Children’s Amendment Bill, 2018 - draft

The Department of Social Development invites you to comment on the Children’s Amendment Bill, 2018.

The Bill seeks to:
▪ amend the Children’s Act, 2005, to further promote and protect the child’s right to physical and psychological integrity;
▪ further regulate the position of unmarried fathers;
▪ extend the children’s court jurisdiction to hear applications for guardianship;
▪ provide for matters relating to the provision and funding of early childhood development programmes;
▪ strengthen provisions relating to the National Child Protection Register;
▪ regulate the care of abandoned or orphaned children by family members;
▪ further regulate the initiation of care and protection proceedings;
▪ further regulate the medical testing of children for foster care and adoption purposes;
▪ clarify procedures for children in alternative care;
▪ further regulate matters relating to adoption and inter-country adoption;
▪ expedite the hearing of child abduction matters and to provide for legal representation of children;
▪ adjust the criteria relating to surrogate motherhood and to provide for related matters;
▪ align the Act with the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act, 2007, and the Jurisdiction of Regional Courts Amendment Act, 2008;
▪ align the Act with court judgments; to supplement provisions relating to children with disabilities;
▪ empower the Minister to make additional regulations;
▪ remove certain inconsistencies.

Comments can be emailed to Luyanda Mtshotshisa at [email protected] or Ms Matlhogonolo Sebopela at [email protected] by no later than Thursday, 29 November 2018.