The housing context determines the environment in which children grow up, and the social infrastructure available to them. In addition to providing shelter and 'home', housing is inextricably linked to safety and security, access to municipal services, social infrastructure including schools and health services, and economic opportunity.

The number and proportion of children living in formal, informal and traditional housing

Dwelling types can be divided into three broad categories: formal, informal and 'traditional'. Children who live in formal housing are more likely to have access to basic services and other social infrastructure provided to formal residential areas.

The number and proportion of children living in overcrowded households

Children are defined as living in over-crowded dwellings when there is a ratio of more than two people per room (excluding bathrooms but including kitchen and living room). Children are more likely than adults to live in overcrowded conditions.

Number and proportion of children living in urban or rural areas

The urban/rural variable is no longer reported by Statistics South Africa. In 2004, just over half of children lived in rural areas, and the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo provinces alone were home to about three-quarters (74%) of all rural children in South Africa.

The number and proportion of children with access to drinking water on site

Clean water is essential for human survival, but more than a third of children still do not have drinking water on site. There has been little improvement in children's access to water over the last six years.

The number and proportion of children living in households with basic sanitation

Adequate sanitation includes flush toilets and ventilated pit latrines that dispose of waste safely and are within or near a house. Inadequate sanitation includes pit latrines that are not ventilated, chemical toilets, bucket toilets, or no toilets at all.

The number and proportion of children living in households with an electricity connection

Access to electricity in the physical structure of a house is important for a range of reasons. Where there is no electricity, families use other fuels for lighting, heating and cooking, and these can pose health hazards.