Suchergebnisse

This article provides an explanation and critical analysis of the prevention and early intervention provisions in the South African Law Commission 's 2002 Draft Children's Bill. In addition, the inter-sectoral approach provided for in the Draft Bill and the proposed national policy framework are evaluated. Innovative recommendations that would allow child and family courts to issue early intervention orders are discussed. It is contended in the article that if the prevention and early intervention provisions in the Draft Bill were to be translated into legislation, this could produce significant consequences. It would cause a fundamental shift in balance between proactive and reactive social work services for children in South Africa.

In the South African Draft Children's Bill of December 2002 an attempt was made to produce a shift towards proactive services for children. The bill contains an innovative design for a national policy framework as a mechanism for intersectoral co-operation between different sectors of government and non-governmental organizations.FrenchDans l'avant-projet de loi sud-africain pour les enfants (Draft Children Bill ) ré digé en dé cembre 2002, on a tenté d'esquisser un virage pour mettre en place des services proactifs à l'intention des enfants. Le projet de loi met de l'avant un concept innovateur: un cadre politique qui servirait de mé canisme pour assurer la coopé ration intersectorielle entre les diffé rents paliers de gouvernement et les organisations non gouvernementales.SpanishEn el Borrador de la Ley de la Infancia en Suda´ frica, de diciembre del 2002, se intentódar un giro hacia servicios proactivos a favor de los ninños. A ley contiene un disenño innovador hacia un marco de política nacional que sirva de mecanismo para cooperación entre distintos sectores gubernamentales y organizaciones no gubernamentales.

This article critically evaluates important legislative reforms in South Africa, which, at the height of the AIDS pandemic, are intended to reduce the need for removing children from their families or communities. In a textual analysis of the 2005 Children's Act and the 2006 Children's Act Amendment Bill, the shift in focus from individual interventions to a developmental approach incorporating prevention and early intervention is explained. New family service and alternative care orders such as partial care, shared care, cluster care and support for child‐headed households are described. Although these creative solutions have considerable potential, there are gaps in the legislation that require supplementary wording. Drawing on the work of researchers and commentators, it is also shown that an inappropriate approach towards implementation has commenced, which harms rather than assists children. Recommendations are made for improving implementation that may be of relevance to other countries faced with similar challenges.