SOMERSET WEST – One of the Helderberg’s longest-running community organisations is celebrating 70 years of child protection services in the basin.

Child Welfare South Africa Helderberg has been delivering essential, uninterrupted child protection services in Macassar, Sir Lowry’s Pass, Firgrove, Somerset West and the surrounding areas since its establishment on 18 February 1956. The milestone coincides with Child Protection Week, an occasion the organisation marks not as a single event, but as the launch of a quarterly child protection programme that will continue through to March next year.

Reflecting on the organisation’s humble beginnings, supervisor and manager Paula Rossouw (pictured) recalls that the first meeting took place on 18 February at the Methodist church, where 36 concerned volunteers gathered to discuss the nutritional welfare of young children in the community.

The meeting was chaired by Archdeacon and Rector Griffith Green and included a presentation by a representative of the National Council for Child Welfare. A resolution was passed to establish a local branch, and by July 1956, the organisation had been registered and its first constitution drafted.

Seventy years on, one milestone stands out above the rest. “The appointment of the first professional social worker must have been one of the most defining moments in our history,” says Rossouw. “It meant that full-time attention could finally be given to the child protection challenges facing our community.”

Today, the organisation employs seven social workers, five social auxiliary workers, one social work manager, and administrative staff.

Full spectrum

As one of a few organisations in the region delivering dedicated child protection services, Child Welfare SA Helderberg covers the full spectrum of care.

“From awareness and prevention, to early intervention, and through to statutory intervention and family reunification,” Rossouw explains. “We are responsible, for the most part, for the implementation of the Children’s Act at a community level – and it is the most vulnerable children whom we work with most.”

The need for those services has only grown over time. As the basin’s population expanded, so too did the demand. “After the [first] democratic election, there was far greater awareness of human rights and the services available to communities, and, as a result, the reporting of abuse and neglect increased significantly,” says Rossouw.

On any given day, the team juggles active court cases, crisis interventions, foster care monitoring and community awareness programmes – a relentless but vital workload. Few stories illustrate the importance of this work more powerfully than that of a young boy who lost his father at age one, spent his early years in a drug den, drifted into bad company and dropped out of school. Child Welfare SA Helderberg intervened, placing him with foster parents and enrolling him back in school. He went on to become head boy and is today a second-year LLB student.
“That is why this work matters,” Rossouw points out.

Central to outcomes like these are the organisation’s foster and safety parents, individuals who open their homes to children removed from their families, helping them heal and thrive. These caregivers must undergo police clearance, screening and training, and are always in demand.

None of it would be possible without the support of the broader community. Over the decades, Rotary clubs, churches, businesses, trusts and private individuals have all contributed through donations, fundraising events, and street collections. There are many ways to get involved – volunteering at the annual book sale at Somerset Mall, donating clothing and goods, or joining the board. A volunteer with a financial background is currently being sought.

Series of celebratory events

As Child Welfare SA Helderberg marks this milestone under the theme “Time to Fly”, Rossouw says the focus is firmly on the future: “Now is the time to strengthen our sustainability, build lasting relationships with donors and embrace the technologies that will carry us forward.”

A series of celebratory events is planned throughout the year, including an official launch on Monday 13 July, with a possible Easy Sunday event and wine auction still in the pipeline.

One date is confirmed: 4 December, when the organisation will host a gala dance at the Somerset West Town Hall. “Save the date,” Rossouw implores.

Her message to the community is one of deep gratitude and an open invitation. “We would like to thank everyone who has contributed over the years and encourage former volunteers and staff to reach out and share their stories, so that we can inspire the next generation to get involved. It does take a village to raise a child.”

And the dream for the next 10 years? “To buy our own building and improve the working conditions of our social workers.”