The Department of Social Development is here to help
Foster Care is an essential family and child welfare service for children and their families who have to live apart for a temporary or long term period of time.
Children who have lost one or both parents are usually among society’s most vulnerable members and are dependent on society for their safe passage through childhood.
Determined to render foster care services to these children who might have been orphaned, neglected, abused, and abandoned, the Department of Social Development hopes to inform the public of how they can assist with such cases.
Foster Care is an essential family and child welfare service for children and their families who have to live apart for a temporary or long term period of time.
“It is a service for children who are unable to remain with their families because of abuse, neglect, death of parents and temporary inability of the family to care of the children,” Social Work Supervisor, Sibongile Mpofu said.
“In terms of the Children’s Act 38 of No 2005 as amended, children are found by the Children’s Court in need of care and protection and the child is placed in the care of a suitable person who is not a parent or guardian of the child.”
She went on to say that the Department of Social Development, (Roodepoort Service Office) service various local communities including Tshepisong, Slovoville, Leratong Village, Durban Deep, Matholesville, Witpoortjie, Groblerspark, Braamfischerville, Zandspruit, Goudrand, Cosmo City (ext. 3,7,8,9,10) and Fleurhof.
The following documents are needed for the Foster Care application:
• Death certificate of the biological parents if the child is an orphan.
• Proposed foster parent bar coded ID Copy.
• Child’s school report and school letter in the case of a school going child or a letter from the Early Childhood Development facility.
• Inquiry to establish whether the proposed foster parent is included in Part B of the National Child Protection Registration (Form 30).
• In cases where the biological parent is unknown, a newspaper publication is needed.
• Case number from local police of the reported abandonment of the child/ missing parent.
• Affidavit if the parent has abandoned the child or if the parent is missing.
• Affidavit by the proposed foster parent stating their interest to foster the child/ ren.
The Department of Social Development, Roodepoort Service Office is situated at 40 Hoofd Street, Roodepoort. If you would like to find out more, the office can be contacted on 011 271 8626 or 082 414 6801.
