Minister visits the Chaeli Campaign ECD Development Inclusion Programme

On Thursday, November 11, 2021, the Western Cape Minister for Social Development, Sharna Fernandez, visited The Chaeli Cottage Preschool as part of the provincial Department of Social Development’s (DSDs) efforts to promote the rights of both children and adults with disabilities living in the Western Cape.

“I will continue to engage with various partners during Disability Rights Awareness Month and beyond to guide us in understanding the challenges faced by the disability sector to ensure that our responses to the COVID-19 pandemic are inclusive.

All of us have a role to play in creating an environment where children and adults with disabilities are granted an opportunity to add value to the society that they live in,” said Minister Fernandez.

The Chaeli Campaign is a social justice foundation changing society’s views on the capabilities and role of children with disabilities in South Africa and worldwide. The Chaeli campaign started in 2005, with the Non-Profit Organisation (NPO) currently running a wide variety of inclusive Early Childhood Development (ECD) programmes.

Zelda Mycroft, the CEO of The Chaeli Cottage, noted the following, “ We run an Early Childhood Development Inclusion programme in disadvantaged communities as well as support children with disabilities in mainstream schools. We partner with 40+ pre-schools in providing skills development for pre-schoolers, their parents and teachers. Inclusion, ability and possibility are key themes creating supportive, accepting, creative learning environments for children of all abilities.”

Zelda added, “ Early identification of children with disabilities is essential to ensuring that they access the necessary resources crucial for their overall human development.”

The Department is currently funding The Chaeli Campaign for the following services:

1)        Therapeutic Services & Outreach Programme ( physio, speech, occupational therapies), providing individual therapies for children with disabilities

2)        Parent Support Programmes ( workshops& training programmes) for parents/ caregivers of children with disabilities

3)        Running inclusion programmes, reaching out to other organisations and communities

4)        Youth Leadership Development Programme

5)        Skills Development: Crafts & Body Movement for improved gross & fine motor skills development, improved social skills, communication, self-expression, self-esteem etc.

In order to promote the protection and dignity of children with disabilities, the provincial Department of Social Development (DSD) with the support of its NPO partners renders the following services:

ECD & Partial Care programmes

Early Childhood Development is regarded as a crucial prevention and early intervention programme that is critical for the social and emotional development of children.

The Department also provides funding to ECDs rendering specialised services to children with disabilities that focus on capacity training for practitioners, parents and children using an unbiased approach in the management of children with disabilities.

Child Care & Protection Programme:  Childcare & protection

DSD’s Child Care and Protection Programme aims to safeguard and promote a child’s well-being and build the resilience of families and communities to care for and protect their children (including  children with disabilities, affected families and communities).

The following services are offered;

1. Public education and prevention programmes, targeting children; parents; families and communities, with more focus on parental responsibilities and rights.
2. A range of programmes and services for children with risky behaviours e.g. safety and risk assessment services; therapeutic and psycho-social services,  temporary safe care programmes; adolescent development; programmes for children with behavioural, psychological and emotional challenges, transitional care and support programmes for children about to exit alternative care; programmes for children that live and beg on the streets.
3. Statutory services - e.g. foster care programme, adoption programme.
4. Programmes aimed at reunifying children, that have been placed in alternative placements, with their families or communities of origin.

The DSD with the support of its NPO partners also offer training tosafety parents on the Department’s database, who accommodate children with disabilities.

Child and Youth Care Centres (CYCCs):

Children (with or without disabilities) under the age of 18 years old, who are living and working on the streets, are urged to seek accommodation at child and youth care centres that provide specialised programmes and are registered with DSD.

The Department offers specific Child and Youth Care Centres (CYCC)s for children and youth with disabilities with varying programs:

1. Sivuyile CYCC facility specialises in severe to profound disability programmess  
2. Susan Lapoorta -   specialise in highly functional autism spectrum programmess
3. Nazareth House – mild and moderate disability programmess
4. Agape Child and Youth Care Centre - profound and severe disability programmess
5. Sean Kelly CYCC– severe to profound disability programmes        

Disability Programme: Daycare and residential care services:

DSD also funds NPOs that render the following services for children with disabilities.

1. Residential care services for children with severe and profound intellectual disability. The Department currently provides funding for five facilities in the province, accommodating ninety-two children with disabilities.
2. Day Care services provide day-time supervised care, stimulation, structured programmes and activities for children with severe and profound intellectual disability. The Department currently funds fifty-one NPOs which renders such services.

“I wish to appeal to all communities to help us safeguard the rights and promote the safety of children with disabilities, 365 Days of the year.

Any persons interested in finding out more information about the services we offer for children with disabilities can make contact with our Department by calling, 0800 220 250, to be directed to your nearest local DSD office, , or by emailing SD.CustomerCare@westerncape.gov.za.