Social Development

(a) What structured support mechanisms are currently in place to assist safe parents and

The structured support systems for safety parents include regular structured support group meetings as well as the provision of regular safety fee payments to assist with the ongoing care and protection of children placed in their care.

(b) What steps are being taken to strengthen the

(i) Recruitment - Designated Child Protection Organisations recruit safety parents through various community outreach initiatives, including door-to-door awareness campaigns, newspaper advertisements, public appeals for assistance at churches within communities, and recruitment drives hosted at local shopping malls.

(ii) Retention – The Department of Social Development and Designated Child Protection Organisations work in collaboration in the recruitment, screening, and training of safety parents.  There is a pool of safety parents shared within the respective regions.  Safety parents receive a safety fee allowance, subject to a court order associated with the placement and care of children. When children are placed under an emergency placement, safety parents are provided with an emergency placement kit and a voucher to support the immediate care and basic needs of the child during placement.

(iii) support of safety parents, given the ongoing demand for suitable alternative-care placements for vulnerable children in the province – The Department of Social Development and Agape (a Designated Child Protefacilitateisation) facilitates ongoing support meetings with safety parents.  These engagements are conducted through regular contact and structured support sessions aimed at providing guidance, supervision, and support to safety parents.