Demystifying Caregiving for Children with Disability in Botswana
Keywords:
social workers, children, Caregivers, DisabilityAbstract
The intention of this study is to establish the kind of support available for caregivers in rural communities to be effective in their responsibility and if not, what can communities do to assist caregivers emotional, socially, spiritually, and to some extent economically to cope with the challenges of caregiving. This qualitative study used in-depth interviews to gain insight into the 30 caregivers’ experiences and 7 key informants in Mopipi who participated in the study. A questionnaire was administered face to face to caregivers who were purposively selected, and the data was collected in August 2014. The caregivers were interviewed at their own residences to accord the researcher the opportunity to observe the care dynamics as they unfold. This method made easier for the researcher to probe further for clarity and appreciate the daily challenges of care. The empowerment theory informed the general structure of the study, the design of the interview guide, and the conclusion. The primary data were analysed using the qualitative method and techniques of data analysis by deriving themes from the objectives, data transcribing, and observation. It was found that children in Mopipi area have different types of disabilities ranging from physical to intellectual disabilities. The majority of caregivers were unemployed while others were dependent on income gained from the Ipelegeng project, which is a seasonal form of employment. Furthermore, the services to children and their caregivers are limited to food provision and at times transport to referral hospital. The condition of programmes and services are complex and usually result in the total lack or not receiving necessary assistance on time. In conclusion, caring for children with disabilities is a mammoth task as caregivers in Mopipi faced several challenges that end up affecting the lives of their children such as poor nutrition, lack of educational support. In addition caregivers end up having compassion fatigue as they do not have informal support systems. Therefore, it was caregivers need appropriate and timely interventions, community support groups, and training in order to provide effective care for children with disability.
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