Child Welfare Durban & Districts
Giving Childhood Back to Children
CHILD WELFARE Durban & District is now the largest Child Welfare Organisation in South Africa
CHILD WELFARE Durban and District has provided services to children at risk in Durban since 1918.
The primary aim of the Society is to provide Child Protection Services to children between 0 and 18 years of age. Children who require protection are those who are:
• victims of abuse
• affected or infected with HIV or AIDS
• subject to wilful neglect
• abandoned
• orphaned – abandoned and/or abused.
CHILD WELFARE Durban & District is now the largest Child Welfare Organisation in South Africa, caring for thousands of children within the Durban area.
Giving Childhood Back to Children
Giving Childhood Back to Children
CHILD WELFARE Durban & District is now the largest Child Welfare Organisation in South Africa
CHILD WELFARE Durban and District has provided services to children at risk in Durban since 1918.
The primary aim of the Society is to provide Child Protection Services to children between 0 and 18 years of age. Children who require protection are those who are:
• victims of abuse
• affected or infected with HIV or AIDS
• subject to wilful neglect
• abandoned
• orphaned – abandoned and/or abused.
CHILD WELFARE Durban & District is now the largest Child Welfare Organisation in South Africa, caring for thousands of children within the Durban area.
Giving Childhood Back to Children
Giving Childhood Back to Children
Our Management team is dedicated to the task of providing for the needs of the children we care for.
Lisa Parsee
Executive Director
director@childwelfaredurban.org.za
Melini Naicker
Income Development/Public Relations
pr@childwelfaredurban.org.za
Jasu Jagjivan
Home Finder/Adoption Manager
homefindings@childwelfaredurban.org.za
Glenda Arends
Donations Administrator
income.dev@childwelfaredurban.org.za
Giving Childhood Back to Children
Giving Childhood Back to Children
CHILD WELFARE Durban & District is now the largest Child Welfare Organisation in South Africa. It was constituted on 1 October 1999 as a result of a merger between the Child Family and Community Care Centre of Durban, founded in 1927; Durban Child and Family Welfare Society, founded in 1919 and Umlazi Child and District Child Welfare Society, founded in 1925. The Durban African Child Welfare Society, founded in 1936 had previously been merged with Durban Child and Family Welfare Society in 1990.
The Child Family and Community Care Centre, previously Durban Indian Child Welfare Society, was founded by the Indian Women’s Association in 1927. In the Indian community, self-help was rooted in the extended family system which served as the safety net for the unemployed, orphaned and aged, also providing comfort and counsel in times of family dysfunction. The oppressive conditions of indenture endured by the first batch of Indians that arrived in South Africa in 1860 was evident in overcrowded housing conditions, poverty and low subsistence levels, high infant and maternal mortality rates, high birth rates and large family size, high incidence of disease and widespread illiteracy. It was these conditions that prompted the formation of the organisation which became synonymous with welfare in the Indian community.
The roots of the Durban Child and Family Welfare Society go back to 1918 when Dr and Mrs Sam Campbell founded the Children’s Aid Society. The first facility, a crèche, was built in 1923, followed by the employment of the first three social workers in 1941.
The Edith Benson Babies Home in Tudor Place was opened on 31 July 1946. Nineteen fifty-two marked the beginning of the Society’s work with the so-called Coloured community. During the 1960s, thanks to the Rattray brothers whose grandfather, the late William Clark, had willed rights to four and a half acres of land in Sherwood for the benefit of children, Edith Benson Babies Home in Tudor Place was sold and the new home on William Clark Garden’s complex was opened in October 1967. A crisis developed in 1977 when the Society had to vacate its offices. Due to the untiring efforts of Mr Tom Bedford and a grant in aid from the City Council, together with substantial donations from the Robert Storm Trust, Patron Cecil Renaud and other benefactors, the society at last moved to its home in Windermere Road in 1978 – its Jubilee Year. Together with the City Council, this Society opened a shelter for street children in 1987.
The Durban Bantu Child Welfare Society, formed in 1936, was closely connected with the Durban Child Welfare Society, from which a form of management was inherited, enabling it to mobilize resources in a manner that would not otherwise have been possible. Persons of considerable stature, both Black and White, were attracted to its ranks; they were familiar with the areas of health and welfare and their connections facilitated funding. They were persons with the vision to see not only the needs of the Black children at that time, but also the problems that would inevitably beset them as they grew. For 37 years the Society operated happily as a multiracial organisation until a change was effected by government policy based on the principle that each population group should serve its own community in the sphere of welfare. In 1981, when the Government relaxed its restrictions, the Society once again operated as a racially mixed society until the amalgamation with Durban Child and Family Welfare Society in 1990.
