Children continue to suffer due to ‘govt’s constant underspending on welfare programmes,’ says DA

The Democratic Alliance (DA) says Child Protection Week awareness has not been enough to help vulnerable children depending on the government to survive.

DA Gauteng shadow MEC for social development Refiloe Nt’sekhe said: “In the face of Child Protection Week, children continue to suffer due to the [department of social development’s] constant underspending on its allocated budget for the programmes meant to deliver welfare services to children.

“There is nothing to celebrate, while children … are failed by the government they rely on.”

Nt’sekhe said according to the department’s fourth-quarter report for 2020-21, 16 811 children had been placed in foster care, compared to the targeted 17 654.

“It also failed to meet its target of providing psychosocial support services as only 48 122 children accessed the service compared to the target of 71 092; only 1 342 children were provided with noncentre-based services compared to the target of 1 902.

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“While 172 717 children were targeted to be registered for early childhood development [ECD] programmes, only 156 940 were registered; 201 of 281 children with disabilities were registered in ECD programmes and only 105 919 children accessed registered partial care facilities compared to the target of 157 150.”

This week the social development (DSD) hosted a provincial consultation with registered adoption social workers on amendments to the Children’s Act.

DSD spokesperson Feziwe Ndwayana said: “These amendments have brought new responsibilities and challenges, as adoption is a speciality service that social workers in the DSD did not possess before.”

The DSD had just over 100 social workers registered to render adoption services to about 230 children who needed placement.