The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) has launched an important new policy document and protocols on dealing effectively with child abuse.

The Minister of Education in the Western Cape, Ms Helen Zille, said the launch of the document marked an important moment in the fight against child abuse in the province.

The document, titled Abuse No More - Dealing Effectively with Child Abuse, is the result of work by WCED officials in consultation with other departments, organisations and specialists.

Ms Zille introduced the document at the Cape Town Teachers’ Centre in Claremont today (May 29, 2001). She congratulated all those involved in the project, and said that she was pleased that the WCED could play a leading role in fighting child abuse in this way.

"It is appropriate that we launch these guidelines at the start of the country’s Child Protection Week," she said. The week, from May 28 to June 1, includes the International Day of the Child, on May 31.

The WCED has also launched a new information video, called "Abuse No More", to complement the policy document. The Department is planning a training programme for all employees who will use the video and policy document as their primary resource material.

The department has also published full-colour posters for schools that encourage abused children to report abuse to their teachers, principals, or the WCED’s Safe Schools Call Centre at 0800-45-46-47.

According to the WCED document, child abuse includes neglect, emotional abuse, physical abuse, sexual harassment and sexual abuse.

Ms Zille said that the full extent of child abuse in South Africa was not known, because of a lack of systematic, interdisciplinary research into the nature and extent of the problem.

However, in 1998, Child Protection Units of the South African Police Services and specialised individual officers reported dealing with 37 352 cases of crime against children, an increase of almost 58% since 1994.

According to the SAPS figures, reported cases of child rape rose from 7 559 to 15 732 during the same period.

The SAPS recorded 8 683 cases of reported rape of girls during first six months of 1999 - an average of two per hour.

The South African National Council for Child and Family Welfare has reported that affiliated Child Welfare Societies dealt with 14 872 new cases of abuse and neglect, and 2 907 newly abandoned babies, during the financial year of 1998 to 1999.

"There is no doubt that child abuse is a major social problem in South Africa, and we must act decisively in dealing with it," Ms Zille said.

The origins of the Western Cape initiative date back to 1995 when the Department of Social Development established the National Committee on Child Abuse and Neglect (NCCAN), chaired by Dr Rose September.

The NCCAN developed a National Strategy on Child Abuse and Neglect (NSCAN), which included encouraging provinces and provincial departments to develop their own child abuse protocols.

The Western Cape Provincial Plan of Action for Children soon followed, driven by the Provincial Welfare Department. The Provincial Child Protection Committee was established, also chaired by Dr September.

In 1999, the WCED developed a protocol for managing child abuse and neglect in conjunction with the departments of Health, and Welfare and Justice, the South Africa Police Services, and non-governmental organisations. The department issued the guide to all WCED schools in January 2000.

However, during 2000, it became clear that schools needed additional, practical procedures based on relevant legislation to deal with child abuse effectively and efficiently.

The WCED worked closely with various role-players, including the Women’s Legal Centre, on producing the new policy document, "Abuse No More", as well as an accompanying information video.

The main aims of the new guidelines include protecting the rights of learners to personal safety, and an effective learning environment, free from abuse.

The protocols offer practical guidance on the prevention of child abuse, how to deal effectively with incidents of abuse and the provision of timely intervention and support.

Confidentiality is strongly emphasised and a strategy is provided to ensure that children feel safe and secure when they lodge a complaint or disclose information.

The policy document places a strong emphasis on effective management, by identifying school employees responsible for dealing with cases; creating structures for effective reporting, investigation and intervention; and for developing a system of joint accountability of relevant WCED structures.

The document includes diagrams and notes designed to ensure that the guidelines and steps are as easy to follow as possible and provides a format for institutions to compile databases of support services within their areas.