Social Development

1. This question would need to be directed to the departments named for a more detailed response on their respective roles. The Department of Social Development works with the Department of Health and Wellness and the Department of Education to reduce youth risk behaviour overall, including high risk sexual activity and teenage pregnancies. The aforementioned interdepartmental collaboration is co-ordinated in local communities via Area Based Teams (ABTs) where these have been established, and through referral pathways between local DSD offices, school circuit teams, schools, health facilities and NGOs in other areas.
2. (a)The Western Cape Department of Social Development (WCDSD), along with its service delivery partners (Funded Non-Profit Organizations), offers several prevention and early intervention services that focus on risk assessments for young and first-time mothers. These services include counseling, psycho-social support, and referrals to additional appropriate services.

NPO-led interventions include:

• Parent-Infant Intervention Home Visiting Programme (First 1000 Days Programme): This home visitation initiative is designed for vulnerable pregnant and first-time mothers who are at high risk of neglecting, abusing, or abandoning their infants. Risk factors include unplanned or unwanted pregnancies, teenage pregnancies, lack of support from the infant’s father or family, HIV, experiences of gender-based violence (GBV) in childhood or adulthood, depression, mental illness, substance abuse, and prior stillbirths or miscarriages. The programme is based on the 16-session Thula Sana Programme, which focuses on fostering positive parent-infant attachment.
• Parenting Worx Program: This six-session parenting program provides young expectant mothers with essential skills in positive, healthy, and effective parenting, as well as early childhood development. It aims to equip them with knowledge about pregnancy to ensure the birth of a healthy baby and support during the first few months of the infant’s life. Key topics include breastfeeding, hygiene, early childhood development, and providing loving and caring childcare. The program also supports young women at risk for mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, suicide, and substance abuse, while offering therapeutic and developmental services for children at risk.
• Perinatal Mental Health Project (UCT): This project offers mental health support for pregnant teenagers attending antenatal care at the Hanover Park Midwife Obstetric Unit. Staff at the unit refer all teenage clients for mental health screening, followed by a further assessment to evaluate the risk of mental illness. Counselors provide ongoing support and counseling, and the project also seeks to connect teens to other support organizations. Additionally, the project organizes informational talks in the waiting area to raise awareness about common mental disorders and the available services for all women visiting the facility.
• Pregnant girls in Child and Youth Care Centres (CYCCs) also receive psychosocial support, pre-natal and post-natal care as well as reunification services between mother and baby following the birth of the baby.

(b) This question should be directed to the Department of Health and Wellness for further details. At the Department of Social Development, pregnant girls in CYCCs receive the full scope of Health Care Services as required by the mother and baby. Awareness and referrals on youth-friendly sexual and reproductive health services are promoted via NGOs funded by DSD.

(c) Sexual orientation and developmental programmes and crime specific sexual offences programmes are presented to both the boy and girl child in our Child and Youth Care Centres.  Community based sexual offences diversion programmes are also provided to youth making themselves guilty of sexual misconduct of a less serious nature.

3. The Western Cape Department of Police Oversight and Community Safety conducts court watching briefs on GBV criminal matters as part of its role within the Western Cape Government Implementation Plan for GBV. DSD coordinates the GBV Implementation Plan for the Province, and DSD social workers refer criminal matters to the SAPS where required.
4. Following an offence, specific diversion programmes assessments are done to determine the understanding and cognitive behaviour changes related to sexual offences. Statistics on convictions for rape and child abuse are kept by the SAPS and Department of Justice.