The quality of statutory services provided to vulnerable children in the Northern Cape is threatened by a critical lack of training.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) has requested that formal training on behavioural management be expedited for Child and Youth Care Workers (CYCW) employed at facilities in the province.
An oversight inspection conducted earlier this year, to the Lorato Child and Youth Care Centre (CYCC) in Galeshewe, Kimberley, exposed that CYCWs have not been adequately equipped with the necessary skills required to respond to behavioural challenges in children.
This is particularly worrying, given that the Lorato CYCC is accommodating 17 children with Severe Profound Behavioural Challenges. It has also reported cases where minors have absconded from the facility as well as engaged in violent behaviour amongst each other.
A response from the Northern Cape Department of Social Development revealed that social workers in some CYCCs were trained in quality assurance, including children acts that govern the sector, the child protection register, child online safety and other social work issues. The department, however, still plans to train CYCWs and social workers on behaviour management.
It is worrying that this has not been prioritized and that so many CYCWs and children, have been deprived of a more nurturing environment, for the improved management of difficult behaviors.
The implementation of the North Gauteng High Court Order of 26 November 2019, meant that facilities responsible for safe, alternative residential care, like the Lorato Place of Safety, now experience the added burden of dealing with children experiencing Severe Profound Behavioural challenges.
In addition to the low priority of behavioural training, it is also alarming that there are only 14 social workers to render services to 325 children at all 11 CYCCs in the province, with one social worker responsible for 20 children at both Bophelo 1 and Bophelo 2 CYCCs. There are also only 78 CYCWs and 41 caregivers at these CYCCs, adding immense pressure on support staff to assume duties that they are not trained to perform.
The DA will again write to the department to query the exact rollout of the training on behavioural management for CYCWs at CYCCs in the province. We will continue to exercise oversight of these centres to ensure that staff capacity, and the training of the staff complement, is prioritized.
Vulnerable children and young people need the best possible support from CYCWs, caregivers and social workers to be able to overcome difficult and unstable circumstances and to be able to look forward to a better future.