You can reunite a child with their parents

The Department of Social Development relies heavily on the public to help them locate missing parents.

Social worker Jenneth Ntshayintshayi from the Department of Social Development – Benoni office, educates us on their role.

Ntshayintshayi said the department needs to trace parents before a child can be placed in alternative care.

“When a child needs assistance with a birth certificate application, the parents must first be traced before they the department can declare their whereabouts as ‘unknown’,” said Ntshayintshayi.

“This information is needed to finalise the matter in court.”

She said she once advertised in the City Times early this year and a community member came forward with information on the whereabouts of the parent.

“The information brought forward was very helpful to the case.”

“Hence, it is important for us to advertise in print media rather than online, as not everyone is tech-savvy,” she added.

“Of the 100 advertised missing parents, we are able to find five per cent of them.

However, the department cannot proceed with finding formal foster care for the child without the parents’ consent, she said.

When asked what the department does while searching for the parents, Ntshayintshayi said the children are placed in a temporary place of safety.

“After the advertisement has been placed in the newspaper, there is a 90-day waiting period for the community to come forward with any information – or a parent or family member to contact them.”

Ntshayintshayi added that if their efforts yield no results, the child is then legally placed in foster care or a child and youth care centre.

“If the parents are found then reunification procedures will be followed.”

She added that their circumstances will then be assessed to establish if they are suitable to care for the child or children.

Ntshayintshayi pleads with the community to contact them with any information that might help locate the parents.
This can also be done anonymously.

The department is searching for the following parents:

• The father of Lindokuhle Ngxata, born on June 6, 2006. The mother of the child, Zukiswa Ngxata, is deceased and the father of the child is unknown.
• The father of Njabulo Ngwengula, born of May 12, 2011. The child is at a place of safety and the father is unknown to the family.

Anyone with information that can assist in tracking the above parents, should contact Mmathapelo Molekane 011 748 7656.