Introduction: The provision of contraception to adolescents is a fundamental public health strategy for preventing adolescent pregnancies and realising universal access to sexual and reproductive health. In the South African context, and as informed by national and provincial policy guidelines, this strategy is delivered at primary healthcare clinics. In this study, we sought to explore the barriers and enablers of providing contraception to adolescents in primary healthcare clinics from the perspectives of healthcare practitioners.

Methods: We employed a qualitative research design. Using purposive sampling, we recruited senior managers and nurses involved in primary healthcare and sexual and reproductive health programmes in South Africa. We conducted semi-structured interviews with twenty-nine participants working in an urban or rural district. Subsequently, we transcribed the interviews, verifying for errors. Guided by Braun and Clarke’s model of thematic analysis, we grouped the data into four themes derived from the healthcare access frameworks. Each of the four themes has sub-themes describing both enablers and barriers to providing contraception to adolescents.

Results: The study revealed that practitioners’ knowledge of policy guidelines enabled them to provide contraception to adolescents effectively. However, the differences between what is stated in policy documents and practical limitations could impede the extent to which services reach adolescents. Other barriers to providing contraception to adolescents included language differences between healthcare practitioners and users, time constraints, and lack of privacy during consultations. Participants noted that appropriate nurse training and ensuring an accepting environment for adolescents facilitated the provision of contraception to this age group.

Conclusion: Our study offers valuable insights into the perspectives of primary healthcare practitioners about the barriers and enablers in providing contraception to adolescents. Our results indicate that policy development and future research should focus on strengthening the delivery of contraception services for adolescents.