SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT AND JICA TO HANDOVER RESPITE CARE KITS TO FAMILIES OF CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES IN MPUMALANGA

By Abram Phahlamohlaka

• The Department of Social Development and JICA are distributing respite care kits as part of a programme to support families of children with disabilities in Mpumalanga.
• The project includes training, engaging stakeholders, and developing referral systems for sustainable community care.
• South Africa is currently drafting its inaugural Disability Rights Bill aimed at strengthening and broadening the protections for individuals with disabilities.

In August 2023, the Department of Social Development, in collaboration with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), signed a Record of Discussion aimed at expanding community-based respite care services for families and children with disabilities in South Africa. This project is currently being executed in Mpumalanga and the Northern Cape.

The project roll-out covers caregiver and family training, stakeholder consultations, and creating a service database with referral protocols. These efforts aim to strengthen the support systems for children with profound disabilities and their caregivers.

Respite care services offer temporary assistance to families caring for children with disabilities, helping them manage responsibilities. These services are customised, adaptable, and focused on family needs, ensuring children’s and caregivers’ well-being. By offering caregivers the opportunity to rest and recover, respite care improves their capacity to continue providing quality care.

As part of the Child Protection Month programme, the Department of Social Development and JICA will, on Tuesday, 20 May, hand over respite care kits to families and caregivers of children with disabilities. This initiative aims to ensure access to critical services and prevent abuse, neglect, and exploitation by strengthening families and building community-based support networks.

The Constitution of South Africa (Act No. 108 of 1996) obliges the state to promote and fulfil the rights enshrined in the Bill of Rights, including those of children with disabilities. South Africa is also a signatory to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), which has been domesticated through the White Paper on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

The Department of Social Development, in collaboration with the Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, is working on the Disability Rights Bill. This will be South Africa’s first legislation specifically focused on promoting equality and inclusion for persons with disabilities.