Child and Youth Care Centre
WHAT IS A CYCC?
A Child and Youth Care Centre is a facility that provides a form of alternative care for children outside of the family environment. Generally this looks like children sharing bedrooms in a building that provides for all their basic needs and being cared for by trained Child and Youth Care Workers. Along with this a CYCC needs to have a Social Worker. Therapeutic and developmental programmes need to be provided to the children.
WHY RESIDENTIAL CARE?
Sometimes, it is too late to prevent harm to children and something has already happened to a child, but it is at this point when a different type of intervention becomes crucial. These children – who are living in unsafe communities, witnessing violence and substance abuse, already experiencing neglect and other forms of abuse – need to be helped too.
The Children’s Act (38 of 2005) ensures that children that are orphaned, living on the streets, or are not safe at home or in their communities can be placed in alternative care. This process is conducted through the Children’s Court. In some cases, where foster care or placement with extended family is not possible, children are placed in a residential facility (known as a child and youth care centre). The court determines the best placement for the child according to the investigation and recommendations of the external social workers’ report.
WHAT WE DO:
We run a residential facility in Salt River where we care for up to 35 boys between the ages of 10-18 years. The facility is registered as a Child and Youth Care Centre (CYCC) with the Western Cape Department of Social Development (DSD). We are required to offer social work services and developmental programmes to the children accommodated at the centre.
With these children in our care we:
Provide for their basic needs
Place them in school
Offer opportunities for them to join various programmes and fun activities
Place them in therapeutic programmes
Provide a healthy, stable and safe environment for them
HOW YOU CAN HELP:
R150 = transport for 1 week for 1 child to and from school
R400 = towards soccer needs and expenses
R6 500 = 1 week of groceries for 35 children