Researching children’s subjective well-being in South Africa : considerations for method, theory, and social policy

In the current South African socio-political framework children have been afforded the highest priority within government. Not only have the rights and needs of children been entrenched in the development strategies of the government, but children themselves have been guaranteed socio-economic rights and protection from abuse, exploitation, and neglect. Subsequently, knowledge and information on the well-being of children have become important pursuits. It has also become increasingly important to obtain an understanding of what children regard as important to their well-being. The current chapter explores the importance of researching children’s subjective perceptions of well-being. It considers the current methods of engaging with children about their subjective perceptions of various aspects of their lives, outlines the status of theoretical advancement, and importantly, considers the implications for social policy. The authors motivate for a focus on participatory methodologies and argue for the increased investment in research using these methodologies. Finally, they recommend that an effective child indicator system should include a consideration of subjective well-being and should follow a ‘rights based’ approach