Zingwe Fadzaishe B, Lekganyane Maditobane R
Department of Social work, College of Human Sciences, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa.
Health SA. 2025 Jan 25;30:2745. doi: 10.4102/hsag.v30i0.2745. eCollection 2025.
Youth who left child and youth care centres (CYCCs) during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) were exposed to unique scale of challenges compared to their peers. Their transition period required them to have solid plans for their uncertain future towards independence. In further compounding their challenges was their being indeterminate given the uncertainties associated with COVID-19. It was therefore, essential for them to have the necessary support systems to aid them both during their period in care as well as when they left these centres.
This study sought to explore available support systems for youth who left care during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The setting of this study was Ekurhuleni metro municipality in Gauteng province of South Africa.
This was a qualitative study. A total of 12 youth who left care centres during the COVID-19 were recruited through purposive sampling to participate in semi-structured interviews. Data analysis followed Braun and Clarke's thematic analysis strategy, and trustworthiness was guided by credibility, dependability, transferability and confirmability.
The findings revealed the existence of support from various systems including the CYCCs themselves, social workers from both the CYCCs and the communities, sponsors, primary caregivers as well as friends.
Youth who leave CYCC develop relationships from the care centres. These relationships form the basis of their support, upon which they rely even after their departure from these centres.
The study highlighted the importance of considering the impact of COVID-19 on the CYCCs and significance of supporting youth leaving them during pandemics such as COVID-19.
在2019年冠状病毒病（COVID-19）期间离开儿童和青少年护理中心（CYCC）的年轻人，与同龄人相比面临着独特规模的挑战。他们的过渡阶段要求他们为走向独立的不确定未来制定坚实的计划。由于与COVID-19相关的不确定性，他们的身份不确定，这进一步加剧了他们的挑战。因此，对他们来说，在接受护理期间以及离开这些中心时拥有必要的支持系统至关重要。
本研究旨在探索在COVID-19大流行期间离开护理机构的年轻人可获得的支持系统。
本研究的背景是南非豪登省的埃库鲁莱尼市。
这是一项定性研究。通过目的抽样招募了12名在COVID-19期间离开护理中心的年轻人，参与半结构化访谈。数据分析遵循布劳恩和克拉克的主题分析策略，可信度由可信度、可靠性、可转移性和可证实性指导。
研究结果显示存在来自各种系统的支持，包括CYCC本身、CYCC和社区的社会工作者、赞助商、主要照顾者以及朋友。
离开CYCC的年轻人在护理中心建立了人际关系。这些关系构成了他们支持的基础，即使在他们离开这些中心后，他们仍然依赖这些关系。
该研究强调了考虑COVID-19对CYCC的影响的重要性，以及在COVID-19等大流行期间支持离开CYCC的年轻人的意义。
