Support for families of children with disabilities in South Africa, Digi Mart USA News (South Africa): Families caring for children with disabilities are facing a range of challenges, from limited access to specialised services to the financial and emotional demands of providing ongoing care.
The Department of Social Development (DSD) says stronger partnerships between government, service providers and communities are needed to ensure children with disabilities receive the support they need to develop and participate in society. The call comes as the country marks Disability Rights Awareness Month (DRAM), which this year is being observed under the theme “Creating Strategic Multisectoral Partnerships for a Disability-Inclusive Society.”
The scale of the challenge is reflected in a 2024 UNICEF report, which found that only 8,641 children with severe to profound intellectual disabilities were receiving support in special care centres in 2022. While access to education remains a concern, the department says children with disabilities and their families also require assistance with everyday activities, rehabilitation, developmental support and specialised care.
Parents and caregivers often shoulder these responsibilities while managing employment and other family commitments, with limited access to information and services adding to their burden. The department, which is responsible for promoting and protecting children’s rights under the Children’s Act, says the support available to families needs to extend beyond individual government programmes.
One of its interventions is a respite care programme aimed at providing temporary relief to caregivers while ensuring children continue to receive appropriate care, protection and developmental support. The programme is being piloted in Mpumalanga and the Northern Cape, where it has reached 220 children and their families.
Through a partnership with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the department is also working to strengthen community-based respite care, including caregiver training and referral arrangements. The initiative is intended to recognise that caregivers also need support, particularly those who provide ongoing care to children with disabilities.
Families may also qualify for the Care Dependency Grant administered by the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA). The agency currently pays 179,609 grants monthly to qualifying caregivers of children who require additional care because of a disability.
However, the department says improving support requires better coordination between sectors responsible for children’s development and wellbeing. It is working with the departments of Basic Education and Health through a joint coordinating committee supported by JICA, focusing on early identification, referrals and improved access to services.
The department says children with disabilities and their families must also be involved in shaping the services intended to support them. It is calling on government, civil society, service providers and communities to strengthen partnerships and ensure children with disabilities are not left to navigate support systems without assistance.
