Gauteng succeeds in protecting vulnerable children

More than 3 000 children in Gauteng were placed in foster care between October and December last year.

A report tabled in the provincial legislature by the MEC for Health and Social Development Ntombi Mekgwe indicated that 27 189 children in foster care were receiving social work services.

The department has developed a plan to deal with challenges relating to the foster care backlog. The plan includes the recruitment of retired social workers and the introduction of foster care to maximise support provided to vulnerable children.

Provincial foster care teams were established to assist in the expedition of processing foster care cases. An audit was also conducted to determine the capacity available to deal with foster care.

A total of 615 children were reported as abused during this period and more than a thousand early childhood development centres were funded benefitting 67 557 children. The Department is also on course to conclude the construction of two Early Childhood Development (ECD) facilities in Protea Glen and Sharpeville.

The department assessed more than 1 000 children in conflict with the law in line with legislative requirements that demands that arrested children be assessed within 48 hours before they appear in court. Currently there is a total of 1,223 children in conflict with the law awaiting trial in secure care facilities.

Meanwhile the incidence of severe malnutrition has decreased from 3.3% to 2.5% indicating that more children getting the nutrition they need for their development.

Enquiries:
Simon Zwane
Cell: 082 551 9892