West Rand organisation highlights pressures facing vulnerable families
Girls and Boys Town South Africa says many vulnerable children are growing up in homes affected by instability, hardship and emotional strain, with support structures becoming increasingly important.
For many children, inequality is not something discussed in reports or statistics — it is something they live with every day.
According to Girls and Boys Town South Africa (GBTSA), which operates a campus in Kagiso/ Randfontein, the pressures facing vulnerable families are often reflected in the experiences of children arriving at school hungry, homes struggling with instability, or young people losing trust in the adults around them.
The organisation shared its concerns as the world marked the 32nd International Day of Families under the theme Families, Inequalities and Child Well-Being.
GBTSA CEO Karen Farred said the impact of inequality is often seen long before it appears in official figures.
She said many children grow up in environments where safety, emotional support and stability are uncertain, placing increasing pressure on families and communities.
For almost 70 years, the non-profit organisation has provided residential care, educational support, psychosocial services and community programmes for vulnerable children and families across South Africa.
Farred said the organisation’s work focuses not only on behaviour, but also on the deeper challenges children face.
“Too often we meet children who have learned to expect disappointment as normal. Our responsibility is to interrupt that narrative. When we support a child, we are not only responding to their behaviour – we are responding to their history, their environment, and their right to a different future,” she stated.
According to the organisation, rebuilding trust and stability often happens through small but meaningful steps, such as helping a child return to school, strengthening family relationships or creating a safe environment where children feel supported.
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Farred noted that many children arrive carrying emotional trauma, hardship and loss, but are met with structure, care and consistency.
GBTSA believes child well-being should be seen as a key indicator of whether inequality is improving or worsening within communities.
“If children are not safe, supported and emotionally secure, inequality is not only present – it is inherited,” the organisation stated.
Farred added that Family Day should serve as a reminder that families play an important role in community stability and social well-being.
Ultimately, she said the challenge facing society is not only how families are defined, but how communities respond when families can no longer cope alone.
