PROGRESS REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CHILD PROTECTION REGISTER (CPR)

AIM

To inform Heads of Departments on the progress made on the implementation of the CPR.

BACKGROUND

The administration of the CPR is a statutory obligation for the Department of Social Development at national and provincial level.

Since 1999 the Directorate: Rights Advocacy Children, Youth and Families has started putting infrastructures in place at provincial and national level to ensure that role-players meet the minimum requirements as set out in the Child Care Act. These are: registration, monitoring of each case, ensuring services to the Child and family and capturing the outcomes of the children’s court inquiries as well as the Criminal Procedure Act convictions onto the register, as well as ensuring that all role players are informed of their roles and responsibilities regarding reporting and services.

When facilitating the responsibilities of the CPR, with each of the nine provinces, it became clear that:

Provinces had not adhered to the prescribed regulations of the CPR;
infrastructure was non-existent at all levels regarding social work services, reporting mechanisms, monitoring functions, guidelines and circulars;
no uniform criteria at provincial level and across provinces on the procedures of the CPR;
social workers showed resistance, thus took no responsibility for the CPR;
managers not on the same level of understanding regarding the responsibilities of the CPR and therefore unnecessarily blocking the implementation of the CPR;
not enough social workers to ensure that each suspicion of child abuse could be investigated, followed-up and linked to other resources; and
transformation of provinces regarding organogram – restructuring and moving of personnel to other posts. Influences sustainability of child abuse co-ordinators.

A process to systematically address the mentioned implications was started in provinces during 2000.

Although there was a need for a parallel process with national counterparts such as the Departments of Justice and Constitutional Development, Health, Education and South African Police Services, it was put on hold due to provinces not being fully in place to render the services required by the Child Care Act.

Provinces were requested, during November 2001, via your authority to ensure that:

Social workers/administrative personnel would be appointed on a full or part time basis depending on the workflow of that office per local/district/regional/head office level;
a provincial circular on the CPR would be drafted, signed and forwarded to all role-players;
consensus on the CPR guidelines for social workers which highlights role sand responsibilities, reporting procedures, risk assessment, monitoring and closure of reported cases would be reached;
role-players were knowledgeable on the procedures to be followed on the reporting of a case;
their provincial resource list had to be made available to role-players involved in services to children;
hardware and software requirements would be met at own costs due to a national zero budget;
a provincial name list of CPR co-ordinators be made available to this Department to start sorting out the network problems and the planning of the roll-out for this year. The information is coming in very slowly.

Due to the fact that the IT section had a personnel change (June 2001) during the finalisation of the CPR, the second phase was delayed. To overcome this problem provinces were requested to manually continue with the registering of cases and to forward forms 25 to the Department for data capturing. Some of the provinces did respond to the request.

Provinces were also advised to identify hot sports of child abuse notifications if they were not able to implement the CPR at all local/district offices. They were further requested not to market the CPR to other role-players if they were not in a position to deliver social work services. This would surely have a negative effect on an already traumatised family setting and thinly spread social work services.

The following background regarding progress made with the CPR:

Phase 1 2001 – 2002

Development of a computerised programme based on ACCESS to test the content of Form 25. This entailed discussions with provinces jointly and separately.

Developed Practice Guidelines on the CPR, for social workers, and distributed for comments.

A training manual was compiled for the users of the CPR.

Piloting sites were identified, KwaZulu-Natal, Western Cape, Gauteng and Mpumalanga and the programme installed.

Proceeded with provincial workshops to analyse the responsibilities of the programme and procedures to be followed by role-players.

SUCCESSES

Obtained the provincial commitment of child abuse co-ordinators.

Obtained general consensus

Provinces are open for direction and guidance on the implementation of the CPR.

300 social workers were trained on the legislative requirements of the CPR.

BLOCKAGES

Managers not always willing to unblock management issues regarding the CPR;
Social workers unwilling to take on the extra responsibility of the CPR, especially the monitoring function.
Ongoing transformation in provinces hinders sustainable commitment.
Budget implications of resources and purchasing of hardware.

