INSTITUTIONALIZED CHILD CARE IN URBAN SOUTH AFRICA

where this transition even begins. Cases like Buzwe reveal that educational progress and
age do not always dictate a clean end-of-childhood marker. There is also the ongoing
debate of how to nurture independence while still providing care and support as children
get older, and how to train children to work and manage money without engaging in child
labor. There have been success stories, however, such as in the cases of Bongi and
Maanda, and these allow the center to remain committed to ensuring a successful
transition. Overall, the center often finds itself having to answer difficult questions with
no clear answers regarding the philosophy of institutionalized child care. In spite of these
challenging questions, the center must remain committed to a few key principles in order
to move its work forward. My next chapter will explore what these principles are.
138