Teddy Bear Foundation reflects positively on their highlights from the year

Following a successful year at the Teddy Bear Foundation (TBF) in Parktown, clinical director Dr Shaheda Omar discussed her highlights from the year.

With the mission to minimise secondary harm to abused children and their families when entering the child protection system, the foundation provides expertise, information and support in order to make the journey a healing one.

Omar said some of the foundation’s recent highlights have been court preparation with Top Dogs, a successful residential programme, school outreach initiatives, changes to legislation and receiving international recognition for their work.

Omar explained that in 2016, in response to the findings of intensive, empirical-based research, the foundation introduced an innovative new concept – canine therapy. “Through a partnership with Top Dogs, we assist children in overcoming their fears by illustrating that ‘not all dogs bite’ and ‘not all adults are going to hurt you’. This helps break down the misconceptions or stereotypes children often latch onto, and focuses on trust and trusting again,” said Omar.

Dogs sit in a mock courtroom dressed in the uniforms of the court personnel and children engage with them, identifying the roles and responsibilities of each person in the courtroom.

“The canine therapy has proved to be so successful we have begun researching animal-assisted therapy, in which the child would be accompanied by a specific dog to court,” said Omar.

The foundation’s residential programme, which was piloted early in 2018 to provide short-term intensive residential therapeutic child protection intervention, benefitted 380 children and their caregivers to initiate healing and recovery for sexually abused children and their parents.

Their school outreach programme, which aims to educate children by focusing on prevention and educators by focusing on awareness of signs and symptoms, has also met with success. An example of the foundation’s intervention was when Gauteng education MEC Panyaza Lesufi reached out to them, requesting assistance at AB Xuma Primary School in Orlando where 87 girls reported being sexually abused. “The foundation reacted quickly, reaching the victims and their families, intervening and providing appropriate supportive services,” said Omar.

The foundation was also successful in amending legislation that had previously limited the period within which people could report sexual offences.

As the economic climate in the country worsens and all NPO’s compete for funding, it has become increasingly difficult for TBF to obtain funding for essential services and transport staff with limited vehicles.

Omar requests that community members assist by providing maintenance services and sharing their time. The public are also encouraged to donate items including sanitary towels, basic toiletries (such as soap, toothpaste, toothbrush), school stationery packs and non-perishable food parcels.

Looking ahead to the festive season, Omar said, “Treat every child as your own… We would like to see a shift from bystanderism to activism in the community to ensure the safety and protection of children.”

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