CHILD WELFARE Durban & District is now the largest Child Welfare Organisation in South Africa
Umlazi Child and District Child Welfare Society was originally called Umlazi and District Bantu Community Society founded in 1969 as an independent Society after Durban Child Welfare services were segregated. The Society assumed its new name in 1980 and registered as a welfare organisation in 1981.
The Society employed a social worker whose role then was to motivate communities towards the establishment of crèches, co-ordinate and supervise all existing crèches in Umlazi. These crèches eventually resorted to their own independent fund raising. Thereafter, the social worker focussed more on the welfare needs of families and children and on child abuse. In 1985, the Argus Foundation had donated a new Toyota bakkie that was used to deliver milk donated by Daily News Milk fund to affiliated crèches. There was a breakthrough when an amount of R433 000 was donated by Bernard Van Leer Foundation for a period of three years, earmarked for a pre-school project in Umlazi.
The Society was unable to sustain this development and after seeking the assistance of the former DCFWS, Umlazi and District Child and Family Welfare Society decided to become a part of the amalgamation process leading to the constitution of Durban Children’s Society.
Giving Childhood Back to Children
Giving Childhood Back to Children
About Us
We provide a wide range of services to children, their families and communities in the Durban and Umlazi areas.
Our core concern is protecting children who are at RISK. This includes neglected, abused, abandoned and orphaned children, a large majority of whom are either infected or affected by HIV/AIDS.
Our services include:
• Social Work Services
• Residential Care
• Homes for Street Children
• Public awareness programmes
• Educare
• Life skills and parenting training
• Counselling services
• Protection Services
• Placement of orphaned children
It is always our primary aim to preserve the family unit. We do not remove any child unless it is absolutely necessary; attention is given in the first instance to stabilising the family through intensive structured assistance.
Social Work Services
Our social work services are offered from centres located throughout the Durban and Umlazi areas. View our locations map.
These local centres allow us to investigate and manage cases of neglect, abuse and abandonment, with emphasis always placed on providing assistance to preserve the family unit.
They also allow us to recruit foster and adoptive parents from within local communities and to supervise our foster care placements.
Community Family Homes
The model of a Community Home was first introduced by CHILD WELFARE Durban & District in 1996. It involves the placement of up to 6 children with pseudo-family care within their community of origin. In legal terms children are placed in the foster care of a Community Mother.
We now supervise two community family homes, one in Chesterville and another in Newlands East. CHILD WELFARE Durban & District has plans to extend this service in order to provide additional care options for the children orphaned as a result of the AIDS pandemic.
Aids Related Services
Children orphaned as a result of the AIDS pandemic and those suffering from HIV and AIDS are integrated into the various programmes run by us.
Community Family Homes
The model of a Community Home was first introduced by CHILD WELFARE Durban & District in 1996. It involves the placement of up to 6 children with pseudo-family care within their community of origin. In legal terms children are placed in the foster care of a Community Mother.
We now supervise two community family homes, one in Chesterville and another in Newlands East. CHILD WELFARE Durban & District has plans to extend this service in order to provide additional care options for the children orphaned as a result of the AIDS pandemic.
The model of a Community Home was first introduced by CHILD WELFARE Durban & District in 1996
Aids Related Services
Children orphaned as a result of the AIDS pandemic and those suffering from HIV and AIDS are integrated into the various programmes run by us.
Residential Care
A child may require care outside of their own home because of neglect, abuse or abandonment. Child and Youth Care Centres provide a warm, safe, caring environment and a programme to deal with the trauma of the child’s experiences. The aim is to return the child to family life as soon as possible. The involvement of parents is therefore essential.
If the return of children to their own home is not possible, then they may be placed with foster or adoptive parents. Programmes within the Child and Youth Care Centres prepare them for this placement.
We managed four residential Children’s Homes. For more information on these, please see the ‘Our Homes’ page.
Educare
Our Thkozani Educare Centre is located adjacent to our main office in Greyville. This centre offers day care for local pre-school children. We hope to open more Educare Centres over the coming year.
Giving Childhood Back to Children
Giving Childhood Back to Children
These energetic gardeners arrived and created a wonderful garden for the children!
News
Our aim’s always been to provide children with a warm, caring and stimulating environment, to give them stability and hope for the future. We’re lucky that our kind supporters share our vision and go to great lengths to help us achieve it!
