Abstract
The aim of the study is to describe parents’ experiences of aggressive misbehaviour presented by their children when they are at home during leave of absence (LOA) from a child and youth care centre (CYCC). The study used an interpretative phenomenological design to explore and describe parents’ experiences of their children’s aggressive misbehaviour. The population of the study consisted of parents of children at the child and youth care centre school of industry. The purposive sampling consisted of ten selected parents of children who are placed at the child and youth care centre, school of industry in Gauteng. The research data was analysed using Pietkiewicz & Smith’s (2012) four steps in the interpretative phenomenological data analysis process. The findings of the study revealed that children manifest violent acts towards their parents, which include being shoved, pushed down to the floor, hit and kicked. Parents tolerate abusive verbal behaviour to avoid experiencing further physical beating from their children. When children are feeling down, their anger, anxiety and hurt build up to the point where it leads them to present disobedience and emotional outbursts. Children verbally abuse their parents when they are angry. It has been discovered that the violent behaviour towards parents can also be directed to other people or things in the home, including being violent towards other children, hitting walls and slamming or smashing doors. Some children target other valuable household items such as cars and electronic equipment. Recommendations include referring parents who are victimised by their children to appropriate therapists, empowering parents with parenting skills to be able to deal with aggressive misbehaviour by their children and referral of children who present aggressive misbehaviour to child protection non-government organisations such as Alpha Trauma Centre or Child line South Africa were made to all stakeholders in the field of social service to improve service delivery.
M.A. (Clinical Social Work)