Child and Youth Care Workers continue to restore dignity of youth at risk

In the Western Cape, the work undertaken by Child and Youth Care Workers is situated in the provincial Department of Social Development’s (DSD) Social Crime Prevention and Support Programme, which aims to restore the human dignity of youth who are at risk and those youth who have been in conflict with the law. Through targeted interventions, young individuals are equipped with the necessary tools and psycho-social support, to make a positive impact in their lives and the communities they live in.

Many of the Department’s Child and Youth Care Workers are employed at Child and Youth Care Centres (CYCCs) and community-based centres dedicated to the well-being of young people, creating programs aimed at improving the lives of children and the youth. They generally work by case assignment and are tasked with supervising the progress of each case aiming for the best solution possible.

Over the last three financial years, R 782. 517 million has been allocated towards our Department’s Child and Youth Care Centres to identify and support young people at risk of violent or criminal behaviour, which include the Children’s Act residents, trial awaiting residents, sentenced residents and residents in the substance abuse treatment program. 

During the same period, R 20. 69 million has been allocated towards Community-based  programs to identify and support young people at risk of violent or criminal behaviour. More than 40 000 individuals participated in these programs.

Child and Youth Care Workers are involved in the following programmes that support young people at risk of violent or criminal behaviour: 

• Developmental Assessment: to identify strengths, needs and risks and provide psycho-social support.
• Rhythm of Life: for making healthier life choices and avoiding risks.
• Wake Up Call/ Stop to Start anti-Substance abuse programme: to acknowledge and overcome drug and alcohol use and provide a supportive environment for sustained abstinence 
• In the Mirror / I am me- Sexual offenders programme: to break the cycle of inappropriate sexual behaviour.
• Reverse Your Thinking Restorative Justice Programme: provides an opportunity for young persons to take responsibility for their actions by facing their victims and making amends.
• Home-based Supervision: monitoring the restricted movement of the young person and providing psycho-social support.
• Homicide prevention programme: an offence specific program to assist the offender in coping with the emotions and rehabilitate him to go back to society as a law-abiding citizen.
• Anger Management programme: to learn how to identify triggers and develop skills to express and resolve frustrations calmly, without resorting to violence. 
• Severe substance abuse programme: 9 weeks inpatient treatment programme.
• Early intervention residential substance abuse programme: create awareness of the early signs of abuse    
• Mind the gap/ Planting Hope Aftercare Programme: to monitor and support all young persons who completed behaviour modification programmes.

For more information about our other services, please refer to the Western Cape Department’s Website below:

https://www.westerncape.gov.za/dept/social-development