INSTITUTIONALIZED CHILD CARE IN URBAN SOUTH AFRICA

the conditions that led to their placement. As the literature also suggests kinship networks
were important in regards to further placement, however extended family care was often
given in collaboration with the institutionalized care from 5Cees. One way in which the
center reflected even more diversity than the literature review was in the ethnic diversity
found among its children.
Psychological challenges
Unsurprisingly, the transition to the center is a very difficult one for the children
emotionally and psychologically. Pastor Mike mentioned that many children, for their
first several months make little eye contact and refuse to speak to others. In some
situations children display volatile anger and lash out by hitting other people. The
uncertainty and unfamiliarity of a new environment, following a traumatic event, may
result in children behaving reactively using flight-or-flight instincts rather than
participating in active decision making. This challenging stage can last several months to
a year, as children continually struggle to feel a sense of safety and normalcy in their new
environment. During my visit, all children at the center had lived there for over one year
and none exhibited anything close to what Pastor Mike described.
I decided to better understand the ways in which children’s psychosocial challenges
did manifest themselves by engaging them in play, simple conversations, and drawing
activities. Assisting me was my wife, a professional child therapist who was able to
provide deeper insight into the children’s psychological tendencies. Reflecting what was
suggested by the literature review, the psychological challenges dealt with by the children
are manifested in a wide variety of ways. Low self-esteem, attention deficits, and
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