Creating a Caring School

The resources for this theme were developed out of a research project during which the Saide team visited schools across seven of the nine provinces in South Africa and recorded the examples of good practice. The evidence on implementation of manageable strategies and good management practice showed that schools can and do make a difference. We captured the findings and conclusions from this research in a paper entitled: Enhancing School Leadership: Meeting the Challenges of HIV and AIDS.

We found pockets of excellence in the remotest rural areas as well as in inner city and township schools. Our research convinced us that all schools have the potential to slowly and systematically put into place measures that will help them become sites of care and support. We have used the findings of our research to develop this guide and the companion toolkit. We hope that the many valuable lessons distilled will serve as a practical guide to help school principals and their management teams (SMTs) to manage the health and social needs of children infected and affected by HIV and AIDS or made vulnerable for other reasons.

Creating a Caring School: A Guide for School Management Teams