Volunteers recently took a ‘hands-on’ approach when they descended on our homes to plant, paint and renovate …
Style Design volunteers recruited their family and friends to paint a delightfully cheerful Alice in Wonderland mural outside Edith Benson Babies Home.
Not only that, but they also repainted and tiled the bathrooms, put in mirrors, painted the walls, provided new curtains and sheets, as well as carpets and a lounge suite!
The children’s living areas were revamped – every colour carefully chosen to stimulate children positively. Our babies really do have a beautiful ‘home’ now. They’re surrounded by light, colours, love and joy – just as a baby should be.
And as if we weren’t lucky enough, even more volunteers came forward to brighten one of our other homes! As part of the Greater Good ‘Do It Day’ Campaign, Nedbank and Comair volunteers gave our William Clark Gardens/Othandweni Children’s Home outside area a complete overhaul.
These energetic gardeners arrived with new plants, gardening tools, fertiliser, compost and willing hands, and created a wonderful garden for the children!
They cleared the area to plant palm trees and flowering shrubs … it’s lovely to see our garden so full of life! A big thank you to our fantastic friends – the companies, the volunteers, their friends and their families – who put so much effort into transforming our children’s living spaces. Our two homes are bright, lively and blessed – thanks to kind people like you.
For more news articles, please click on the link below to download a copy of our most recent Annual report.
Giving Childhood Back to Children
Giving Childhood Back to Children
Get Involved
Like all charities, we rely on donations and volunteers to be able to continue the work we are doing.
You can help in the following ways:
Donations
With thousands of children to care for we are always in need of donations. To donate either money, services or goods please see the the Donations section below were you will find our banking details and a link to our wishlist of items that we desperately need to improve the lives of our children.
Volunteering
Whether it’s a couple of hours, a day every week or more, your time is the most valuable thing that you can give. Whether it’s working with children, lending a hand with a maintenance project or joining us in the office, whatever you can offer would be greatly appreciated. To view details on how to become a volunteer for us, please follow the link in the last paragraph for our volunteer take on form.
Events
Fancy organising a fundraising event or participating in one of ours? For details on upcoming events click here.
Donations
All donations are gratefully received.
Goods
We are always in need of food, clothes, school equipment, toys, medical supplies and any other goods that may help us to help others. These goods can can be dropped at any of our centres or homes. Alternatively, should you wish to make a monetary donation, please follow the directions below.
Our Wish List contains items which our residential children’s homes desperately require. Click here to view these items, and help us help children in need.
Services
If you have a service that could assist us such as transport, building maintenance and electrical repairs, please contact our main office on 031 312 9313.
Cash
You may donate by cash or cheque to us at:
PO Box 47569
20 Clarence Road
Greyville 4023
Durban
South Africa
We also accept direct bank transfers to our bank account:
Name of Account: Child Welfare Durban & District
Bank: Standard Bank
Branch: Florida Road
Account No: 251139042
Branch Code: 04-27-26-00
Donations to CHILD WELFARE Durban and District are tax deductible, in South Africa, in terms of Section 18A of the Income Tax Act No. 58 of 1962.
Do something inspiring and become a volunteer!
Volunteer
Do something inspiring and become a volunteer!
Volunteering can be fun and rewarding. If you have some time to spare, we would really appreciate your help. We have a wide range of volunteering opportunities that can suit an individuals skills and interests. Here are just a few of ways that you can get involved:
Assist with specific projects, recent examples have included transforming the Edith Benson Babies Home and Garden.
Fundraising
Sharing skills such as computing, secretarial, teaching and maintenance.
Become a crisis, foster or host parent.
Become a big brother, big sister or buddy to our teenagers.
Arrange outings/recreation for children
Volunteering is an excellent way to show your support to our work and cause, learn new skills and improve your CV.
To apply to become a volunteer, please click here for out volunteer take on form and then email it to the following address.
director.pa@childwelfaredurban.org.za
For a list of items in our wishlist please click here.
Giving Childhood Back to Children
Giving Childhood Back to Children
Physical Address: 20 Clarence Road
Greyville
Postal Address: P O Box 47569
Greyville
Postal Code: 4023
Telephone: +27(0)31 312 9313
Fax: +27(0)31 312 3147
Email: pr@childwelfaredurban.org.za
Website: http://www.childwelfaredurban.org.za
Directions: Just off Connaught Circle North of Greyville Race Course.
Latitude: -29.838575546883405
Longitude: 31.017191112041473
