LISTEN: ‘Our children remain unsafe’ as Child Protection Week ends

The country observed Child Protection Week from 30 May to 6 June, while the need to protect children has been exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Childline South Africa has seen a major increase in the number of abuse cases related to children since the pandemic. 

"We did see a major increase in the number of cases we captured over the last year of the pandemic. Although the number of calls has not escalated highly, the kinds of serious issues that people are calling about have been on an increase," says the director of Childline in Gauteng, Lynne Cawood

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The organisation has a 24/7 helpline with counselors speaking to thousands of children across the country assisting them with issues ranging from concerns regarding the pandemic, abuse, and other family matters. 

Cawood says abuse-related calls on the Gauteng helpline have increased by 20%.

The majority related to child abuse.

"The second highest abuse category is physical abuse and that has actually gone down by 1% so that is always good news for us when a category of callers goes down, and then sexual abuse has gone up in terms of the numbers, by 26% and domestic violence has gone up quite significantly. The third-highest category of callers is family relationship problems and that has gone up by 100%

"Where there is very often conflict between parents and children, the conflict between parents themselves, including legal problems with parents fighting with ex-partners around custody, care and access to children, conflict with siblings, etc.," she added

Cawood says it's easier to deal with the issues at an early stage.

She encourages families to contact Childline when the problems they face are still manageable.

She said 35% of their callers are young people under the age of 18.

Teenagers

Social worker and teen coach Joey Dlamini says most children are raised in an environment that is unsafe.

"I believe the most important issue is that our children are not safe, they are still not safe. The theme for this year's Child Protection Week is protecting kids around and beyond Covid as much as people may think it is not relevant the truth is that our kids are afraid to come and talk to us.

"So, criminals know they can harm kids and they will not be able to tell their parents due to lack of trust. It is up to us to ensure their voices matter.”

Dlamini has authored a book ‘ The Teen Top 25’, which aims to assist teenagers through their journey to adulthood and give them a voice. 

The Department of Social Development says many children in South Africa live without the support of their parents which compromises their right to both protection and care, a considerable amount of these children live in homes headed by other children under the age of 18. 

The department's spokesperson Lumka Oliphant says as part of Child Protection Week it is calling on all parents to play an active role in the lives of their children. 

"Statistics South Africa in 2018 published a report ‘Children’s education and well-being in South Africa’, which investigated the lives of the country's children under the of age 18. It revealed that only 31.7% of black children stayed with their biological fathers as compared to their coloured counterparts 51.3 %, 86.1 % Indian or Asian; and 80.2 % of white children.

“The report said in these four race groups, between 74% and 92.6 % of children lived with their mothers.

"The absence of one parent has a negative impact on children and adolescents who often face an increased risk for developing behavioral challenges. It has also been established that there are negative effects of social and economic factors prevalent in families where there is an absence of one parent. 

“Children have a right to both parents irrespective of whether the parents are separated or divorced and regardless of who has a custody of the children, the upbringing of children should be the full responsibility for both parents unless a court determines otherwise.” said Oliphant 

Cawood has encouraged both children, parents, and caregivers to contact Childline on their new toll free number 116 for a wide variety of services and support