FOSTER CARE AND ASSOCIATED SUPPORT OF VULNERABLE CHILDREN
Vukukhanye presently operates a Children's Foster Home in Westville (KZN); is also involved with the management of a Children's Foster Home in Marselle (Eastern Cape); and supports vulnerable children and their caregivers in various communities in Durban and the Eastern Cape.
These projects can be viewed below.
WESTVILLE FOSTER HOME
The Westville Children's Foster Home was established in 2002 to provide a stable, supportive environment for abandoned, abused, neglected, orphaned and homeless children including those affected/infected by HIV/AIDS. The home is situated at 7 Bristol Road, Berea West, Westville, KwaZulu-Natal.
The aim of the home is to provide short and long-term care of orphans and vulnerable children (a maximum of 6 children in foster care, presently excluding the biological daughter of the foster mother and a maximum of 2 short-term crisis placements).
Children are cared for by a full-time Foster Mother. Admission of children, as well as supportive reintegration is overseen by registered social workers. Education is a priority and children of school-going age are enrolled in local schools. We aim to provide a stable, loving, supportive family environment; as well as all their basic and developmental needs (nutritional, medical, legal, financial, emotional, psychological, spiritual and educational), to help the children grow up to be healthy, educated, socially well-adjusted adults.
A further aim is to facilitate the transition of children at the Home into permanent care with extended family or foster/adoptive parents and provide follow up support for children and caregivers.
Of the 66 children cared for to date 1 has been adopted, 2 have moved out into independant living, 6 have been fostered, 27 transitioned into alternate care (e.g. Children's Homes) and 21 transitioned into care by family. There are presently 9 children living at the Home.
FOLLOW UP SUPPORT
Follow up support strategies for the children who leave the home and for the caregivers who support them are provided where necessary. This takes the form of helping to link the family/caregiver with social welfare and other support structures; assistance with food/infant formula until government grants are secured; helping children enroll in local schools; assistance with school fees, school uniforms and homework.
We have maintained close contact with 2 sisters who have been fostered by their aunt in Chesterville. Vukukhanye assisted in the process of applying for Government Foster Care Grants, which have since been approved. Vukukhanye has also assisted the family with a bunkbed and facilitating a bedroom being built onto their one bedroom house as well as advocating for medical care for the younger child who required emergency abdominal surgery. Vukukhanye also provides periodic support to a family in Malukazi, Isipingo and to another little boy who lived at the Childrens Foster Home for a short period before being placed in Foster Care at Lily of the Valley, Hammarsdale.
