Mike and Susan Harris are the parents of seven-year-old Abby, who was abandoned five days after she was born. The couple also looks after The Village Safe Haven in Buccleuch. The centre is a cluster foster care facility for orphaned, vulnerable and abused children. “It is silly to dump your baby on the street when you can drop the baby off at a home because in the end it is the child that suffers,” said Susan.
Lynne Cawood, the director of Childline Gauteng, said the best thing women can do if they cannot care for their babies,is to contact Childline. She said there are various homes or centres available for women to drop off their babies and Childline can assist with the location of those homes or centres. “The traditional route to follow in the case of an abandoned baby is to go to Childline. The baby will be taken and we will be responsible for contacting the social workers and the children’s court,” explained Cawood.
Susan said, “I think it is important that the child’s parent or parents come in with the child at the centre. This is so that there are no legal implications and important documents like the child’s birth certificate can be handed in to the officials. Do it that way rather. It is safer for the child. The mothers can come knock on our doors or even go to the police and they will guide them on where to go.”
Details: Childline, 085 55 555; The Village Safe Haven, www.villagesafehaven.org.za
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