New Child Protection Hotline aims to help kids in need
MIDRAND – Parents and children can now easily report cases of violence to the police with the WhatsApp and SMS Child Protection line to be launched in Midrand.
In celebration of National Childrens Day on 2 November, Toys for Africa together with the Midrand and Rabie Ridge police stations will be launching a Child Protection Hotline at San Ridge in Midrand.
The launch will take place from 9am to 2pm and all community members are encouraged to attend. Midrand and Rabie Ridge SAPS will also be on-site to answer any questions with regard to child protection, how to report abuse, the procedure to lay complaints and how to open up a case.
Founder of the non-profit organisation Danie van Loggernburg shed some light on the Child Protection Hotline. He said that Toys for Africa was established in 2010 with the goal of giving children access to educational toys and stationery. While working with schools over the past nine years the organisation has heard horrific stories of what some children have experienced.
“After embarking and putting emphasis on child protection projects in the past two to three years across the country and having discussions with teachers, parents, principals and the children as well, we realised that a very small number of them knew how to report child abuse, child neglect or any concerns around child safety.
“We therefore then created a child-friendly solution, where a child, parent, teacher or principal could ask for help and get assisted within time.”
Van Loggerenberg added the implementation has been going very well and the response truly wonderful, “We launched the first line in Centurion, as that is where our office is based, and because of the close relationship we have with most of the schools we were able to test the concept and iron out small hiccups before we launched the hotlines in other areas.
“Most parents have saved the numbers on both their children and their own phones. We have received countless messages and in every single instance the details have been sent to SAPS and they have been brilliant in helping the children.”
Van Loggerenberg went on to add that, for now, the lines are not phone lines, only SMS and WhatsApp lines. “So that a child that is bullied, should know there is help and assistance and any person can send a message to the line. The message may contain a story or just the word help.
“The hotline will respond and ask for a name, surname and address. Thereafter, the information received will be sent directly to the police and the Department of Social Development who will then assist in line with their normal day-to-day practice. The hotline is not there to interfere, the hotline is only there to offer a child a friendly alternative to get the information and then send it to the relevant authorities.”
Details: Toys for Africa, www.toysforafrica.org.za; 012 644 0116.
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