Leila Patel is the South African Research Chair in Welfare and Social Development and the Director of the Centre for Social Development in Africa. In 2014 she was awarded the Distinguished Woman Scientist Award in the Humanities and Social Sciences and in 2013 she was the Helen Harris Pearlman Visiting Professor of International Social Welfare, University of Chicago (2013). Previously, she was the Head of the Department of Social Work at the University of Johannesburg, the Director General of Social Welfare and Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-Principal of Wits University. She played a leading role in the development of South Africa’s welfare policy. The second edition of her book on Social Welfare and Social Development in South Africa was published by Oxford University Press (2015). She has a Masters in Social Work (MSW) from West Michigan University and a PhD from Wits University. Phone: 0115591907 Address: House 9, Research Village Bunting Road Campus University of Johannesburg
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Communities in major cities in developing countries may experience economic vulnerability, which ... more Communities in major cities in developing countries may experience economic vulnerability, which has detrimental consequences for maternal and child health. This study investigated individual-, household-, and community-level factors associated with child growth and resilience of early-grade learners aged 6 to 8 years. Demographic characteristics, depression scale, child wellbeing, and anthropometric measurements were collected on a sample of 162 caregiver–child pairs (children 46% female) who receive the child support grant (cash transfer programme) from five low-income urban communities in the City of Johannesburg, South Africa. Height and weight were converted to z-scores using the WHO Anthroplus software. Multiple linear regression was used to assess factors associated with child health outcomes and multi-level regression to account for community-level factors. Higher income vulnerability was associated with lower weight- and height-for-age z-scores (WAZ and HAZ). Not completing...
In South Africa adolescent girls have the highest HIV incidence of any sex or age cohort. Scalabl... more In South Africa adolescent girls have the highest HIV incidence of any sex or age cohort. Scalable HIV-prevention interventions targeting this group are critical for epidemic control. Reaching 12.2 million children, the Child Support Grant mitigates the socio-structural drivers of HIV risk. This qualitative study of eight adolescents and their caregivers in Westbury, Johannesburg, explored how caregiving increases protective potential. ‘Caregiving’ enhanced the HIV risk-reduction benefits of ‘cash’ when characterised by substantial positive caregiver-adolescent involvement and adequate levels of control and consistency. Results underpin the value of social protection as an HIV-prevention modality and endorse investment in caregiver support programmes.
<p>Abstract: South Africa has made significant strides in growing its social security and s... more <p>Abstract: South Africa has made significant strides in growing its social security and social development system to reduce poverty and inequality since the advent of democracy in 1994. The country's rights-based and redistributive social protection system builds on earlier social policies and was substantively refashioned to address the country's colonial and apartheid legacy. This chapter documents the South African case with reference to the following themes: first, it sets out the social and economic challenges facing the country in relation to poverty and inequality. Second, it demonstrates the conceptual and policy significance of the South African case in relation to the rise of social protection policies to promote inclusive development in countries in the Global South. The South African welfare regime is the third theme. It focuses on the evolution of social security and social development, discusses the features of the approach, the nature and scope of social protection policies and their impacts. Finally, the chapter concludes by considering the policy issues and future trajectory of social protection in South Africa.</p>
Child-on-child sexual abuse in South Africa has been recognised only recently as a significant so... more Child-on-child sexual abuse in South Africa has been recognised only recently as a significant social problem, reflected in the dearth of research on the topic. There is also a lack of evidence in South Africa on the extent of abuse and issues that relate to youth sex offending (Ehlers & Wood, 2001; Mbambo, 2002). It is difficult to establish the extent of either child-on-child or child-on-adult sex offending in South Africa, because not all of these cases are reported or recorded (Stout, 2003). It is estimated, however, that 42 % of sexual offences reported to Childline, a national help-line providing crisis intervention services, are committed by other children (Vanzant, 2004) and the latest statistics available from the Department of Correctional Services (2007) show that on 31 January 2007 a total of 288 children were in prison for crimes of a sexual nature. It was reported in the Pretoria News that in South Africa a daily average of 82 children were charged for indecently assau...
