Let’s #GoBlue for Universal Children’s Day

Today, the Minister of Social Development in the Western Cape, Albert Fritz, is celebrating Universal Children’s Day. Minister Fritz calls on all individuals, schools and corporates to #GoBlue in solidarity with UNICEF’s petition for world leaders to commit to fulfilling the non-negotiable rights of every child. For more information, please click here.

The United Nations Universal Children’s Day was established in 1954 to promote international togetherness, awareness among children worldwide, and improving children's welfare. This date commemorates the UN General Assembly’s adoption of the Declaration of the Rights of the Child in 1959 and the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1989.

The Department of Social Development (DSD) in the Western Cape is dedicated to the upliftment of children. To that end, the Department supports Early Childhood Development services in both rural and urban communities. 

ECD services promote early childhood development; and are provided on a regular basis to children up to school-going age. ECD programmes include in-centre services or partial-care facilities; and out-centre programmes such as home visiting programmes, playgroups, and toy libraries.

DSD in the WC further supports children through its Children and Families Programme which promotes the well-being of children and builds resilience of families and communities to care for and protect their children. This program targets vulnerable and at-risk families and communities with the aim of   developing the strengths of children, parents, care givers, families and communities.

Finally to ensure that orphaned or abandoned children are not left out in the cold with limited access to opportunity, DSD in the WC supports Child and Youth Care Centres (CYCCs) and facilitates adoption and foster care. In the Western Cape there are 52 NPO run CYCCs and 7 that are Government managed.  To find a nearby CYCC, please click here. CYCCs provide for the care, therapeutic and developmental needs of orphaned children.  Most children in its care achieve the highest outcomes relative to their ability and aptitude. 

Another way in which DSD in the Western Cape supports children is by facilitating foster care and adoption. Foster care involves the temporary placement of a child into a foster home; whereas adoption ensures that a child receives a permanent home and family. Both ensure that the child is given the opportunity to enjoy a stable and loving home. For more information on becoming a foster parent in the WC, click here. For information on adoption, click here.  

MEC Fritz said, “This year, I am going blue in solidarity with Unicef’s #GoBlue campaign. I call on individuals, schools and corporates throughout the province to celebrate by wearing blue clothing or accessories; or to transform their websites and social media platforms by turning them blue for the day. We need to build a world where every child is in school, safe from harm and can fulfil their potential.”

MEC Fritz said, “I further call on all individuals, schools and corporates to collectively assist their local CYCCs, where possible, to ensure that children’s rights to opportunity and education are not violated. For society to work Better Together, we need to collectively offer a hand and support children where we can.”

Under the leadership of MEC Albert Fritz, DSD in the WC will continue to work Better Together with civil society to ensure that children in the province are supported and cared for.