News
The Children’s Institute has won a coveted 2017 African Excellence Award for the media campaign that, in 2016, marked the tenth anniversary of its flagship publication, the South African Child Gauge®.
A new research report by the Children's Institute documents how the child protection system handles reported cases of abuse and neglect.
This year marks the coming of age of the Child Support Grant (CSG), established 18 years ago in 1998, now recognised as one of South Africa's most successful poverty alleviation strategies. Contributors to the 2016 Child Gauge include academics, activists, members of civil society, government officials and representatives, and representatives from international development organisations.
To look back at the evolution of the grant - and tap into the now-substantial body of research and evidence that has been amassed around it - the Children's Institute (CI), University of Cape Town, has dedicated its South African Child Gauge® 2016 to the theme of children and social assistance. The issue looks closely at the CSG and its impact on millions of impoverished children and their caregivers in South Africa.
Featured publications
- LAW REVIEW
- ECD GUIDE
- HEALTH GUIDE
- DROP-IN CENTRE GUIDE
- CYCC GUIDE
Law review: South Africa’s progress in realising children’s rights
South Africa’s 20-year anniversary of the start of democracy is a good moment to take stock of progress in realising children’s rights, and to flag challenges in need of attention. This review of South African laws aimed at realising children’s rights was done to assess whether these laws have been designed and are being implemented in compliance with international and constitutional law. It focuses on children’s rights to birth registration; basic nutrition; social assistance; basic education; special protection when in conflict with the law; protection from violence; and appropriate alternative care when removed from the family environment. Produced in partnership with Save the Children South Africa.Children's Act guide for early childhood developme…
This guide is for people working in the early childhood development (ECD) sector and focuses on the parts of the Children’s Act that are most useful for ECD practitioners. In particular, the guide will be useful for the managers or supervisors of ECD centres, programmes and services; trainers providing capacity building to ECD practitioners; and a range of ECD service providers, including community-based ECD facilitators who do home visits.Children's Act guide for health professionals
This guide is for people working in the health sector, and outlines the specific provisions of the Children’s Act that apply to health professionals. It explains the children's rights and principles that inform the Act and addresses difficult questions such as how to determine the best interests of the child, and whether consensual sex between adolescents should be reported. The guide also details the consent requirements for different health services, and explains what to do in an emergency, or in case of conflict between parents and the child. It informs health professionals of their mandatory obligations to report abuse and neglect and examines how to interpret these requirements in light of recent court judgements. This edition has been substantially updated and includes short cases from health professionals to assist with the interpretation of the Act.
Children's Act guide for drop-in centre managers
This guide aims to equip service providers with the necessary knowledge and understanding to interpret and apply the Children’s Act when delivering services to vulnerable children and youth. It provides answers on which programmes a drop-in centre can run, how to register drop-in centres, and staff and staff training requirements.
Children's Act guide for child and youth care workers
This is an updated guide to the Children’s Act is for everyone working in child and youth care. Workers in residential care and community programmes, managers of child and youth care centres including shelters, trainers and supervisors will benefit from the necessary knowledge and understanding of how to interpret and apply the Children’s Act when delivering services. The new edition includes information on working with children on the streets and updates on recent changes to the law.
The Children's Institute is grateful to our core sponsor:
