Navigating systemic exclusion: Social workers’ perspectives on the challenges faced by undocumented immigrant children in Mahikeng, South Africa

Undocumented immigration presents serious problems for children worldwide. The number of undocumented immigrants in South Africa has increased in recent years. Children of immigrants, especially those without legal status, encounter difficulties that affect their social integration and general well-being. This research aimed to explore the perspectives of social workers on the challenges faced by undocumented immigrant children in Mahikeng, South Africa. This qualitative study was grounded in ecological systems theory. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews with nine purposively sampled social workers from the Mahikeng Department of Social Development service point and were thematically analysed. The results showed complex issues that function at the institutional, structural, and psychological levels. The denial of access to social grants, healthcare, and education because of inadequate documentation; administrative and legal bottlenecks in the Department of Home Affairs; and severe psychological distress brought on by family separation, deportation fears, and xenophobic societal attitudes were among the main obstacles. Social workers deal with difficult moral and practical issues when delivering advocacy, child protection, and psychosocial support. These issues are frequently made worse by institutional flaws, such as the lack of child-friendly facilities, which forces children to be held in police cells together with their parents/guardians. These results suggest that comprehensive policy reform and improved interdepartmental cooperation are urgently needed to protect the rights and welfare of children of undocumented immigrants.