Development, Social Policy and Community Action: Lessons from Below addresses these questions bas... more Development, Social Policy and Community Action: Lessons from Below addresses these questions based on rigorous and multi-faceted research conducted in the poor, urban area of Doornkop, Soweto, using a range of different methodological approaches and theoretical perspectives that all broaden our understanding of citizen-community-state interactions in disadvantaged, urban communities in South Africa.
Limited evidence exists of the effectiveness of combining cash transfers and family strengthening... more Limited evidence exists of the effectiveness of combining cash transfers and family strengthening interventions in developing country contexts. This study provides evidence from an evaluation of a bespoke family strengthening intervention for Child Support Grant beneficiaries in 10 urban communities in Johannesburg, South Africa. A qualitative pre-post design was used to assess the effectiveness of this combination intervention including a nine-month follow-up study. Participants were randomly assigned to intervention and non-intervention groups allowing for comparison between the groups over time. The intervention improved child-caregiver and family relations; strengthened networks of social support and caregiver engagement in schooling and enhanced parenting and financial capabilities. Findings were inconclusive in improving symptoms of depression and in nutritional knowledge and skills. Combination interventions of this kind have the potential to improve child and family well-being in certain domains.
Transformation: Critical Perspectives on Southern Africa, 2016
Abstract: Since the 2009 general election in South Africa there has been significant speculation ... more Abstract: Since the 2009 general election in South Africa there has been significant speculation about the electoral power of the over 16 million social grant beneficiaries. Equally controversial has been the issuing of food parcels by the government before local government by-elections in 2013. A quantitative study was undertaken in three poor communities in South Africa–Riverlea and Doornkop in Johannesburg and in Groblersdal in the Limpopo province to establish the voting behaviour of poor people (‘poor’ being defined in terms of income level). This article focuses mainly on the role that social grants and food parcels play in voting behaviour. Among other things, it was found that grant receipt has some influence on how people vote but that it is not the driving factor. Though the majority of respondents regard the handing out of food parcels before elections as ‘bribery’, over a quarter still indicated that they would vote for a party that gave them food parcels.
Civic service in Sub-Saharan Africa reflects the complex social, cultural, economic, and politica... more Civic service in Sub-Saharan Africa reflects the complex social, cultural, economic, and political history of the region in a changing global world marked by increasing risks to human security and development. National and international service including local, informal, and community-based service continues to remain prominent and is an appropriate response to the intractable development issues facing these societies. New initiatives to address the marginalization of Africa from the new information economy and society will need to keep human development on the agenda. Civic service can make a significant contribution to mobilizing local and international efforts in partnership with governments and civil society. Future research and policy should address the institutional impediments to service, develop research capacity to strengthen a scholarship of civic engagement, and conceive of service as part of a broader social development strategy.
Southern African Journal of Social Work and Social Development
This article describes research which sought to understand how the Child Support Grant, an uncond... more This article describes research which sought to understand how the Child Support Grant, an unconditional cash transfer in South Africa, influences children’s capabilities in education and health. Of children aged five to 14 years, who are legally required to attend school, the presence of the grant was found to enhance enrolment in the early years of education and resulted in healthier body mass indices. This finding was despite child beneficiaries residing in poorer households with lower access to services than children not receiving the grant. Some services, however, such as water and electricity proved vital to the promotion of school enrolment and the health of these children. The research highlighted the need for resources in the form of basic services to supplement household income in order to enhance child capabilities required for development.
This chapter first defines social protection and locates it within the social development approac... more This chapter first defines social protection and locates it within the social development approach. Then, it provides a geographical and historical overview of social protection and outlines some of the key trends that are the focus of current debates. In the conclusion, future implications of the recent rise of social protection on the development policy agenda are discussed. It is argued that although social protection measures are becoming popular in many countries, they will continue to be negotiated in contexts of demographic and labour shifts, rising inequality, political and ideological contestation and climate change. .
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Communities in major cities in developing countries may experience economic vulnerability, which ... more Communities in major cities in developing countries may experience economic vulnerability, which has detrimental consequences for maternal and child health. This study investigated individual-, household-, and community-level factors associated with child growth and resilience of early-grade learners aged 6 to 8 years. Demographic characteristics, depression scale, child wellbeing, and anthropometric measurements were collected on a sample of 162 caregiver–child pairs (children 46% female) who receive the child support grant (cash transfer programme) from five low-income urban communities in the City of Johannesburg, South Africa. Height and weight were converted to z-scores using the WHO Anthroplus software. Multiple linear regression was used to assess factors associated with child health outcomes and multi-level regression to account for community-level factors. Higher income vulnerability was associated with lower weight- and height-for-age z-scores (WAZ and HAZ). Not completing...
