Question NW3200 to the Minister of Social Development

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24 October 2022 - NW3200

Profile picture: Hlengwa, Ms MD

Hlengwa, Ms MD to ask the Minister of Social Development

(1)In view of the vast numbers of children who were left orphaned after having lost their parents and/or primary caregivers due to COVID-19 (details furnished), what (a) steps has her department taken to capacitate orphanages in the Republic to house such children and (b) sustainable measures have been put in place to ensure that orphanages have enough resources to provide equal care to all children; (2) whether her department has worked with the Department of Basic Education to provide mental wellness support to the children; if not, why not; if so, (3) whether she will furnish Ms M D Hlengwa with a detailed report in this regard; if not, why not; if so, on what date?

Reply:

1. (a) The Department provides continuous support to the orphanage/child and youth care workers which among others include capacity building on any policies, legislation and guidelines that ensure care and protection of the children placed in these facilities

(b) The Department has put in place sustainable measures to ensure that child and youth care centres have enough resources to provide care and protection to all children in need, including orphaned children. The Department provides funding to the State-run and NPO-run child and youth care centres with a unit cost of R4 000 per child per month to these child and youth care centres. In addition, the Department employs qualified and trained Social Workers and Child and Youth Care Workers (subsidised by Government) to provide psychosocial support to all the children.

(2) The Department works collaboratively with the Departments of Basic Education and Health through the Integrated School Health Programme that provides prevention, awareness, and psychosocial care to children identified to be at risk and requiring intensive intervention. The Department also facilitates admission of children in the schools in the areas where the child and youth care centres are located.

3. the following is the information regarding support provided to child and youth care centres per province:

  1. Eastern Cape province is funding 27 Child and Youth Care Centres
  2. Northern Cape province is funding 10 Child and Youth Care Centres
  3. Kwa-Zulu-Natal province is funding 70 Child and Youth Care Centres
  4. Limpopo province is funding 19 Child and Youth Care Centres

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