Social Development

How many:  2

(i) Children:

Since the DSD Winter Program gears the Department’s existing services towards the needs of vulnerable groups during winter there is no separate set of planned targets for the number of children assisted by the Department’s Winter Program. The Department plans to assist around 800 children with risk assessments and interventions during the three winter months (June, July and August), as well as continue to provide ongoing residential care in CYCCs for around 2600 children.

(ii) Families:

Since the DSD Winter Program gears the Department’s existing services towards the needs of vulnerable groups during winter there is no separate set of planned targets for the number of families assisted by the Department’s Winter Program. The Department plans to assist approximately 4600 families during the three winter months.

(iii) Homeless persons:

Since the DSD Winter Program gears the Department’s existing services towards the needs of vulnerable groups during winter there is no separate set of planned targets for the number of persons assisted by the Department’s Winter Program. The Department plans to assist 2598 homeless persons during the three winter months.

Projected to benefit from his Department’s Winter Programme?

(b) What specific (i) services:

The winter readiness programme of the department is attached demonstrating the planned interventions in all regions of the department, covering all District Municipalities and the Cape Metro. Designated Child Protection Organisations render the following services: food relief, soup kitchens, food parcels, nappy donations, baby parcels, clothing, and blanket distributions for children and families, depending on donations from corporate partners such as Woolworths, Shoprite, Checkers, Pick & Pay, community members, and the Designated Child Protection Organisations' funding initiatives. Funded shelters, in partnership with the Department: render a comprehensive package of short-term and developmental services. These include temporary accommodation, screening, assessment and referral services, and social work interventions such as counselling, case management and group work. Shelters also facilitate individual development plans, skills development and income-generating programmes, education and awareness initiatives, and family reunification and reintegration services. In addition, DSD social workers provide ongoing psychosocial support and referrals to appropriate services and safe spaces.

(ii) Support are provided under the Winter Programme:

The following community-based social relief and support programmes are implemented by Designated Child Protection Organisations: Project Winter Hope, Bottles of Ubuntu, Soup kitchens, Food Relief programmes, Christmas Gift Project, Kaalvoet Project, donating shoes, Thrift shop model enables access to essential items for vulnerable individuals before retail sale. The mentioned activities fall under the early intervention services and programmes aimed at the preservation and strengthening of families through the early identification of risk factors and trauma, reduction of at-risk children and families, and the enhancement of family strengths and coping capacities. The intended outcome for the community-based social relief and support services is to mitigate the effects of poverty, unemployment, and child neglect. This contributes to reduced incidences of child neglect and removals, strengthened family resilience, and short-term poverty alleviation in support of family preservation. During the winter period, shelters participate in the City of Cape Town’s Winter Readiness Campaign: which runs until September. Additional support is provided to accommodate increased demand and includes the provision of non-perishable food, toiletries, blankets and mattresses, the deployment of EPWP workers, and assistance to offset increased operational costs such as water, sanitation, food, staffing and bedding. Shelters may implement temporary capacity expansions, subject to compliance with safety regulations.

(c) What is the total budget allocated to the Winter Programme this year?

There is no separate budget for the winter season. Winter readiness planning adapts existing services to the specific vulnerabilities and needs that arise in Western Cape Communities during winter.