The adverse psychosocial effects of post-Covid-19 in dismantling family structures leaving children heading families in Mavalani village, Limpopo Province

Globally, there were 5 million COVID-19 deaths between March 2020 and October 2021, and approximately 5·2 million children lost a parent or caregiver because of COVID-19-related deaths. This has left so many orphaned children that had to navigate life without parental supervision. This paper aims to demonstrate the adverse social effects of covid-19 in the lives of children in child-headed families in a small village called Mavalani in Limpopo province, South Africa. We employed a qualitative study utilizing an explorative research design to get deeper knowledge of the adverse effects of Covid-19 on child-headed families in Mavalani village. Purposive sampling, which is a non-probability sampling technique was used to purposefully select the participants that are suitable for the research study. A sample size of 10 teenagers aged 13-17 years old were randomly selected within the population of child-headed families in Mavalani village. Thematic data analysis was utilized to analyse the adverse social effects experienced by child-headed families because of covid-19 parental death. Main findings of the study demonstrate that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on family dynamics, resulting in the loss of parents and leaving children to care for their siblings in child-headed households. These children often face discrimination and social isolation due to the stigma associated with being a part of a child-headed family, leading to feelings of anxiety when interacting with their peers. Taking on the responsibilities of a parent at a young age has also had a significant impact on their childhood experiences and overall well-being. Key Words:Child-headed, orphan, covid-19, adverse effects, Dismantling family structure, children