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TURN AROUND PLAN ON THE MANAGEMENT OF FOSTER CARE. Presentation to Portfolio Committee of Social Development 18 September 2019. OUTLINE. Purpose of presentation Introduction Situational analysis Total number of foster care grant beneficiaries
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TURN AROUND PLAN ON THE MANAGEMENT OF FOSTER CARE Presentation to Portfolio Committee of Social Development 18 September 2019
OUTLINE • Purpose of presentation • Introduction • Situational analysis • Total number of foster care grant beneficiaries • Current status of foster care orders in provinces affected by the NGCO • Analysis • Overall challenges • Key Provincial Strategies • Commitments • Recommendations
PURPOSE OF THE PRESENTATION • To present the turn around plan on the management of foster care to the Portfolio Committee.
INTRODUCTION • On the 4 September 2019, the Department of Social Development presented the status report on the management of foster care orders affected by the North Gauteng High Court Order to the Committee. • Upon presentation of the status report, particularly the challenges which were mostly on the systemic issues such as human and financial resources, as well as tools of trade required for effective management of foster care programme; the Committee was not convinced that the Department will manage to deal with cases affected by the North Gauteng High Court Order. • The Department was requested to go back and develop a turnaround plan to deal with foster care affected by the NGHCO and to present it on the 18 September 2019. • The turn around plans from provinces (see attached) outlines situational analysis of provinces, process flow to be followed by provinces to manage provincial baselines; clearly stating set targets, key strategies to manage the court orders for the period September till November 2019.
SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS • In managing foster care programme; the department complied with the paragraph 2.1 of the Court Order in providing comprehensive legal solution to foster care; the Department submitted the Social Assistance Bill, 2018 to Parliament on 16 March 2018. • The Department developed a Child Care and Protection Policy. • The Minister submitted an Children’s Amendment Bill to Parliament on 19 February 2019. • In relation to paragraph 2.2 provinces are making progress to eradicate all cases that are due to lapse in November 2019, with the limited resources available. Amongst progress made to provide tools of trade; some provinces bought cars, computers, some have appointed social workers and supervisors. • It must be noted that there was no additional budget allocation to implement the court order.
SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS cont… • The provinces are implementing the interim regime provided in paragraph 5 of the NGHCO that deem all the affected foster care orders to be valid. • Furthermore, the provinces are taking the matters to the Children’s Courts for extension of these orders to have a duration that extends beyond 28 November 2019. • The following slides presents the: • Current state foster child grant beneficiaries and, • Orders due to lapse and how provinces will manage these orders before 28 November 2019.
CURRENT STATUS OF FOSTER CARE ORDERS IN PROVINCES AFFECTED BY THE NGHCO TILL NOV 2019
ANALYSIS • As at 3 September 2019, the number of children in foster care are 416 441 • The baseline of court orders affected by NGHCO as at 2 December 2017 was standing at 43 985 • The current cases as at end of August 2019; is standing at 89 538 The provincial breakdown on how to deal with 89 538 • GP: 9 932 cases will be dealt with by 350 social workers over a period of 8 weeks, each social worker taking 5 cases per week. • FS: 6 465 cases will be dealt with by 207 social workers over a period of 10 weeks, each social worker allocated 3 cases per week. • LIMPOPO: 5 313 cases will be dealt with by 1481 social workers. The ratio is 1:4 cases each social worker, 66 supervisors are canalising cases to ensure quality before they are submitted to court for finalisation • NW: 8 652 cases will be dealt with by 650 social workers, each social worker allocated 5 cases per week. The province will deal with 3 250 cases per month.
ANALYSIS The provincial breakdown on how to deal with 89 538 cont… • EC: 18 065 cases will be dealt with by 562 dedicated social workers by 15 November 2019. • NC: 1 181 cases. There are 196 social workers available to deal with total baselines. • MP: 929 cases will be dealt with by 245 social workers. The province will deal with 310 cases per month. • WC: 9 517 cases • KZN: 29 484 cases will be dealt with by 2 292 personnel inclusive of 1 582 social workers and 185 social work supervisors dedicated for foster care management.
OVERALL CHALLENGES • Insufficient human resources- social workers, supervisors and canalisation officers • Financial and technical resources (tools of trade) which impact on office space, network connectivity, cares, computers, copy machines and scanners. • Implementation of Regulation 56 which requires advertisement for abandoned and orphaned children- this causes delays in finalisation of cases. Limpopo indicated that they might not meet the deadline due to this requirement more specifically 1490 cases are affected. • Delays and costs to obtain unabridged birth certificate from Home Affairs, impacting finalisation of cases. • Some provinces cite delays from the courts to obtain court dates and issuing of court orders. • Provinces experience challenges of timeous issuing of Form 30 to fast track court processes though currently compliance is within the 21 working days as prescribed in the Children's Act.
National strategies to support provinces • Issue Form 30s within seven (7) days of receipt of requests with dedicated capacity at national for the next three months • Weekly visits to provinces scheduled to provide support and monitoring. • Engagement with Department of Home Affairs to waive fees and reduce time frame for foster care cases. • Support provinces to negotiate with the judiciary for cases to be brought to court, and for issuing interim orders while awaiting documents for finalisation of court orders • National to mitigate the risk of implementing Regulation 56 that might affect compliance to NGHCO, by engaging the judiciary to accept the proposal for issuing interim orders
COMMITMENTS • Provinces are committed to deal with all cases that are due to lapse. • National Team will continue to monitor and support scheduled provinces on weekly basis. • Reports will be submitted to the committee on monthly basis commencing end of September 2019. • However submission to the Committee will be done within 7 working days after end of the month. • Provinces indicated that they will be able to deal with all cases affected by November 2019 except Limpopo. Limpopo commits to address the 1490 cases by March 2020. • Legal services to begin engaging on the Limpopo matter to find a legal solution before the end of September 2019 in addressing the risk of not complying with the court order..
RECOMMENDATIONS It is recommended that the Portfolio Committee: • Take note of the turn around plan to manage the foster care orders affected by the North Gauteng High Court Order; • Note the risk indicated by Limpopo and how it is going to be mitigated
