Dependency on child support grant increases teenage pregnancy rate in the community of North West province

Abstract

In South Africa, increased teenage pregnancy rates especially among teenagers is considered to be one of the social problems because it yields social and economic challenges. Due to insufficient material and social support, poor primary caregivers are believed to be putting themselves and the beneficiaries of child support grant on a predicament of lifetime poverty. This paper is based on the research study that was conducted in 2021. The conducted study examined the dependency on child support grant which increases teenage pregnancy rates in the community of the North West Province. In this paper, researchers followed a mixed-methods approach and purposive sampling. The sample method consisted of primary caregivers and social workers. Researchers conducted semi-structured interviews. The conclusions of this paper are that CSG is one of the contributors to increased pregnancy rates, however other social factors such as poverty, increased domestic violence, interrupted education, lack of employment opportunities, criminal activities, child neglect as well as child abandonment are contributors to increased pregnancy rates (Amoateng, Ewemooje, & Biney 2022: 34).