Social Development to brief the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on progress regarding the implementation of foster care programme of action
The Department of Social Development will on Wednesday, 4 September 2019 brief the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Social Development on progress, challenges and future plans in relation to the implementation of the North Gauteng High Court order to address bottlenecks associated with the foster care system in South Africa, and the foster care backlogs in particular.
In November 2017, the Gauteng North High Court granted the National and Provincial Departments of Social Development and the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) an interim order for the continued payment and management of over 200 000 foster care orders that were due to lapse.
The Court further ordered the Department to prepare, and introduce, before Parliament the necessary amendments to the Children’s Act (Act No. 38 of 2005) and/or the Social Assistance Amendment Act (Act No. 13 of 2014) and to produce a comprehensive solution regarding the foster care system in South Africa.
Chapter 11 of the Children’s Act (Act No. 38 of 2005) makes provision for the placement of children in need of care and protection in alternative care, including Foster Care which is a statutory intervention following the issuing of an order by the Children’s Court.
The purpose of Foster Care is to protect and nurture children by providing a safe, healthy environment with positive support. It seeks to promote the goals of permanency planning, promoting family reunification, or by connecting children to other safe and nurturing family relationships intended to last a lifetime; and respect the individual and family demonstrating a respect for cultural, ethnic and community diversity.
Currently, SASSA pays monthly foster care grants to eligible beneficiaries on the basis of a valid foster care order issued by the Children’s Court. As at the end of July 2019, SASSA paid over four hundred thousand Foster Care Grants to eligible beneficiaries.
In terms of the Children’s Act, foster care is a statutory function that is conducted by qualified and registered social workers guided by the principle of the best interest of the child. The fact that South Africa has a high shortage of social workers versus the increased demand for social work services to children in need of care and protection presents challenges for the Department.
The Department will brief the Portfolio Committee on its current and future plans to address foster care backlogs and associated challenges through the implementation of the recommendations of the Ministerial Committee on Foster Care and the Foster Care Programme of Action.
Details of the briefing are as follows:
Date: Wednesday, 4 September 2019
Time: 10h00 – 13h00
Venue: G26, Ground Floor, New Wing, Parliament
Media enquiries:
Lumka Oliphant
Cell: 083 484 8067
E-mail: LumkaO@dsd.gov.za
