Social Development
(1) Whether her Department can act against parents who have children with them while they are begging at intersections; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details;
(2) whether her Department can investigate (a) the conditions under which these children are living and (b) whether children of schoolgoing age are attending school; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
(1) If such a matter is brought to the attention of the DSD or a child protection organisation and referred with the necessary information, the situation will be assessed and appropriately attended to. The mere fact that a child is on the street with a parent does not make a child in need of care and protection – there is case law to support this.
Where the available facts indicate that an adult uses another person’s child to beg, an investigation will be done and attended to within the provisions of the Children’s Act.
The social worker will promote community reintegration and also support the family to access psychosocial support services and other resources that are available.
(2) (a) As previously indicated, if a referral contains the relevant detail, the conditions under which children are living can be investigated.
(a) It is not the core function of the DSD to monitor school attendance – that falls to the Department of Education. If, however, during investigation it becomes known that a child of school going age is not attending school and the child is placed in terms of a court order, it will be followed up with support and guidance to the foster parent/alternative carer and the information will be brought to the attention of the Department of Education.
During lockdown the Regulations guided which children are required to attend school.
Funded community-based organisations, e.g. drop-in centres, work closely with schools and the WC Education Department to return children who have dropped out of school.
