The Sinovuyo Caring Families Project is a test of a parenting programme – the Sinovuyo Caring Families Programme – that aims to contribute to reducing the maltreatment of children in South Africa. It is a collaboration between three academic institutions – the Universities of Cape Town, Bangor and Oxford – and three local community-based organisations – Clowns Without Borders South Africa, Ikamva Labantu and The Parent Centre.
Using a mixed-methods approach combining self-report questionnaires, observational assessments, qualitative in-depth interviews and focus groups, the project is concerned with assessing whether a carefully designed, evidence-informed parenting programme can support parents, living and raising their families in the difficult contexts of South Africa, to learn and use positive parenting skills. It aims to observe and measure the primary outcomes of “positive parenting” and “harsh parenting” behavior in families with children between the ages of three and eight, in very deprived areas of Cape Town. It also looks at child behaviour problems, parenting stress, parental depression and perceived social support. This publication reports on the lessons learnt from the programme’s test in Khayelitsha, Cape Town, which was partially funded by Ilifa.
