Kids Haven gets children off the street

The organisation was founded in 1992, and started off with 12 to 16 boys, who lived on the streets.

It currently houses about 180 children, who live in the children’s home in Mackenzie Park and the shelter in Cranbourne Avenue.

The organisation has a pre-care, in-care and an after-care programme.

“The pre-care programme team identifies and tries to help children who are most likely to become street children, and children who are already living on the streets,” says Terri Heatlie, Kids Haven assistant director.

“A breakdown in the child’s family is what causes him or her to live on the street.”

She adds that the number of children who beg increases during the holidays, because they are not street children, they are trying to make extra money, because of their financial situation at home.

The pre-care team helps these children and their families by getting them access to social grants and, as a result, this stops the children from begging.”

The in-care programme comes into operation when a child is taken into Kids Haven from the streets, or from their family, before the breakdown.

While the child is in the care of the organisation, social workers from Kids Haven and other organisations, will try to resolve the situation at home.

The aftercare programme basically gives the child support once he or she leaves the shelter to live with their immediate or extended family.

“We keep contact with the child, check if he/she are still in school, if they are coping and even help them with their immediate needs, such as transport fare,” Heatlie says.

The organisation also has a nursery school for children living in the Benoni CBD, who are at risk of becoming street children.

Heatlie added that the one thing they do not tolerate is a child who leaves in the morning to go and beg and then returns to the home in the evening.

How to help a street child

– Don’t give him or her money.

– Encourage them to go to Kids Haven.

– Contact Kids Haven and speak to someone in the pre-care team.

– Don’t take the child into your care and drag them to Kids Haven unwillingly; they will run away once they are at the home.

“When the public tells us about a child today, but still sees the same child on the street tomorrow, it does not mean we are not doing anything to get that child off the street,” Heatlie explains.

“Our pre-care team has to convince the child that if he or she wants a better life, Kids Haven is the way forward.”

She adds that, if you force the child to live at the home, they end up running away.

Heatlie advised the public to not give the children who beg for money their change, because that encourages them to carry on begging.

“Getting children who once lived on the streets to give up their street lifestyle and introducing them to a strict routine is the biggest challenge for us,” she said..

“The rewards are seeing the children become who they are destined to be.

“Reuniting children with their parents where it is possible, is also very rewarding for all the staff members.”