In South Africa adolescent girls have the highest HIV incidence of any sex or age cohort. Scalabl... more In South Africa adolescent girls have the highest HIV incidence of any sex or age cohort. Scalable HIV-prevention interventions targeting this group are critical for epidemic control. Reaching 12.2 million children, the Child Support Grant mitigates the socio-structural drivers of HIV risk. This qualitative study of eight adolescents and their caregivers in Westbury, Johannesburg, explored how caregiving increases protective potential. ‘Caregiving’ enhanced the HIV risk-reduction benefits of ‘cash’ when characterised by substantial positive caregiver-adolescent involvement and adequate levels of control and consistency. Results underpin the value of social protection as an HIV-prevention modality and endorse investment in caregiver support programmes.
<p>Abstract: South Africa has made significant strides in growing its social security and s... more <p>Abstract: South Africa has made significant strides in growing its social security and social development system to reduce poverty and inequality since the advent of democracy in 1994. The country's rights-based and redistributive social protection system builds on earlier social policies and was substantively refashioned to address the country's colonial and apartheid legacy. This chapter documents the South African case with reference to the following themes: first, it sets out the social and economic challenges facing the country in relation to poverty and inequality. Second, it demonstrates the conceptual and policy significance of the South African case in relation to the rise of social protection policies to promote inclusive development in countries in the Global South. The South African welfare regime is the third theme. It focuses on the evolution of social security and social development, discusses the features of the approach, the nature and scope of social protection policies and their impacts. Finally, the chapter concludes by considering the policy issues and future trajectory of social protection in South Africa.</p>
Child-on-child sexual abuse in South Africa has been recognised only recently as a significant so... more Child-on-child sexual abuse in South Africa has been recognised only recently as a significant social problem, reflected in the dearth of research on the topic. There is also a lack of evidence in South Africa on the extent of abuse and issues that relate to youth sex offending (Ehlers & Wood, 2001; Mbambo, 2002). It is difficult to establish the extent of either child-on-child or child-on-adult sex offending in South Africa, because not all of these cases are reported or recorded (Stout, 2003). It is estimated, however, that 42 % of sexual offences reported to Childline, a national help-line providing crisis intervention services, are committed by other children (Vanzant, 2004) and the latest statistics available from the Department of Correctional Services (2007) show that on 31 January 2007 a total of 288 children were in prison for crimes of a sexual nature. It was reported in the Pretoria News that in South Africa a daily average of 82 children were charged for indecently assau...
Development, Social Policy and Community Action: Lessons from Below addresses these questions bas... more Development, Social Policy and Community Action: Lessons from Below addresses these questions based on rigorous and multi-faceted research conducted in the poor, urban area of Doornkop, Soweto, using a range of different methodological approaches and theoretical perspectives that all broaden our understanding of citizen-community-state interactions in disadvantaged, urban communities in South Africa.
Limited evidence exists of the effectiveness of combining cash transfers and family strengthening... more Limited evidence exists of the effectiveness of combining cash transfers and family strengthening interventions in developing country contexts. This study provides evidence from an evaluation of a bespoke family strengthening intervention for Child Support Grant beneficiaries in 10 urban communities in Johannesburg, South Africa. A qualitative pre-post design was used to assess the effectiveness of this combination intervention including a nine-month follow-up study. Participants were randomly assigned to intervention and non-intervention groups allowing for comparison between the groups over time. The intervention improved child-caregiver and family relations; strengthened networks of social support and caregiver engagement in schooling and enhanced parenting and financial capabilities. Findings were inconclusive in improving symptoms of depression and in nutritional knowledge and skills. Combination interventions of this kind have the potential to improve child and family well-being in certain domains.
