SA not a child-friendly country anymore
Child Protection Week is celebrated from May 29 to June 5 to raise awareness of the rights of children.
Local child welfare organisations have stressed that we must do more to protect children’s rights.
In light of Child Protection Week, from May 29 to June 5, Boksburg Advertiser spoke with staff at the St Francis Care Centre and Kuselo Child and Youth Care Services.
This publication also approached Boksburg Child Welfare, who did not send us their input by the time of publication.
St Francis Care Centre
St Francis Care Centre manager Tilly Brouwer said SA is no longer a child-friendly country.
“Children used to be able to play in the streets. There was a rule that if the streetlights were on, it was time to go home. Now, it is too dangerous,” said Brouwer.
She said the organisation looked after 35 children aged four months to seven years at its Rainbow Cottage.
“In most cases, the children are referred to in terms of the Child Care Act 28 of 2005 (provides for an application to terminate, extend, suspend or restrict parental responsibilities and rights).
“This is when authorities are aware of the situation. Then, we must reunite the children with their parents, place them in foster care or put them up for adoption. It is a difficult task because most of the kids have special needs.
“However, we must do everything possible to reunite a child with its family. To do that, some parents must go to a rehabilitation centre and are not always willing to do so.
Brouwer highlighted that neglect could start during pregnancy.
“For example, some mothers are HIV positive and do not have the necessary tests to protect the child.”
She encouraged abused children to talk to a teacher or adult they could trust.
“Children’s lives can also change in the blink of an eye. For example, there are cases where the father killed the mother. Now, the child doesn’t have a mother, and the father is in jail. These incidents can happen anywhere.”
Kuselo
Amanda Coetzee, the founder of Kuselo Child and Youth Care Services, stressed that child protection is not a priority in SA.
She said many welfare organisations in Gauteng had closed down because of a lack of funding.
“Child and Youth Care Centres (children’s homes or safe houses) like Kuselo are not funded by the government and have never received funds.
“Cases reported are taking years to finalise. It is unacceptable because this child needs to repeat his/her trauma and relive it for months. Then cases are thrown out of court.
“Places like Kuselo that provide a child protection 24/7 service and residential care facility for abused, abandoned, GBV and neglected children have not received a cent from the government from 2018 to date.
“We can’t claim grants because most kids don’t have birth certificates. The process for claiming is a nightmare.
“Now that welfare organisations are closed, these children will suffer. The Department of Social Development provides good services, but can they do all the cases with the courts only doing child cases on Thursdays?
“Government does not take child protection seriously because they do not know the hard work we do on the ground level,” said Coetzee.
Coetzee said the government needed to fund child protection organisations that make a difference instead of the thousands spent on sports, arts and culture and conferences.
“The Department of Finance and government need to revise their scope of distribution of funding, eg: residential care and programmes for child protection services. Train and qualify people to work in the SAPS and other relevant services, especially Family Child Services.
“Our children need our help and support because they have no voice. They are raped, abused, mutilated and murdered. We need to change and help these children.”
People can report child abuse or neglect to the police or call Childline on 08000 55 555, which will soon change to 116.
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