Page 65 - Department of Social Development Annual Report 2021

Tool on the Intersectoral Protocol on the Prevention and
During the period under review, the Department
conducted capacity building on the Adoption Policy
Framework and Strategy, Guidelines and Training Manual
and the Register of Adoptable Children and Prospective
Adoptive Parents (RACAP). In this regard, a total of 432
Social Workers in eight provinces, except for
Mpumalanga, were capacitated on both the Framework
and the Strategy.
The capacity building on the Framework and Strategy
was conducted to empower and enable Social Workers to
provide adoption services as required by the Legislation.
Furthermore, training on the RACAP was conducted to
assist the Social Workers when they match children with
adoptive parents. The training also ensured that the
principle of subsidiarity as required by Legislation is
adhered to. The principle requires that children should
be placed locally, and all avenues must be explored
before considering intercountry adoption option. Section
232 of the Children’s Act, 2005 (Act No. 38 of 2005)
requires the Director–General to keep and maintain a
Register on Adoptable Children and Prospective Adoptive
Parents (RACAP) for the purpose of keeping a record of
adoptable children and a record of fit and proper
adoptive parents. RACAP training provided guidance to
adoption service providers regarding the implementation
of the adoption processes.
During the reporting period, a total 849 adoptions were
registered, which includes 799 national adoptions and 50
intercountry adoptions. Furthermore, a total of 166
adoption service providers were accredited, that number
includes 128 Child Protection Organisations and 38
Social Workers in private practice. To this end, the RACAP
was managed with 264 children and 80 parents
registered respectively.
The Children's Second Amendment Act, 2016 (Act No. 18
of 2016) included Department of Social Development
(DSD) Social Workers in the definition of an adoption
Social Worker. The regulations pertaining to the
registration of specialty in adoption work requires Social
Workers to be registered with the South African Council
for Social Services Profession (SACSSP). Registration
renewal and payment of 191 DSD Social Workers was
effected with the SACSSP as adoption specialists. A total
of 105 children were repatriated through International
Social Services to Lesotho and Zimbabwe while three
were repatriated into the country, two being from
Zimbabwe and one from Uganda.
PART B: PERFORMANCE INFORMATION Child Protection
PERFORMANCE BY PROGRAMME
will guide specific amounts payable for, amongst others, protection of older persons. The Older Persons
registration of professionals in various categories of Amendment Bill was presented to the Technical Working
social service professions. Group (TWG) of the SPCHD and SPCHD Cluster. The Bill
received approved for it to be presented to Cabinet for
During the reporting period, the term of office of the approval to be introduced to Parliament.
current members of the Council and Professional Boards
for social work and child and youth care work was In 2018/19, the Department finalised the Implementation
extended for 12 months, effective from June 2021 to Evaluation of the Older Persons Act, 2006 (Act No. 13 of
June 2022. In preparation for the appointment of new 2006). The Implementation Evaluation was aimed at
members of Council and Professional Boards, approval assessing how the Older Persons Act is being
was also granted to develop Induction Policy and implemented and how it can be improved. The
Procedure Manual. The new members will assume office Evaluation Report and Improvement Plan were presented
at the end of the extended period of the existing to the Technical Working Group (TWG) of the SPCHD and
members. SPCHD Cluster and Cabinet. Cabinet approved both the
Evaluation Report and Improvement Plan with the
The Department developed the White Paper for Social following recommendations;
Development. The White Paper was extensively • for more consultation with the sector to
consulted with various stakeholders, including provincial develop an implementation plan with roles
departments of social development, other national and responsibilities of key government
government departments, civil society organisations, departments.
non-governmental organisations, research institutions • the implementation plans should inform how
and institutions of higher learning, the SACSSP, budget will be ring-fenced for Older Persons
professional associations and other critical stakeholders. programmes,
The White Paper provides a new vision and broad goals • the plan should be aligned with the approach
that will provide direction to the country on social of the District Development Model with
development beyond the social welfare realm. It aligns respect to combating Gender-Based Violence
well with the seven priorities Government aspires to (GBV), addressing the plight of older women
achieve in the next five years. It also sets the basis for the given the spate of rape crimes and ensuring
development of a national overarching social integrated governmental approach towards
development legislation, which will provide a unified strengthening the provision of service to Older
system to guide the provision of comprehensive, Persons.
integrated, rights based, well-resourced quality social
development services. The White Paper was presented A national consultative workshop was conducted in
before the Technical Working Group and the SPHCD March 2021 with the various stakeholders within the
Social Clusters and was endorsed to proceed to Cabinet sector including all provincial departments of Social
for approval. The applicable documents have been Development, Offices of the Premier, other key
prepared and approved for presentation to Cabinet. government departments as well as non-governmental
organisation, to develop the Implementation Plan. The
In preparation for the effective implementation of the Implementation Plan will be presented to FOSAD for
White Paper, the Department developed a draft endorsement and a progress report will be submitted to
implementation plan. The implementation plan was Cabinet as part of the National Evaluation Plan (NEP).
consulted with all provincial departments of social
development. The plan provides for the implementation The Department finalised the re-development of the
of the White Paper by Departments of Social Older Persons Abuse Register (OPAR). A total of seven
Development at all spheres of government, other provinces were trained on the improved OPAR system
government departments with responsibility for the .The remaining two provinces will be considered for
delivery of social welfare services, non-governmental training in the new financial year.
organisations and community-based organisations.
