#ChildProtectionWeek: Sponsor needed to reopen centre for children in distress

The Boksburg Child Welfare has renewed its appeal for help to reopen the much-needed centre of children who are desperately in need of care and protection in Boksburg.

The property located on South Street near the Boksburg SAPS had to be temporarily closed due to a lack of finances and resources in 2016.

The Keep Me Safe House was established to serve as a temporary safe house for many vulnerable children found in need of care and protection. And its closure has for the past couple of years seen child welfare grappling with the problem of finding safe accommodation for vulnerable children.

According to Boksburg Child Welfare’s director, Vanessa Naidoo-Pillay, the closure of the centre has severely dented their mission to speedily rescue children from serious harmful circumstances.

“We feel that the centre needs to be reopened because there are so many children who are abused, orphaned and abandoned and there is no place for them to go.

“As Boksburg Child Welfare, we often deal with dozens of children who are orphaned and abandoned. The Keep Me Safes House used to help us to offer children immediate and safe temporary placement.

“Now we only rely on government centres that are also battling to meet the demand. The red tape also hinders the speedy placement of children in distress, because these accredited government centres are obliged to undergo lengthy processes, which involve filling in lots of forms for children to be placed,” explained Naidoo-Pillay.

It is for that reason the executive board of management has been vigorously trying to find donors and funders for the past years to reopen the Keep Me Safe House.
The facility is still in a good condition, and only need funds to pay for the housemother, households expenses and touching up small areas.

All the other items, which were donated by previous sponsors and community members, are still at the house and in good working order.

According to the director, children placed in the Keep Me Safe House were placed in temporary safe care with a court order, under the care of a temporary safe care parent. The children were afforded love, care, support, developmental stimulation, life skills, family life under the care of the temporary safe care parent and social workers.
Anybody who can assist the local child welfare may call 011 039 4679/011 074 5028 or send an email to Naidoo-Pillay at director1bcw@gmail.com

Also Read: Keep Me Safe House renovated to aid vulnerable children