30 May 2006
Thursday 1 June is international Childrenâs Day and the countryâs main
celebration will take place in Galeshewe, Kimberley in the Northern Cape.
The day will be used to raise awareness about childrenâs rights and
protection, in further promotion of Child Protection Week, running from 29 May
to 4 June.
The Kimberley celebrations will be led by the Premier of the Northern Cape,
Ms Dipuo Peters, the Deputy Minister of Social Development, Dr Jean Benjamin
and the MEC for Social Services and Population Development, Mr Goolam
Akharwaray.
A key feature of the event will be the launch of the national guidelines for
the Early Childhood Development Programme (ECD) and the Northern Cape Safety
Networks. The networks are a community-based structure which is made up of 200
selected safety parents, adoptive parents and fosters parents from all four
regions of the Northern Cape who will provide a safe haven for children in need
of care and protection.
Government prioritises early childhood development as it lays a firm
foundation for children and prepares them for formal schooling. The ECD
programme forms part of governmentâs Expanded Public Works Programme.
There has been a steady increase in the number of registered ECD sites, the
numbers of children supported and the average annual subsidy paid by
government. In September 2004, there were 4 612 registered sites and by August
last year these had increased to 5 103. In September 2004 a total of 182 064
were supported through subsidies, and the figure rose to 330 036 by August
2005. The average annual subsidy in 2004 was R360,819 317 million and by August
last year, government paid an average of R377,772 357 million to the
centres.
Issued by: Department of Social Development
30 May 2006