Further consultations will be conducted with all critical In responding to Covid-19 pandemic, the Department
stakeholders in order to realise the effective and efficient partnered with Department of Health (DoH) to support
implementation thereof. residential facilities in dealing with the pandemic. The
Department of Health in line with the World Health
During the reporting period, the Department finalised the Organisation (WHO) protocols on Covid-19, developed
Older Persons Amendment Bill, 2020. The Older Persons guidelines, tools and training programmes for the
Amendment Bill is aimed at tightening the gaps in the residential facilities. Furthermore, an action plan on
Older Persons Act, 2006 (Act No. 13 of 2006) to ensure Covid-19 response was developed and consulted with
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT ANNUAL REPORT 2020/21 65
Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and European Union (EU)
initiated and launched project on "EU global promotion
Management of Violence against Children, Child Abuse,
of best practices for children in migration” in October
Neglect and Exploitation. The Monitoring Tool will assist
with the standardised and uniform services rendered by
2020. The project covers the period from 2020 to 2023
all child protection stakeholders for children affected by
and will be implemented in four countries, namely;
violence, child abuse, neglect and exploitation; and will
Mexico, El Salvador, Zambia and South Africa. The overall
also allow for monitoring of the services rendered. The
objective of the project is to ensure that children on the
Monitoring Tool was consulted with all provinces and it
move are effectively protected and their rights are being
will be approved in the new financial year.
realised.
Professional Social Services and Older Persons
The project will directly affect and engage with the
following stakeholders;
During the reporting period, the Department finalised the
• Duty bearers being officials at a regional, nation-
Social Service Practitioners Draft Bill. The draft Bill was
al, provincial, local level and media, public
approved by Cabinet in the 2019/20 financial year, and
frontline officers and staff (police, civic and
subsequently gazetted for public comments. Comments
immigration officers, social workers, etc.),
were received from individuals, South African Council for
• Stakeholders such as International Organization
Professions
Service
Social
academic
(SACSSP),
for Migration (IOM), United Nation High
certain
interest
institutions,
supporting
groups
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and other
occupations, national and provincial departments, local
organisations that are part of national, regional
municipalities and professional networks.
or global policy and strategy processes, and
• Children on the move include migrant, internally
Public comments served as basis for redrafting the Bill
displaced, stateless, returnee, asylum seekers
with the support of sector legal services at both national
and refugee children, as well as children who
and provincial departments. The draft Bill was
move voluntarily or involuntarily, within or
subsequently submitted to the Office of the Chief State
between countries, with or without their parents
Law Advisor (OCSLA). The Socio Economic Impact
or other primary caregivers, and whose
Assessment (SEIAS) report was also developed and
movement may open opportunities, but might
submitted to the Department of Performance Monitoring
also expose them to risks (or to an increased
and Evaluation for certification. The Bill will be
risk) of economic or sexual exploitation, abuse,
submitted to Cabinet in the new financial year.
neglect and violence.
The Department continues to monitor implementation of
Throughout the process, UNICEF will provide support to
the Social Service Professions Act, 1978 (Act No. 110 of
the national child protection system to effectively
1978) and related regulations. The Act provides for the
provide services to these children. They will also work
establishment of the SACSSP which is entrusted with the
with authorities, media and service providers to address
regulation of social service practice and social service
the barriers such children may face in accessing
professionals (Social Workers and Child and Youth Care
comprehensive birth registration and other basic
Workers).
services.
In regulating social service professionals, the SACSSP;
The Department developed a draft Monitoring Tool on
•
determines minimum qualifications,
the implementation of Guidelines on Community Based
required registration,
•
Prevention and Early Intervention Services to Vulnerable
•
develops and maintains registers for social
Children. The Tool aims to support community-based
workers and child and youth care workers,
organizations that provide services to Orphan and
sets standards for education and training of
•
Vulnerable Children (OVC), by improving routine
social service professionals; and
monitoring system and the collection of information that
monitors compliance with code of ethics and
•
is fit for purpose, including information for identifying
standards for professional conduct.
beneficiaries, case management and routine programme.
Furthermore, the Tool will ensure that there is uniform
Social Workers and Child and Youth Care Workers are
and standard information collected in the provinces,
expected to pay approved prescribed annual fees to the
which will be used to evaluate and determine what works
Council. In this regard, regulations on fees payable for
and keep programming on track and ensuring positive
the 2021/22 financial year were developed and gazetted
impacts on OVCs and families.
for public comments. Once finalised, these regulations
The Department, in collaboration with United Nations The Department also developed the draft Monitoring
provinces. Relevant information on preventative
measures including WHO Protocols were disseminated to
residential facilities for Older Persons through the
provinces, to ensure adherence with to protocols.
Residential facilities were prioritised according to
infections and inability of facilities to control infection,
leading to deaths, screening and testing challenges etc.
In addition, National Institute for Communicable
Diseases (NICD) developed an online hospital
surveillance platform for Covid-19, called DATCOV19, in
which the information on admitted patients was
submitted by health care workers in sentinel surveillance
sites that allows analysis of risk factors for severe
disease and mortality. This assisted the Department to
know the data on infections, death and recoveries.
Families and Social Crime Prevention
During the reporting period, the Department conducted
consultations with all provinces on the reviewing
of the Integrated Social Crime Prevention Strategy.
The purpose of the consultations was to explore the
inherent and proactive approaches to implementing
the strategy in South Africa. A consolidated report on
the consultations with provinces on the reviewing of
the Strategy was compiled. The report outlines the
challenges, achievements, lessons learnt and makes
recommendations for effective implementation of the
strategy.
The report further recommends continued
implementation of the Strategy to curb social ills that
are a contributory factor to the committal of crime
and violence in South Africa. The consultation report
will be used to map the next stages of the reviewing
of the Integrated Social Crime Prevention Strategy,
as well as ascertaining ownership, collaboration and
partnership amongst government departments, civil
society organization and private sector to respond.
These initiatives contribute towards priority 5 on Social
cohesion and safe communities.