Official reply: 19/08/11

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

QUESTION 1770/2011

FOR WRITTEN REPLY

Date of publication on internal question paper: 01 July 2011

Internal question paper no: 19

Mrs S P Kopane (DA) to ask the Minister of Social Development:

(1) Whether the child protection register is fully operational; if not, (a) why not, (b) when will it become fully operational and (c) how much was budgeted for this register in the 2010-11 financial year; if so, (i) when did it become fully operational and (ii) how many names appear on the list of persons unsuitable to work with children;

(2) whether any institutions that work with children have requested verification regarding the suitability of a new (a) employee or (b) volunteer to work with children; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, (i) which institutions and (ii) how many (aa) requests were received and (bb) persons were denied permission for working with children? NW2000E

REPLY:

(1) Yes, the National Child Protection Register (CPR) is fully operational.

(a)(b) Not applicable.

(c) The budget allocated for CPR was R1, 725, 849 for 2010-11 financial years.

(i) The CPR is divided into Part A and B. Part A has been operational since 2004, and Part B since 1 April 2010;

(ii) Only one name appears on the Child Protection Register as a person who is unsuitable to work with children. However, there are 64 names of persons who have been convicted of crimes against children, who still need to be found unsuitable to work with children by the courts that convicted them, as required by the Children's Act.

(2) Yes, (a)(b)(i)(ii)(aa)(bb) institutions that work with children have requested verification regarding the suitability of new employees to work with children and no requests were made regarding the verification of a new volunteer.

The national and provincial departments of Social Development, in collaboration with the child protection organizations, is involved in an awareness campaign to inform stakeholders about the requirements of the Child Protection Register. The campaign involves the distribution of CPR Part B pamphlets and information sessions with different stakeholders in all the provinces. Only one organization, the Northern Cape office of the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development, has submitted a request to verify if a prospective employee is suitable to work with children and no person has been denied permission for working with children as yet.

Issued by Parliament, August 22 2011

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