Understanding the challenges faced by South African youth after foster care
Image: Armand Hough/Independent Newspapers
In South Africa, a child can be placed in foster care until they turn 18 years old, with the possibility of extensions until the age of 21 if certain conditions are met, under section 180 of the Children' 's Act 38 of 2005.
Many factors land a child in a situation where they are no longer in their birth parents' care and are homeless or are in foster care - a child of the system.
Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) demographic analysis indicates that the homeless population comprises approximately 7% children (0-17 years) and 44% youth (15-34 years).
Although youths face different hurdles in their transition to adulthood, those in child and youth care centres experience significant challenges resulting from their past experiences of harm, neglect, abuse and separation from parents.
Youth transitioning out of foster care who do not live with relatives often face greater difficulties compared to other young people.
Many have no financial, adult or any other support required to transition successfully to adulthood. Receiving little to no preparatory services from social workers for their transition to adulthood
The next step often becomes a stumbling block, for youth trying to figure out how to independently function.
When one is 18, the next step would be to further studies, but for children exiting the system they are faced with barely any family and financial support, and as a result, find entry into tertiary education more difficult than their peers in the general population do.
Lack of skills in managing finances, finding housing, and accessing healthcare, result in youth exiting youth care centres facing instability and homelessness.
With a lack of support, and youths transitioning from residential care to independent living they struggle to find employment. Studies have shown that many youths transitioning out of the system do not have permanent jobs and earn incomes below the poverty line.
Preparing youth aging out of foster care for independent living is crucial for a successful transition to adulthood. This preparation should involve addressing the developmental needs of young people within their care and permanency plans.
Furthermore, all foster children aged 15 and older should have the opportunity to participate in an independent living program.
Böning and Ferreira's study recommended individualized foster care plans for all foster children, including those in non-kinship care. These plans should include specific, needs-based objectives, timelines, and assigned individuals responsible for implementation.
This recommendation aligns with section 157(1)(a)(iii) of South Africa's Children's Act 38 of 2005, which mandates that social workers create individual care plans for every child in alternative care.
Despite these challenges, several NGOs are actively working to support these vulnerable youths:
Baphumelele Children's Home – Fountain of Hope
Located in Cape Town, Baphumelele's Fountain of Hope program offers a 12-month residential initiative for youths aged 18–21 transitioning from care.
It provides life skills training, educational support, and agricultural work experience, aiming to equip participants with tools for independent living.
U-Turn, Khulisa Streetscapes, and MES – Coalition to End Homelessness
These Cape Town-based organizations have formed a coalition focusing on rehabilitation, skills development, and employment opportunities for homeless individuals, including youths. Their collaborative approach addresses immediate needs while promoting long-term self-sufficiency.
Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator
Harambee addresses youth unemployment by connecting first-time job seekers with employers. Their programs offer skills training and job placement services, providing economic opportunities that can prevent homelessness among youths exiting care.
IOL
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
IOL News
9 hours ago
- IOL News
Search for missing pilot to resume on Friday after aircraft crash off Durban beach
Parts of the light aircraft were recovered on Thursday afternoon. Image: DOCTOR NGCOBO / Independent Newspapers The search for a missing pilot will resume on Friday morning after a light aircraft crashed into the ocean near Battery Beach on Thursday afternoon. This is according to update provided by ALS Paramedics. The light aircraft had been participating in an airshow linked to the Next Generation of Aviation Professionals Summit, which was being hosted at the Durban International Convention Centre this week. The summit is the third annual global meeting organised by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA). The Accident and Incident Investigations Division (AIID) said the crash occurred near Suncoast Casino at approximately 13:45pm. 'The accident occurred at approximately 13:45 when the ZS-AEC Extra 300 aircraft that was performing its final display crashed into the sea,' the AIID said in a media statement. 'The Emergency Medical Services and law enforcement immediately attended to the scene.' Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ ALS Paramedics, which was among the first on scene, reported that emergency personnel, including SAPS, Symmetry Police Search and Rescue Units, the T25 department, and the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI), were deployed. Pictures from the scene showed that wreckage from the plane had been recovered. KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport and Human Settlements, Siboniso Duma, said he went to the crash scene immediately after receiving the report. 'I was received by the Director of SA Civil Aviation Authority, Ms Poppy Khoza and her team,' Duma said. 'Ms Khoza informed me that the authority's Accident and Incident Investigations Division (AIID) has taken over and will be conducting an extensive investigation to establish the causes of the accident. 'Critically, as the Department of Transport in KwaZulu-Natal, our hearts are with the family of the pilot,' he said.
