and hope, they often operate in the absence of consistent government support and face challenges in overcoming deep-seated racial divisions.

The document details a project in Touwsranten, South Africa, that integrated household-level parenting programmes with community-led social activation. This synergistic approach led to a decrease in corporal punishment, reduced child behavioural problems, and improved parent mental health. The project utilised action research and a steering committee to develop contextually relevant activities, such as a parenting manifesto and community events, to foster a collective commitment to non-violent parenting.

The Seven Passes Initiative in Touwsranten, South Africa, provides free after-school meals, homework support, and youth development to prevent violence. Established in 2007 to counter gang-related clashes on farms, the programme has helped eliminate local farm violence and enabled over 20 participants to attend university. Despite its success, the document notes that early violence prevention remains severely underfunded in South Africa, receiving less than 1% of combined national and provincial Department of Social Development budgets.