GOOD TIMES BAD TIMES. FINE BUT NOT FINE..CHILD AND YOUTH CARE IN SOUTH AFRICA

This week in  social media was a mixed bag of good times and bad times, fine but not fine. It seemed that with every good time post, comment was raised as another side to the same coin.

Taking up the most social media space was a picture of a child and youth care worker's certificate of registration with the South African Council of Social Service Professions ( SACSSP) at the professional level. It was captioned by an announcement that professional level  registration is now attainable with a "legacy"  four year qualification in child and youth care at level 7 without having to to submit a Portfolio of Evidence ( PoE ) for assessment by SACSSP to demonstrate competence at the new four year qualification at level 8. 

I shared this post to my social media network. It raised near on 100 comments predominately congratulatory and hailing this as good news for the profession. Flip side comment raised the issue of child and youth care workers already registered at the professional level
being employed at a level equivalent to a child and youth care worker at the auxiliary level (level 4) and paid as such.

I am very pleased that child and youth care workers who enrolled in a four year degree on the understanding that it will lead to employment in the field of practice and with the scope of practice associated with the professional level of registration be recognised in the workplace are now able to register. 

One lengthy comment expressed a concern that the South African Qualification Authority ( SAQA) recognised a four year qualification at level 8 or therefor an honours degree at level 8 as a "PROFESSIONAL" qualification. This lone voice cannot be ignored. It would be a concern that recognition and the equality of social service professions across the boards led to the view that "lower qualifications" are regarded as lower status and lower status be regarded as lower pay. It will no doubt constantly be forgotten that social work qualifications, as will community work qualification regulations demand a qualification at level 8. ...... just a caution as as a possible "fine but not fine". 

More good times, bad times !!.....social media reports...

The non-payment of government funds for the first quarter (at least) to the non-governmental organisations (NGO's) raised its first protest demonstration. A memorandum of concern and protest was taken by a group of social service professionals to the opposition party at a provincial legislature. The opposition party then held up all provincial debate to receive the memorandum. The comment was..."now the ruling party knows ---- next to  the media!" Media exposure to the crisis now appears to be a pervasive plan of action in the NGO sector. A full and condemning report has already been published in the Daily Maverick and a facebook message in my inbox told of an intention to expose the crisis to an outspoken and highly viewed investigative journalism TV programme.The provincial protest delegation appeared in its placards to have expressed a fear of a repetition toward de-institutionalisation of care services and the negative issues this can raise. The de-institutionalisation of state facilities in the Mental Health sector in this country had tragic consequences. 

A comment in the "registration" posting said "now we won't rest until the closed NGO facilities are re-opened"


Next fine but not fine posts....

"Does anyone know if we will be paid?"  This post raised a pile of mixed comment. Some said that they had not been paid in the first quarter. Others celebrated that they had payments including April. One said that her enquiries led to a response that delays that delays were caused by incorrect banking details having been fed to the payment agency. These were being addressed and will be rectified, they said. he final comment asked "but what about May?"

Good times.

The Child Protection Week as launched with a with a wide range of programmes across South Africa. The most I had on social media were from Our Isibindi projects and others from state and provinces. The State posters gave a number of free telephone numbers and SMS addresses for free calls to report instances of child abuse. The theme appeared to be 'Keep your eyes on the child".

Bad times.

Somehow every year during Child Protection Week and the International Day of the Child (1st June), possibly through public awareness, or a terrible set of coincidences, social and other media are filled with reports of child sexual and other abuses. So here are the bad times on all the social media this week......

A woman threw a parcel from a moving car in the main road through the central business area of Durban.The parcel struck the rear of a car . In the parcel was a new born baby. It died on impact.

There were terrible reports of school child bullying. Two school girls were found hanged in a school hostel.A 9 year old school girl was shot in the crossfire of a cash heist in Chatsworth Durban There is an investigation underway arising from the rape of a 13 year old girl at a school.

...and now for the really bad time news.  Social media reported that, in the Northern Cape, 36% of all admissions to rehabilitation  yearscentres for substance abuse were children between 10 and 19 years. Of 124,526 reported rape cases in the last three financial years financial 41% were children and 5% were children every day!!!. This translates into 46 children raped and 2 children murdered in South Africa every day !!!!! The issue is exacerbated by the reports in social media of the severe violence by which children are being murdered. The report listed.....firearms, axes, spades, pangas, hammers, belts and poison.

Whilst writing this blog a radio report......the family and child violence unit of the South African Police  Force have a shortage of DNA and rape kits  - especially on the Province of  Kwa-Zulu Natal, of an estimated 1000 kits. It means that 1000 rape victims, including children will not receive justice. ..... 

This , I guess is good news...

Thousands marched in Chatsworth in support of the 9 year old girl who died in the cash heist. The demand,.... better protection against crime and its impact on children.

 Public outrage in South Africa is reaching boil over point nationally.

But this is the main point....Good times.....There are thousands of child and youth care workers in South Africa, some without pay, who are providing professional care and reclaiming of children in an environment of trauma. Who are translating voice into action and child well being. 

In the good times and the bad times.... in fine but not fine, ..... aluta continua. !!!!   





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