EKURHULENI AND SEDIBENG CAREGIVERS EARN FORMAL RECOGNITION FOR YEARS OF SERVICE TO VULNERABLE CHILDREN

By DSD News

• 366 Community Caregivers from Ekurhuleni and Sedibeng graduated with NQF Level 4 qualifications in Child and Youth Care Work at a ceremony in Benoni.
• The qualifications were obtained through Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), a programme run by the Department of Social Development and HWSETA that formally credits skills gained through years of hands-on community work.
• The partnership aims to professionalise services at DSD-funded NPOs and open new career paths for caregivers who protect orphaned and vulnerable children.

Benoni, Gauteng, 08 October 2026: For years, they have been the first line of support for children facing hardship in some of Gauteng’s most disadvantaged communities. Today, that experience carries a formal qualification.

The Department of Social Development (DSD), in partnership with the Health and Welfare Sector Education and Training Authority (HWSETA), celebrated 366 Community Caregivers from Ekurhuleni and Sedibeng who have earned NQF Level 4 qualifications in Child and Youth Care Work (CYCW).

The graduation marks an important step in professionalising the community care workforce. It also recognises the knowledge and skills these caregivers have built through years of serving vulnerable children and families.

Experience turned into a qualification

The graduates work at Non-Profit Organisations (NPOs) funded by the Department. Many of them developed substantial practical skills on the job but did not previously hold formal qualifications.

Through the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) programme, their competencies and workplace experience were formally assessed and credited towards the NQF Level 4 qualification. RPL allows people to have knowledge and skills gained through work, informal learning and other forms of learning recognised towards a formal qualification.

The process was demanding. Caregivers went through selection, induction, evidence gathering and assessment, and had to submit proof that they have the knowledge, skills and practical experience the qualification requires.

At the heart of child protection

Community Caregivers, also known as Child and Youth Care Workers, play a critical role in South Africa’s child protection system. They support children and families, particularly orphaned and vulnerable children, children living in difficult circumstances, and children and young people in child- and youth-headed households.

DSD funds NPOs to help address a range of social challenges, including HIV/AIDS, child abuse, gender-based violence and femicide, substance abuse and poverty. The caregivers working in these organisations are central to that effort.

Building careers, strengthening services

The partnership between DSD and HWSETA aims to strengthen the quality of services delivered by funded NPOs while creating opportunities for career progression. Formal recognition through RPL gives caregivers a clear pathway to professional development and advancement.

The ceremony celebrated not only the academic achievement of the 366 graduates, but also their contribution to strengthening child protection and social development services in communities across Gauteng.