While Social Work Month may have come to an end with the arrival of April, some of the realities and challenges faced by social workers and children in the foster care system remain.
To conclude Social Work Month and show just how brave social workers can be, Western Cape MEC for Social Development, Jaco Londt, invited a group of daring social workers to go shark cage diving.
Marine Dynamics, an ecotourism and marine company, took Londt, social workers of different regions, and young people who were in the foster system, out on the water last Friday to learn about the marine environment, conservation, and to get up close and personal with sharks.
Londt said he wanted to not only celebrate and honour social workers, but also those whose lives have been positively impacted by them.
The social workers shared their experience, but there were also foster children in attendance who have had the chance to reflect on, not only the experience, but also the reality of the challenges they face.
Faruska Paulse (19) enjoyed the experience so much, she ended up going in the water twice.
When asked about the role social workers played in her life, Paulse said: “They always encouraged me to move forward in life, they were always there when we needed them.
“They always helped me and told me that I have to finish school, and get on with my life. I even decided to do my Grade 10, and I’ve made it to Grade 12 now… I’m very proud of myself, because there isn’t everyone in my community who has had the chance to do what I can do. My one teacher always tells me, nothing is impossible.
“Today I’m almost done with school and I’m proud of myself. I feel if I wasn’t in the system, I probably would have been on the streets.”
Leighton Julies, a 20-year-old student, said: “I personally have a social worker, and he has been doing quite well, and he is around a lot. He helps us out with travelling, and that is like our main source of getting around.
“He helps with functions, and with situations that we may be dealing with at home - which are intensive situations, and he steps in when needed.
“We appreciate him, and love him,” Julies said.
He explained that it isn’t always easy overcoming challenges, and while a person may want to forget their circumstances, that can also be a motivator.
“You have to know where you come from. You have to appreciate that and accept it, while also trying, and having a mindset of overcoming it, and not letting (your circumstances) get you down.
“The challenges are quite tough, but it is all about perspective, and how you look at things,” Julies said.
The Department of Social Development (DSD) owns and funds seven secure Child and Youth Care Centres (CYCCs) for youth in conflict with the law and those that pose behavioral challenges – such as the Outeniekwa facility in George and Horizon Secure Care Centre in Eerste River.
The department also funds 53 NPO-run CYCCs across the province for those children and youth in need of care and protection. These are children who are vulnerable, such as those in the foster system, and they receive placement in these facilities from as young as infancy.
Marruwaan Meyer, a 24-year-old student, said that he came out of one of the seven secure CYCCs in 2022, and that he wasn’t also a well-behaved child.
“As I grew up, I told myself that I will grow up as a better person, and I also want my family to look up to me, so that why I had to decide to get a better life for myself, and to do something that is going to benefit me at the end of the day - be it in 2 years, 5 years or 10 years time.
“I feel proud of myself because every child needs someone to motivate them, and to be with them, because it is important for the child’s growth.
“It isn’t easy for young men in today’s society so I feel very proud of myself because I'm drug-free, I don’t drink, I don’t smoke and I feel that I am ready to take the future on, but I’m also still curious about working on my present situation.”
Zizipho Khulakade, a 23-year-old student and working as a receptionist, said: “Growing up in the foster care system is a lot, because you deal with a lot of things, you don’t have any one else for backup, you only have your foster mom, but I’m older now so knowing what to do… you see things, the real life outside foster care, (and) it’s scary.
“I’m proud of myself because I've dealt with a lot of things. There are times when you want to give up, but you know that you’ve been through those things before, so you will pull through.
“You don’t have to feel shy or anything. If you set your mind to something , you can do it.”
Londt explained that the excursion was symbolic of the bravery that social workers show day-in and day-out looking after the vulnerable.
“We have 43 000 children in the foster system, and they overcome tremendous obstacles, and this is a celebration of them and giving them exposure,” Londt said.
“The big thing was to see the children come out of the experience, and see them absolutely radiating.”
Londt explained that when people talk about DSD they don’t know how broad the field is - whether it’s dealing with the elderly, substance abuse, or the work done with children.
“Quite often in the past, we didn’t get our fair share of the budget, and so we need to be out there and show what we’re doing. Even now, the national (government) is not considering social workers as essential services, and we are advocating for that, and we’re saying lets not forget these amazing men and women keeping communities together at the seams. “We need to celebrate what the social workers are doing, and to celebrate those who have overcome their circumstances,” Londt said.
“So that is what we’re trying to do, to communicate the messaging and story of this work that we are doing out there, so that hopefully the budget will follow so we can have more social workers, and that social workers can get looked after the same way that other essential services personally are being looked after, because they are doing a really amazing job.
“Ultimately, we need the people of the Western Cape to step up, we have 43 000 kids in the foster care system as I’ve mentioned before, and we need people to consider becoming foster parents, or a holiday parent, or a weekend parent,” Londt said.
“Consider giving you time by volunteering at different organisations, or if you can do the financial contributions, we’ve now established the Cape Care Fund, where we are going to try and shore up the NGO space.
“Some of our social workers in the NGO space are not getting what they are actually deserving of for the work, and we need people to step up. If you have the financial means to support, if you have just time or love to give, then give that as well.”
theolin.tembo@inl.co.za