The aim of the organisation is to ensure the safety and development of children and families within the communities we serve. Casework, group work and community development projects are rendered by a team of 13 social workers, 6 auxiliary workers, a community development worker and 10 project managers and support staff. Our core service is working with children who are abused, neglected, orphaned and abandoned. Our services include:
Intake/Crisis intervention (average of 60 cases per month)
Prevention and early intervention (approximately 150 families)
Children’s Court Investigations and trauma reports
Foster care supervision (average of 750 children)
Reunification
Support groups, holiday programs, empowerment workshops, parent training
Early Childhood Development
We currently operate 5 Early Childhood Development Centres (ECD’s) in various communities in George, some of which have been operational for over 25 years. Together they can accommodate 600 children. They included Blanco, Rosemore, Toddlers Inn, Parkdene, and Pacalatsdorp. Accommodated in these ECD’s are over 100 high risk children who are part of a joint initiative with the Department of Health and Local Clinics that monitors the growth and development of these toddlers.
Buddy
Buddy is a mobile unit that offers life skills, homework assistance and recreational programs to primary school children in the communities. The bus parks at four different venues during the week, and children are able to walk to the groups after school. They receive a healthy snack, and lots of love and attention! While the group is in session, a therapist uses the bus for individual sessions working with traumatised and troubled children. In 2015 our Buddy group were taken on a trip to Cape Town. We thank all that were involved in making this possible In 2016 a sailing team was initiated, and we have some of our buddy children that are now competent sailors. Well done team!! During school holidays there is normally a holiday program for the first week, in which Buddy children are kept busy with positive activities.
Toy Library and Resource Centre
The Toy Library is a mobile unit that distributes equipment and educational material to 12 home- based crèches on a regular basis as well as our five Early Childhood Development centres which accomodate 600 children.
The Gardens
The Gardens project is run by Child Welfare on a portion of land situated next to the Rosemore Creche. This project is aimed at enabling persons to develop and grow their own produce, and then sell to the public and/or the relative projects involved with George Child and Family Welfare.