PHASE II 2002 – 2003

Evaluated the first programme and decided on a best practice model.
Revised the entire programme in a new format, programme functioning and looked at other network options.
Workshop held on the revised CPR programme (3 February 2002) attended by provincial head office co-ordinators and IT personnel.
Consensus was reached on the content of the programme, the updating of the CPR guidelines and the four (4) pilot provinces were identified. (Western and Northern Cape, KZN, Gauteng)
The functionality of the programme regarding registration, updating of information, monitoring of cases, correspondence, search mode and closure was finalised.
A training/user manual compiled jointly by IT and the Directorate: Rights Advocacy, Children, Youth and Families finalized.
Arranged for the loading of the programme with KZN, Western Cape, Northern Cape and Gauteng before finally rolling out to the 9 provincial offices at the end of 2002
Monitored the tasks allocated to provinces, ensured that infrastructures were put in place. (A progress report will be requested from provinces to update the Director-General on the status of the matter).

SUCCESSES

The solution that was put in place for the registration of cases and the monitoring thereof has being agreed on.
The training/user manual has been compiled to ensure uniformity for operating the system.
Feedback from KZN on the training/user manual states that it is user friendly.

BLOCKAGES


The testing of the program did not materialise for the year 2002 as planned.
Phase II needs to be re-adjusted for the year 2003/2004 namely:

Roll out of the CPR at all 9 provincial head offices;
identification and implementation of at least one regional office and one district/service office;
the instalment of the hardware per identified office and in person training;
continued manual record keeping of the Register and data capturing at provincial head offices;
ensuring that all provinces have a circular on the CPR and that it is distributed to all role-players.
KZN Service Office, Durban is in the process of dividing responsibilities of the CPR, thus 10 officials instead of two officials need to be trained.
Western Cape is in the process of handing over the CPR to 4 different customer service sections at head office level, delaying the loading of the installation of the programme.
The Northern Cape visit of 29 – 30 April 2002 was postponed per request of the previous Director-General as she had put the process on hold. Gauteng office postponed implementation of the two pilot sites due to the upgrading of hard and software and other IT problems.
It was planned that the programme would be implemented at above-mentioned provinces during 2002, to test the programmes from 1 May 2002 – 31 June 2002 to enable the Department to make final adjustments if necessary before November 2002.
All provinces declared themselves willing, during February 2002, to participate in the testing of the final programme. The negotiations started with the latter provinces (February 2000) for providing the relevant information on personnel and IT requirements, but provinces apparently only started to work on these issues late March, which delayed the implementation programme for April 2002.

Provinces must, however, take responsibility to ensure that:

One person per province is knowledgeable on the business as well as IT sides of the programme;
provincial IT takes responsibility for the loading of the programme per user, per office; and
full implementation, driving of the process, ensuring of resources, marketing of the CPR and monitoring of services, are undertaken.

PLANNING FOR PHASE III 2004 – 2005

Evaluate changes to the programme.
Finalise CPR programme.
Undertake provincial training per request.
Ensure loading of the programme per request.
Assist provinces to roll out the programme to the lowest level, at least within 2 years.
Continue with the manual implementation of the CPR.
Implementation of the programme in state facilities.
Re-evaluate programme during 2005 for adjustments.
Ensure one skilled CPR person per province to assist with provincial implementation of the program.

National’s responsibility is to ensure that:

Provinces firstly implement the CPR on a manual basis and then the computerised programme has to be rolled-out to the lowest level over a 2-year period from April 2004 – 2006.
Services are evaluated to ensure that the guidelines and procedures meet the needs of role-players and victims.
The functions of the National Child Protection Register, by way of dealing with enquiries, research needs, influencing legislation, ensuring working agreements at national level and ensuring service standards, are executed.

Progress on national processes regarding the CPR:

Meetings with the Department of Education, South African Police Services, Justice and Constitutional Development took place during March/April 2002. The Department of Health was consulted telephonically.
All four Departments have agreed that:

The CPR guidelines will be a welfare perspective document, but with approved content on roles and responsibilities within CPR guidelines.
The CPR guidelines will be distributed inter-departmentally for training and procedural purposes.
Departmental circulars are forwarded to national on their mandatory reporting obligation.
Development and sharing of information on an electronic system is envisaged in the long term with the possibility of extending the CPR functions.