IOL News
15 hours ago
- IOL News
Giwusa slams Operation Dudula for denying migrants healthcare access
Soweto clinic incident: Operation Dudula women disrupt healthcare services. Image: Leon Lestrade Independent Newspapers The General Industries Workers Union of South Africa (GIWUSA) condemned Operation Dudula, and March and March, for denying migrants access to healthcare. According to the union, these 'xenophobic acts' were a violation of the most fundamental human rights and a dangerous diversion from the real crisis in the healthcare system. The union said it was a crisis created by 'neoliberal austerity, corporate looting and profiteering, corruption, and mismanagement'. GIWUSA President, Mametlwe Sebei, alluded to the crisis confronting the country's healthcare sector. "It is true that the clinics, hospitals and other healthcare services in our working-class communities are failing the poor, including the elderly, children, disabled and chronically ill people, who can't afford long queues," Sebei said. "Equally, they fail everyone with shortages in staff of critical healthcare professionals, including doctors, dentists, nurses, and specialists, a lack of essential equipment, beds and medicines." Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad Loading Sebei said the issue of blaming and denying migrants access to healthcare is scapegoating and serves in the fracture and weaken working-class organisations. "This weakness of organisation is responsible for disunity and poor capacity to fightback, which in turn has allowed the state to divest and privatise public services, at the same time as it has demoralised the working class and opened a wide vacuum for all sorts of political opportunists and populists to scapegoat the crises on the most vulnerable layers of the working class, the migrants." According to Sebei, it is on those basis that they reject this stance which they call a poison. "Migrant workers are part of our class — exploited, underpaid, and struggling alongside us. Our fight is not with each other, but with the system that keeps healthcare a privilege for the few and a site for accumulation of capital," Sebei said. Kopanang Africa Against Xenophobia (KAAX) also came out condemning the ongoing actions by Operation Dudula of preventing migrants from accessing healthcare facilities in South Africa. Mike Ndlovu from KAAX said blocking access to healthcare, a fundamental is a violation of Section 27 of our Constitution and is unacceptable. "These actions, which include clinic blockades, intimidation, demands for identity documents, and the violent exclusion of vulnerable individuals, including pregnant women and children, violate both South African and international law. They perpetuate a harmful rhetoric that unfairly blames migrants for systemic failures while distracting from the real causes of the healthcare crisis," Ndlovu said. "The narrative promoted by Operation Dudula, falsely claiming migrants are the primary cause of overcrowded clinics and failing services, is contradicted by evidence. Migrants constitute only approximately 4% of public hospital admissions, primarily seeking essential obstetric and emergency care." The Star
IOL News
17 hours ago
- IOL News
Hout Bay's mussels reveal hidden pollution crisis
The research team, led by UCT's postdoctoral research fellow Dr Cecilia Ojemaye, detected a range of PPCPs in mussel tissue samples collected at significant distances from the marine outfall and the Hout Bay River mouth. Image: Armand Hough/Independent Newspapers Hout Bay's marine environment is seriously threatened by pharmaceutical and personal care product compounds (PPCPs) that persist and bio-accumulate in marine life, even kilometres away from pollution sources, a new UCT study has revealed. The findings raise urgent questions about sewage management, environmental monitoring and public health in one of Cape Town's most iconic coastal areas. The research team, led by UCT's postdoctoral research fellow Dr Cecilia Ojemaye, detected a range of PPCPs in mussel tissue samples collected at significant distances from the marine outfall and the Hout Bay River mouth. These compounds, residues from common medications and personal care products, enter the marine environment through human excretion, wastewater discharge and improper disposal. 'The presence of these compounds in mussels is a red flag,' said Ojemaye. 'Mussels are sentinel organisms, they filter the water and accumulate pollutants, which means they are telling us a story about the health of the entire marine ecosystem.' The study showed that the pollution plume from Hout Bay's sewage discharges extends far beyond the immediate outfall area, contradicting previous assumptions that contaminants disperse quickly and harmlessly. Instantaneous modelling of bacterial indicators, such as enterococci, has been used in the past to justify the safety of marine outfalls, but researchers say this approach fails to capture the long-term build-up of persistent chemicals. 'This is not a case of 'dilution is the solution to pollution'. These contaminants don't just disappear, they spread settle, and accumulate in marine life, creating an extensive and ongoing impact zone,' said Ojemaye. Hout Bay's sewage system has long been a source of contention between residents, the municipality and environmental groups. Historical municipal decisions, including the choice of a marine outfall over land-based treatment, have been unpopular with local communities. 'The City has not provided Imizamo Yethu with adequate sanitation infrastructure for decades, leading to exceptionally high faecal content in the Disa River,' said co-author of the study, Professor Lesley Green, a professor of earth politics and director of Environmental Humanities South at UCT. She added that they fully support the argument by lawyers involved in a court case against eThekwini for sewage pollution to the ocean, that 'while floundering and excuse-prone, (the City) is nonetheless the local executive authority'. Green further urged Cape Town to take a lead from the Minister of the Environment Affairs, who 'committed the country to protect marine biodiversity when he signed the UN Oceans 2025 pledge in Paris in June this year'. The study highlighted that the marine outfall services about half of Hout Bay's population, making it a significant source of chemical and microbial contamination. While the Hout Bay River also carries pollutants into the bay, the design and operation of the outfall itself contribute heavily to the problem. Researchers warn that the situation poses both ecological and potential human health risks, especially if contaminated mussels and other shellfish are consumed. The bay lies within a marine protected area, making the findings particularly concerning for conservation efforts.