Transformation: Critical Perspectives on Southern Africa, 2016
Abstract: Since the 2009 general election in South Africa there has been significant speculation ... more Abstract: Since the 2009 general election in South Africa there has been significant speculation about the electoral power of the over 16 million social grant beneficiaries. Equally controversial has been the issuing of food parcels by the government before local government by-elections in 2013. A quantitative study was undertaken in three poor communities in South Africa–Riverlea and Doornkop in Johannesburg and in Groblersdal in the Limpopo province to establish the voting behaviour of poor people (‘poor’ being defined in terms of income level). This article focuses mainly on the role that social grants and food parcels play in voting behaviour. Among other things, it was found that grant receipt has some influence on how people vote but that it is not the driving factor. Though the majority of respondents regard the handing out of food parcels before elections as ‘bribery’, over a quarter still indicated that they would vote for a party that gave them food parcels.
Civic service in Sub-Saharan Africa reflects the complex social, cultural, economic, and politica... more Civic service in Sub-Saharan Africa reflects the complex social, cultural, economic, and political history of the region in a changing global world marked by increasing risks to human security and development. National and international service including local, informal, and community-based service continues to remain prominent and is an appropriate response to the intractable development issues facing these societies. New initiatives to address the marginalization of Africa from the new information economy and society will need to keep human development on the agenda. Civic service can make a significant contribution to mobilizing local and international efforts in partnership with governments and civil society. Future research and policy should address the institutional impediments to service, develop research capacity to strengthen a scholarship of civic engagement, and conceive of service as part of a broader social development strategy.
Southern African Journal of Social Work and Social Development
This article describes research which sought to understand how the Child Support Grant, an uncond... more This article describes research which sought to understand how the Child Support Grant, an unconditional cash transfer in South Africa, influences children’s capabilities in education and health. Of children aged five to 14 years, who are legally required to attend school, the presence of the grant was found to enhance enrolment in the early years of education and resulted in healthier body mass indices. This finding was despite child beneficiaries residing in poorer households with lower access to services than children not receiving the grant. Some services, however, such as water and electricity proved vital to the promotion of school enrolment and the health of these children. The research highlighted the need for resources in the form of basic services to supplement household income in order to enhance child capabilities required for development.
This chapter first defines social protection and locates it within the social development approac... more This chapter first defines social protection and locates it within the social development approach. Then, it provides a geographical and historical overview of social protection and outlines some of the key trends that are the focus of current debates. In the conclusion, future implications of the recent rise of social protection on the development policy agenda are discussed. It is argued that although social protection measures are becoming popular in many countries, they will continue to be negotiated in contexts of demographic and labour shifts, rising inequality, political and ideological contestation and climate change. .
Development social Policy and Community Action Lessons from below, 2017
Development, Social Policy and Community Action: Lessons from Below, explores how government assi... more Development, Social Policy and Community Action: Lessons from Below, explores how government assistance, through social grants and services, as well as community support mechanisms provide solutions to citizens in poor communities and the ways that the citizens perceive and make use of such interventions. Solutions to poverty and inequality are often designed, implemented and evaluated in a top-down manner, thereby disregarding the views and agency of the poor citizens themselves - this book addresses this gap. Based on research conducted in the urban area of Doornkop, Soweto, this insightful study broadens our understanding of citizen-community-state interactions in disadvantaged, urban communities in South Africa by using a range of different methodological approaches and theoretical perspectives. It points to the need for more nuanced policy strategies and interventions, pertinent to local challenges which also resonate with the global search for solutions in similar contexts. This book also provides a case for conducting community-based research that could support communities in their efforts to effect positive change.
Social Welfare and Social Development discusses social welfare practice in global and regional co... more Social Welfare and Social Development discusses social welfare practice in global and regional context. It addresses issues of poverty, unemployment and populations at risk within South Africa and the role of the social welfare system in South Africa in tackling these issues. The book outlines the theory and practice of social development as the practice through which the South African government aims to address social challenges. The first edition was unique and ground breaking in its explication of social development and is still valued for these insights. The second edition includes updated discussions, reviewing changes in the social landscape since 2005.
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Papers by Leila Patel
poverty, unemployment and populations at risk within South
Africa and the role of the social welfare system in South Africa in tackling these issues.
The book outlines the theory and practice of social development as the practice through which the South African government aims to address social challenges. The first edition was unique and ground breaking in its explication of social development and is still valued for these insights. The second edition includes updated
discussions, reviewing changes in the social landscape since 2005.