Alberton Child Welfare is urgently searching for foster parents to provide loving care to children from the community.
The organisation urged potential parents to apply to host or foster children at their organisation in Alberton North.
The entity is battling to meet the overwhelming need to accommodate children who are victims of abuse, neglect, abandonment and those without visible means of support, as there are fewer foster parents.
Foster care is the temporary placement of a child who needs care and protection. They place the child in the care of a suitable person who is not the parent or guardian of the child.
The organisation recorded that 697 children remained in foster care for 2023/24 and it had at least 142 intakes during the period.
They also distributed close to 400 food parcels, sponsored by generous donors during this period.
Their goal is to remove and support children who need care and protection, placing them in safe environments. However, limited resources hinder them from providing effective social welfare services.
On average, Alberton Child Welfare removes one to two children weekly who are victims of severe neglect or abuse because of substance abuse and other factors.
Anubha Mackerdhuj, director at the organisation, said they don’t have enough foster parents, temporal safe-care parents or facilities that accommodate these children nor resources to provide for them.
“Children we remove arrive at our organisation with only the clothing they are wearing. We constantly need children’s clothing, baby formula, cereals, baby care products, nappies and food items. Removals of vulnerable children result in Child Welfare facing difficulties with placement,” she said.
They can sometimes not do urgent removals from potentially dangerous circumstances, as they do not have a place for the children.
Mackerdhuj appealed to local schools, churches and businesses to assist them with much-needed donations.
To contribute towards the sustainability of the organisation, contact Alberton Child Welfare on 010 109 6121 or Mackerdhuj on 083 658 6176.
