LAUNCH OF PARENTING POLICY BENCHMARKING REPORT MARKS SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT MONTH 2025

By Staff Writer.

• October is Social Development Month in South Africa, with this year’s theme “Building families through sustainable livelihoods”.
• ⁠It is seen as a time to strengthen families, promote unity, and reaffirm the values of care, protection, and resilience that lie at the heart of society.
• Department of Social Development launched the Parenting Policy Benchmarking Report, highlighting the critical role of family members in sustaining the family unit through challenges.

In recognition of Social Development Month 2025, the Department of Social Development launched the Parenting Policy Benchmarking Report in Gauteng, under the theme “Building families through sustainable livelihoods”.

The launch highlighted the importance of family solidarity and the critical role of family members in sustaining the family unit through challenges.

Families are the cornerstone of society, providing the first line of support for children, older persons, and vulnerable groups. They play a central role in nurturing, protecting, and empowering their members.

In South Africa, however, families face multiple challenges, including unemployment, poverty, gender-based violence, teenage pregnancy, HIV and Aids, substance abuse, and absent parents. These challenges affect the capacity of families to remain cohesive and resilient.

As part of the launch, the Parenting Policy Benchmarking Report was unveiled to provide valuable insights into the effectiveness of current interventions.

The report highlights areas where additional support is needed and offers guidance for strengthening families as safe, nurturing, and cohesive units capable of withstanding social and economic challenges.

Deputy Minister of Social Development Ganief Hendricks underscored the importance of addressing intergenerational trauma and rebuilding the family unit as the foundation of society.

He emphasised how parenting styles, mental health, and the institution of marriage have all been impacted in the long run by the historical breakdown of family structures.

To improve families and address social ills such as gender-based violence, Hendricks highlighted the importance of involving fathers and boys, reducing trauma, and strengthening community-level support.

Director-General of the Department of Social Development, Peter Netshipale, reaffirmed the department’s commitment to using Social Development Month as an opportunity to bring services closer to communities and to continuously improve their quality.

He highlighted the department’s dedication to ensuring that families, in all their diverse forms, are supported as important units of society.

According to Netshipale, building strong families lays the foundation for addressing social challenges and promoting sustainable livelihoods across South Africa.

The launch saw the participation of several provincial leaders. MEC Mbali Shinga of KwaZulu-Natal, MEC Nontobeko Vilakazi of the Northern Cape, and MEC Faith Mazibuko of Gauteng joined the event, reflecting the collaborative approach taken by the social development portfolio to address challenges facing families in different provinces.

Their presence highlighted the shared responsibility of leaders across all levels of government in ensuring that families are supported and empowered.

The department calls on all South Africans to embrace Social Development Month as a time to strengthen families, promote unity, and reaffirm the values of care, protection, and resilience that lie at the heart of society.