Parenting into Two Worlds: How Practices of Kinship Fostering Shape Development in Namibia, Southern Africa

Brown, Jill; Rangel-Pacheco, Abril; Kennedy, Olivia; Kamwanyah, Ndumba J.

doi:10.1007/978-3-030-35590-6_12

Cited by 7 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…[Carer] We raise those six children with that family love because when we treat our brother's children we treat them the same as those [foster] children; so they have only one mother and one father. [Carer] Contrary to the findings by Brown et al (2020) who pointed out inequalities in treatment experienced by children fostered into kinship family environments, the above findings are consistent with scholars such as Ringson & Chereni (2020) who indicated carers in extended family systems in communities in countries across Africa were treating children in fosterage equitably to their own biological children.…”

Section: Theme 4: Sharing and Generositysupporting

confidence: 82%

“…In modern Western societies, children are typically raised by their biological parents in a central nuclear family unit (Brown et al 2020). The nuclear family is often associated with the idea of being the 'ideal' or 'proper' family or family form and as such, is assumed to be the benchmark from which all other family forms differ or deviate (Assim 2013).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This collective sense of responsibility for the 'proper' upbringing of children is the background to the African proverb which states, 'it takes a village to raise a child', with the 'village' referring to the extended family and kinship community at large (Assim 2013: 27). This socially distributed care reflects strong kinship that serves as a social welfare system in times of need as well as the glue of teaching tradition (Brown et al 2020). Social connectedness and support are widely recognised as protective factors for children (Ruiz-Casares 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The effects of labour migration on the family, for example, were mitigated by the extended family fulfilling the functions of the absent father (Hishongwa 1992). The practice of child migration in and out of kin networks in Namibia has, therefore, been historically prevalent with as high as 40 per cent of children not living with biological parents (Brown et al 2020;Brown 2009).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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It takes a village to raise a child: everyday experiences of living with extended family in Namibia

Leonard,

Ananias,

Sharley

2022

JBA

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The family is the fundamental group of society and the natural environment for the growth and well-being of children. The Namibian Constitution protects the family, without specifying what �family� means�which allows for legal concepts of family to evolve to fit social realities. The caring for children, most commonly by extended family or kinship carers is widespread and a practice acceptable in most Namibian cultures in the spirit of Ubuntu. This article foregrounds the importance of carer-child relationships in the care provided by extended family for children who do not live with their birth parents. It further investigates children�s everyday understandings of what family means to offer a multiplicity of experiences of child fosterage practice. These are presented from a range of carers and children within the fosterage context and considered within children�s unique and positive relationships within their families.

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Section: Theme 4: Sharing and Generositysupporting

confidence: 82%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

It takes a village to raise a child: everyday experiences of living with extended family in Namibia

Leonard,

Ananias,

Sharley

2022

JBA

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“…This is in unison with the collectivist values present in countries such as Namibia, which emphasize interconnectedness, interdependence, familial relationships, and social conformity (Santos et al, 2017 ). For example, research in Namibia has indicated the presence of informal systems of child care where extended family systems take over the care of children when they have lost one or both of their parents, either through death or through parental separation, as a deeply embedded practice particularly prevalent in rural areas (Brown et al, 2020 ). The role of the non-parental adult is also supported by Graber et al ( 2016 ), who found that caring, non-parental adults and mentors play a significant role in promoting resilience among children exposed to parental divorce as they are able to provide children with needed support during this vulnerable period.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Factors affecting resilience in Namibian children exposed to parental divorce: a Q-Methodology study

Van Schalkwyk,

Gentz

2023

Front. Psychol.

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IntroductionDivorce is a contributor to family instability within sub-Saharan Africa, and specifically within Namibia, an increasing number of children are exposed to its impact. However, not all children react uniformly to the impact of parental divorce, and many children may be resilient. Understanding what promotes resilience in children post-divorce in African contexts is vital, given the unique socio-cultural context. Therefore, this study aimed to understand how some children are capable of resilience despite exposure to parental divorce in Namibia.MethodsA multiple case study design was employed to assess the lived experiences of children aged 9–12 post-parental divorce in Windhoek. Using the Child and Youth Resilience Measurement (CYRM-12) scale, 24 children exposed to parental divorce were screened for resiliency. The Q-Methodology, with visual material, was utilized with a sub-sample of 12 children who scored high on the CYRM (50% girls, mean age = 11) to eliminate some of the challenges associated with gathering qualitative data from younger children. The PQ Method 2.35 software program was used for data analysis.ResultsBy-person factor analysis identified four statistically significant profiles. A third (33%) of participants loaded on a factor emphasizing “quality parent-child relationships” and a further 33% emphasizing “effective parent conflict resolution.” The final two factors emphasized “healthy school attachment” (17%) and “strong community attachment” (17%). All children emphasized a stable, loving familial environment, and frequent visitation with the non-custodial father.DiscussionOur findings suggest that multiple social ecologies nurture resilience in children exposed to parental divorce in Namibia. Support should be extended beyond the perimeters of the nuclear family, and relationships with extended family members, peer groups, school, and the wider community can play an important role in children's adjustment. The study highlights the importance of contextually grounded resilience as some factors that are emphasized for children from more Western communities do not reflect as strongly in the results of this study. Other factors, including a stronger reliance on community and factors such as the school, peers, and extended family members, may play a bigger role in child resilience post-divorce in Namibia.

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Reconsidering social work education in Namibia: past, present, and future

Ananias

Bromfield

Kamwanyah

et al. 2023

Social Work Education

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Parenting into Two Worlds: How Practices of Kinship Fostering Shape Development in Namibia, Southern Africa

Cited by 7 publications

References 19 publications

It takes a village to raise a child: everyday experiences of living with extended family in Namibia

It takes a village to raise a child: everyday experiences of living with extended family in Namibia

Factors affecting resilience in Namibian children exposed to parental divorce: a Q-Methodology study

Reconsidering social work education in Namibia: past, present, and future

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