CATEGORIES OF ABUSE• Physicalabuse:Couldbebruises,scars, fractures,burnsbites,etc.• Sexualabuse:Sexuallymolestingorassaulting achildorallowingachildtobesexuallymo lestedorassaulted;encouraging,inducingor forcingachildtobeusedforsexualgratification ofanotherperson;participatingorassistingin thecommercialsexualexploitationofachild.• Emotionalabuse:Itmaytaketheformoffailure tomeetachild’sneedforaffection,attention, stimulation,orconstantverbalabuse,rejection, threatsofviolenceorattemptstofrightenthe child.• Deliberateneglect:Continuousfailuretoprotect achildfromexposuretoanydanger,cold, starvation,substanceabuse,notcarry outimportantaspectsofcare,etc.
WHAT HAPPENS AFTER A REPORT HAS BEEN FILED?Adesignatedchildprotectionsocialworkerwillvisitthechildandfamilytoassesswhetherthechildisinneedofcareandprotection.Ifthechildren’scourtissatisfiedthatitisinthebestinterestofthechildnottoberemovedfromhisorherhomeorplacewhereheorsheresides,howevertheremovaloftheallegedoffenderfromsuchhomeorplacewouldsecurethesafetyandwell-beingofthechild.• Thepresidingofficercanrulethatthealleged offenderleavethehomeorplacewherethe childresidesandrefrainfromenteringsuch homeorplaceorhavingcontactwiththechild untilthecourthearing.• Thecourtmayorderthatthechildcouldbe visitedbytheallegedoffenderuponsuch conditionsaswouldensurethebestinterestof thechild.
• Theallegedoffenderwillbeorderedto contributetowardsthemaintenanceof thefamily.• Asocialworkercanrequestthatapoliceofficial mustrequesttheallegedoffendertoappear beforeapresidingofficer,onasetdate.
WHEN REPORTING A CASE, ARE CHILDREN ALWAYS REMOVED FROM THE FAMILY?No,onlywhenthechild’slifeisindanger.Theprincipleofkeepingachildwithinhis/herfamilyaslongaspossibleisvalued.Whentakingsuchadecision,thebestinterestofthechildwouldbeparamount.Familiesandchildrenarepartofanydecision-makingintheirsituation.
ARE PARENTAL RIGHTS AFFECTED BY THE CHILD PROTECTION REGISTER?No,registrationinitselfdoesnotaffectaparent’sorcare-giver(s)legalresponsibilitytothechild.Itisonlyaffectediflegalactionhastobetaken(forexample:removalofthechild),orwhenthechildren’scourtdeemsitpropertoissueanordertoassistthefamilyandthechild.
Social Development: 0800 60 10 11
Police Emergency Line: 10 111
Child Line: 0800 05 55 55
BuildingaCaringSociety.Together.
ChiefDirectorateCommunicationDepartmentofSocial
DevelopmentPrivateBagx901
PRETORIA0001
Tel:(012)3127731/7654Fax:(012)3127988/7943Tollfreeno.0800601011
www.dsd.gov.zaToll-freeno.0800601011
Child Protection Register
WHAT IS THE CHILD PROTECTION REGISTER?TheNationalChildProtectionRegisterrecordsvulnerablechildren,undertheageof18years,whoareinneedofcareandprotection.TheregisterismaintainedbyasocialworkerwithinalocalDepartmentofSocialDevelopmentanddesignatedchildprotectionorganizations.InformationcontainedintheRegisterisstrictlyconfidentialandcanonlybesharedwiththosewhoformpartoftheChildProtectionteam(forexample:ateacher/anurse/acaregiver/apoliceofficial/amagistrate,etc)
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE REGISTER?AccordingtoChildren’sAct(No.38of2005),thepurposeoftheregisterisasfollows:• Tohavearecordofabuseordeliberateneglect inflictedonspecificchildren.• Tohavearecordofthecircumstances surroundingtheabuseordeliberateneglect inflictedonthechildren.• TousetheinformationintheRegisterinorderto protectthesechildrenfromfurtherabuseor neglect.• Tomonitorcasesandservicestosuchchildren.• Toshareinformationbetweenprofessionalsthat arepartofthechildprotectionteam.• Todeterminepatternsandtrendsofabuseor deliberateneglectofchildren• TousetheinformationintheRegisterfor planningandbudgetarypurposestoprevent theabuseanddeliberateneglectofchildren andprotectchildrenonanational,provincial andmunicipallevel.
WHO SHOULD REPORT?AccordingtotheChildren’sAct(No.38of2005)thefollowingprofessionalpersonsareobligedtoreportchildabusecases.Suchpersonsarelistedundersection110(1)asfollows:
“Anycorrectionalofficial,dentist,homeopath,immigrationofficial,labourinspector,legalpractitioner,medicalpractitioner,midwife,ministerofreligion,nurse,occupationaltherapist,physiotherapist,psychologist,religiousleader,socialserviceprofessional,socialworker,speechtherapist,teacher,traditionalhealthpractitioner,traditionalleaderormemberofstafforvolunteerworkeratapartialcarefacility,drop-incentreorchildandyouthcarecentrewhoonreasonablegroundsconcludesthatachildhasbeenabusedinamannercausingphysicalinjury,sexuallyabusedordeliberatelyneglected,mustreportthatconclusionintheprescribedformtoadesignatedchildprotectionorganization,theprovincialdepartmentofsocialdevelopmentorapoliceofficial”.
IF I AM NOT A PROFESSIONAL PERSON?Anyperson(memberofsociety,neighbour,concernedcitizen)whoonreasonablegroundsbelievesthatachildisinneedofcareandprotectionmayreportthatbelieftotheprovincialdepartmentofsocialdevelopment,childprotectionorganizationorapoliceofficial.• Suchapersonmustsubstantiatethatconclusion orbelieftotheprovincialdepartmentofsocial development,adesignatedchildprotection organizationorpoliceofficial.• Thepersonwhomakesareportingoodfaithis notliabletocivilactiononthebasisofthe report.• Theidentityoftheinformantwillbetreated asconfidential.Youonlyneedtobefamiliarwith thefollowing:
Identifyingparticularsofthechild.•Identifyingparticularsofthebiologicalpar-•ents/care-givers.Addressofwherethechildcurrentlylives•and,ifawayfromparents,theaddressoftheparents.Datesandtypeofincidents.•Detailsofcircumstancesgivingrisetothe•abuse.Anycontactdetailsofotherpersonswho•couldconfirmtheallegedabuse.Yourcontactdetailsonthefile,shouldthe•designatedsocialworkerhavetofollow-upcertaindetailswithyou,isimportant.
WHERE TO REPORT?Thereportcanbemadeatthenearestsocialworkoffice,thepoliceordesignatedchildprotectionorganization,wherethechildresides.
CARE AND PROTECTION/ SERVICES RENDERED• Thepolicewillensurethesafetyandwellbeing ofthechildconcernedifthechild’ssafetyisat risk.• Theprovincialdepartmentofsocial developmentordesignatedchildprotection organizationmaytakemeasurestoassistthe childasfollows:
Riskassessmentandinvestigations•Counseling•Mediation•Preventionandearlyinterventionservices•Familyreconstructionandrehabilitation•Behaviourmodification•Problemsolvingandreferraltoanother•suitablyqualifiedpersonororganization.Supportduringacriminalproceduretrial.•Supportduringachildren’scourtinquiry.•
