Boksburg Child Welfare is closed but operational during lockdown
Staff are also answering the phone lines should there be any emergency and are on standby for crisis cases.
Boksburg Child Welfare recently confirmed that their offices will be closed during the 21-day national lockdown.
Vanessa Naidoo Pillay, director of the local child welfare, explained that all social service staff are working remotely.
Therefore, the organisation will not be taking any new foster care intakes until the lockdown is over.
“We are permitted to do home visits as it’s a high risk and will merely be able assist in a case of emergency such as child abuse,” Vanessa explained.
The Boksburg Child Welfare is, however, busy with the current applications for foster care and statutory cases.
“I received a circular from the Department of Social Development stating that the essential social workers during this period of disaster are those who render care services and social relief of distress to older persons, mentally ill, persons with disability, the sick and children (residential care), which also includes services to food security and nutrition.
“Our social service is on call for the children in our two homes. The child protection unit has postponed all matters at court pending the outcome of the lockdown; however, are still working remotely on statutory cases to be instituted or finalised after the lockdown.
In order to maintain social distancing, our HIV home-based care programme will only be distributing food parcels to the their clients should funding be provided on time. Those clients will be informed and procedures will be taken to ensure that clients maintain social distancing of two metres when collecting.
“Any child abuse cases must be reported to us either through email or telephone and investigation procedures will follow. Although we are working remotely, we will be working our usual working hours, so any cases that need to be reported after hours must be reported to the SAPS and they will refer the matter to the organisation thereafter,” the director said.
Staff are also answering the phone lines should there be any emergency and are on standby for crisis cases. They are also rendering psychosocial services for coronavirus.
The phone lines active are 011 075 3213 and 011 075 3214.
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