Photo: Left to right: Ms. Nakedi Ribane – Patron of Child Welfare Tshwane; Ms. Nina de Caires – Adoption Supervisor; Ms. Isilda Felix - Owner of Dove's Nest
During one of the coldest weeks
this year so far, representatives from Child Welfare Tshwane visited Dove's
Nest, one of the registered Temporary Safe Care facilities for abandoned babies
that assist Child Welfare Tshwane's Adoption Unit in taking care of the babies
who need care and protection during the adoptability investigations.
Dove's Nest is a Community Based
Organisation (CBO) and registered Non Profit Organisation (NPO) that provides a
residential facility caring for abandoned or unwanted babies and children from
birth to two years of age. They support them ensuring that they have milk,
food, shelter, and the delicate care necessary for these precious lives.
Upon entering the house, Isilda
Felix was cuddling and feeding little *Desmond,
a mere 14 days old. He was legally placed there by the social worker when he
was 2 days old after the biological mother requested that he be made available
for adoption due to poor socio-economic circumstances. She already has two
other children, is unemployed and without any family support. His father denied
paternity and disappeared. His biological mother made an informed decision
after intensive counselling that she would want a better future for him within
a family where he will be loved and cared for. The adoption investigation is in
the process by our Adoption Unit supervisor, Nina de Caires.
In the living room, we were
welcomed by *Jessie, *Thandi and *Liya, three young ladies between the
ages of 16, 18, and 19 years who grew up in Dove's Nest and are in the process
of completing their schooling.
We were taken to a sunny bedroom,
with baby cots lined up, and four friendly babies admiring the visitors. All
between two weeks and four months old, each one with their own unique story and
awaiting their future families and homes. One of them, *Thato will be meeting his adoptive parents in a couple of days and
an exciting, beautiful moment and future within a forever family awaits them
all. He will be part of a family that cannot wait to give him a home, a future,
and the love and care he deserves.
However, Covid-19 and lockdown
have had an unforeseen impact on the future and adoption process of these
children and babies. In *Thato's case,
even though the legal and adoption processes have been followed, the very last
step of the final court order is outstanding. Due to a positive Covid-19 test
result of one of the court's employees, and necessary precautions and
sanitizing that had to take place, a great uncertainty raised as to when the
final order will be obtained. So, he
will be able to meet his prospective adoptive parents, but not go home with
them until a final court date is obtained to get the necessary order. This is
both heart-breaking for the prospective adoptive parents, and the crucial
parent-and-baby bonding is delayed.
Since
the number of abandoned babies that enter the system are, unfortunately, an
on-going occurrence, it can also
potentially mean that Places of Safety like Dove's Nest will reach capacity
because adoptable and matched babies are not able to move out to their new
homes, which creates space for new babies that need temporary safety and
care.
Another impact that lockdown and
Covid-19 had, is due to the vulnerability of the babies, caretakers, and
assistants that were not able to travel back and forth from home to work. They
want to avoid unnecessary exposure of the virus to the babies. No one can just
imagine the cleaning, cooking, bath time, nappy changes, feeding and sleeping
routines in a house with four babies and three toddlers.
"A strict routine", is
Isilda's answer to this well-organised caretaking and management of her house.
Many years of experience have made her well equipped to care for all of them.
Thankfully, *Jessie, *Thandi, and *Liya
are all also able to lend a hand when they are not busy with schoolwork and can
help with daytime play and stimulation, but the sleeping time and night-time
feeding remains the responsibility of Isilda for now.
The fact that babies cannot move
further along the adoption process, and move out of the temporary safe care
facilities make it very difficult for social workers to find space for the
placement of new babies, who remains waiting in hospitals to be removed. Social workers anticipate that babies will
continue coming into the system, possibly even more so in the weeks and months
to follow, as mothers find themselves in dire financial straits after losing
their jobs or getting sick and are unable to care for themselves and their
child/ren.
The process is dependent on many
different departments such as the Department of Health, Department of Justice,
Department of Social Development, Department of Home Affairs, and the South
African Police Service to do adoption investigation and finalise adoptions. So,
should one or more of these departments face temporary closure due to
Covid-19, it will hinder the entire process.
As a result of Covid-19, the economic
downfall will also inevitably have many other repercussions for child
protection organisations and adoption in South Africa. Couples who were
considering adoption may now have second thoughts, particularly when they have
been financially affected.
The pandemic will affect the
future financial security of child protection organisations and Non Profit Organisations
(NPO’S) in general. Regular donors will reduce due to experiencing financial
losses themselves and the income of already underfunded NPO's is likely to be
severely affected, ultimately making their beneficiaries the innocent victims.
If you are pregnant and
considering giving up your baby for adoption, or if you know someone who might
be, please contact Ms. Nina de Caires, the Adoption Supervisor at Child Welfare
Tshwane on 0124609236 during working hours. If you are prospective parents
considering adoption, please also make contact with Nina.
Should you be able to donate baby
products (milk, nappies, baby clothes, etc.) or support us financially, please
contact Child Welfare Tshwane at 0124609236.
* Names withheld to protect their identity
