Social Development

With regard to the secure care facilities for children awaiting trial, as well as children who have been sentenced:

1. What are the details of the structured day programmes and services supported by her Department at these facilities;

The structured day programs within the Department of Social Development’s secure child and youth care environment has a 3-tier purpose:

• To ensure that each resident accesses the opportunities that are indicated on his/her Individual Development Plan
• To promote safety by introducing control and structure over the operations of the secure centre, movement management, dividing the population into smaller groups, separating of certain categories of residents from others
• Optimal utilisation of the human resources, infrastructure and goods

The structured day ensures that care services (personal care, hygiene, medical care, nutrition), empowerment (formal education and skills development) and support services (social work, psychologist, occupational therapy, sport and recreation) are delivered.  It starts at 06:00 in the morning until 21:00 in the evening.  Over weekends the focus is on sports activities, leisure, religious activities and family reunification.

2. whether there is any data to show the positive effects that these facilities have on clients; if so, what are the relevant details?

Positive effect is best reflected in the individual growth of each resident as recorded in his or her individual development plan progress reports.  In addition the following can be reported:

• While internal formal schools are available at each centre, there are several residents that have shown sufficient personal growth to attend external school.  At present 55 residents attend external colleges and schools.
• Those residents who have completed their schooling are either deployed inside the centre or externally to the centre in employment internships, which also gives them access to longer term employment opportunities.
• A growing number of residents have shown enough growth in terms of their behaviour to qualify for holiday leave and subsequent early release.
• Community involvement: During skills development such as hospitality, horticulture, hair dressing, life saver and surfing, woodwork, the resulting service or the products/produce are made available to communities.  ECDs, GBV shelters and Old Age homes, SPCA for instance has been identified to be recipients of the products/produce or service.