Departments are showing their commitment to put reporting structures in place at provincial level.

Although mandated by legislation SAPS is willing to ensure a national directive to police offices for mandatory reporting.

A process with the LAW Commission has been established on the issue of how to deal with information on the alleged perpetrator within the CPR, which is still a sensitive issue with legal implications for social development, if not dealt with in the correct way.

CURRENT SITUATION

Due to the donor funding provinces will be able to put infrastructure in place at least at a head office, one regional and district/service office level. The instalment of the CPR programme will ensure that all provinces start simultaneously.

The testing of the programme on a horizontal line (provincial head office – to other provincial head offices) and on a vertical line, (head office to regional office to district / service office) is imperative. For those provinces that are in a more advantageous position the extra three computers could be utilised in other OFICES where the flow of notifications is high. The operational issues will be discussed during a two-day workshop.

DESIGN OF CPR APPLICATION (See Annexure b)

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

For Phase A the identification of personnel would be the already employed persons within the Department:

A = Professional Component:

1 Chief Social Worker (Child Abuse co-ordinator – R96,792)

1 Chief Social Worker (Regional Office part time, depending on the flow of notifications).

1 Senior Social Worker – Per district / local office (Undertaking investigations / support services – 50 cases per worker.

1 Administrative / data typist per office – depending on the flow of notifications.

B = Hardware Requirements

The following will be required:

One computer per person: Costs + R7,900.

Pentium II Processor; 64 MBRAM; 20 MB Free Hard Disk Space/Windows 98/2000/Internet Explorer; Monitor/Keyboard/Mouse/Local Printer.

An alternative to purchasing new equipment would be the upgrading of computers currently in use. Costs determined by technology requirements per CPR post.

Other requirements:

E-mail and Internet Access; SITA connection.
(See Annexure B = Information on possible sites as indicated per phase).

RECOMMENDATION

It is recommended that:

The roll-out of Phase A to all provinces at a head office, one regional and one district / service office level, be supported.

Annexure C

MONITORING

Each province has its own structures and provincial protocol agreements. The following can be regarded as a broad framework.

LOCAL OFFICE

Each state office in the community must have a child protection social worker that receives intakes, refers the matter, follows up each case and receives a once off progress report and forwards these to the Regional/district office within 3 weeks with the relevant documentation. The CPS worker ensures that each case is registered, followed up, monitored and that all legal actions flowing from the investigations are recorded on the Register. The CPS worker identifies training needs, social service delivery issues which need intervention and provides progress reports on child abuse management within his/her offices.

REGIONAL / DISTRICT OFFICE

Receives the documentation, scrutinises each case and ensures that the best interests of the child(ren) are met.

Acts as facilitator in local panel discussions.

Unblocks management issues regarding child protection services, cars, personnel, telephones etc.

Ensures and co-ordinates training for child protection workers.

Shares information on the alleged perpetrator if that would serve the best interests of the child.

Handles and investigates unethical, inappropriate violations and complaints from the public regarding services rendered to children/families.

Provides progress reports on child abuse management within their region.

HEAD OFFICES

Enter Form 25s onto system for those offices not linked.

Receive all Form 25s and documentation.

Evaluate services rendered to children at risk.

Become involved in dispute matters which cannot be solved at district/regional level.

Influence policies, research, resource and budget allocations to the benefit of the child and families at risk.

Deal with inquiries regarding the alleged perpetrators on the Register.

Request progress reports on serious cases for instance rape, gang rape, hospitalisation, severe sexual/physical abuse.

NATIONAL OFFICE

Enters the backlog of provinces onto the Register.

Captures the outcomes of the Criminal Court and Children’s Court onto the register.

Approves research requests on information contained in the Register.

Deals with inquiries regarding the CPR, on a national and international level.

Facilitates disputes if not resolved by a provincial head office.

Evaluates and monitors services to children at risk.

Requests progress reports of serious cases or where disputes have not effectively been dealt with.

Influences policies, research, resource and budget allocations to the benefit of the child and family at risk.













C:stef.Collated inputs 28 January 2003