A PROPOSED amendment to the law criminalising mothers who abandon their infants at baby savers has sparked widespread criticism from child protection organisations, including the Isiaiah 54 Children’s Sanctuary.

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The Department of Social Development gazetted an amendment to the Children’s Act that expands the definition of “abandonment” to include leaving infants at baby savers. Baby savers are an anonymous drop-off point designed to prevent unsafe abandonment.

Isiaiah 54 Children’s Sanctuary director Youandi Gilain warned that enactment of the amendment will dismantle an important, life-sustaining option for vulnerable mothers and their babies.

“This is highly concerning as baby savers were put in place as a life-saving measure, a last line of hope for desperate parents who would otherwise dispose of their baby in unsafe and dangerous situations where they are most likely to die. Criminalising their use removes a vital safety net and can directly result in more unsafe abandonments and infant deaths,” said Gilain.

The Department of Social Development believes the Children’s Amendment Bill, 2025, seeks to strengthen child protection law by filling legislative gaps, aligning it with court judgments and escalating protection from violence, neglect and exploitation.

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The department said in a statement that the key objectives of the Bill include improved legal representation for children, the regulation of the role of unmarried fathers and greater protection for children with disabilities, unaccompanied migrant children and children in adoption and surrogacy. It also states the Bill aims to prohibit all forms of child abandonment, including the use of baby boxes.

While Isiaiah 54 Children’s Sanctuary acknowledges the broader goals of the Bill, the organisation strongly opposes the clause that will criminalise mothers for the use of baby savers. Gilain said the sanctuary has their own baby saver and said while it is not as frequently used, it has saved 11 babies’ lives.

“Most mothers who use it are in severe crisis, not acting recklessly. They are often victims of poverty, abuse, sexual violence or stigma. Using a baby saver is almost always an act of desperation, not convenience. Without this option, many of these babies would be left in dangerous places where their survival is far less likely. Baby savers are not a solution to unplanned pregnancies, but they are an emergency measure to unsafe abandonment as well as prevent death,” said Gilain.

Isiaiah 54 is urging residents and civil society organisations to individually oppose the proposed change before it is passed into law. Objections must be submitted via email to either [email protected], [email protected] or  [email protected] by October 25.

Gilain concluded by calling for a more compassionate and evidence-driven approach to protecting vulnerable infants. “Saving babies and assisting mothers are not opposing goals, they go hand in hand. We urge lawmakers to look at the evidence. Baby savers save lives. Criminalising them will not stop abandonment, it will just make it far more dangerous,” she said.

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