Written by Johanna Strauss, Manager at Durbanville Children’s Home
Imagine knowing you are about to be discharged from the place you have called home for most of your childhood.
Imagine you are about to turn 18 and are finishing school.
Imagine the questions going through your mind; how will I cope, where will I live, will I be able to get a job or study?
Imagine being aware that the chances of being able to succeed are statistically stacked against you.
Imagine the fear you are feeling. You are after all a child who grew up in a children’s home.
At Durbanville Children’s Home, we believe in providing a holistic programme in order to accommodate our children’s needs after they leave care. We are one of the first children’s homes in South Africa to implement such a programme.
Children growing up in a Children’s Home become institutionalised, as the system dictates their lives. To counteract this, we have a comprehensive skills program. We have also implemented a year-long bridging programme which is facilitated by a multidisciplinary team.
School leavers and those aging out of care (turning 18) are accommodated at our satellite house, Huis Andrag in Kraaifontein. The main focus of this program is to teach our children to live independently within the community. The program also makes provision for children that dropout of school at age 16, due to lack of motivation or feeling that they cannot keep up with the academic program.
According to the education system a child may leave school at 16 years old, however a child can remain a child in need of care and protection until they turn 18 years old according to the Children’s Act. In order to prepare these children for employment, we allow them to do small tasks on site, in either the Maintenance or Marketing Departments. We pay them a stipend and adhere to all labour law requirements. According to their work performance and readiness, we find employment for them in the community.
I believe that ultimately our success will be measured against how our children live their lives when they leave our care. In order to give them a final boost we financially support and accommodate our work seekers for two years and our students studying further at tertiary institutions, for the duration of their studies.
