Focus Groups-Disabled

DEFINITION OF FOCUS GROUP
N/A

SERVICE
N/A

DEFINITION OF SERVICE
Special day care centers provide day care and stimulation services for children who are mentally disabled and who cannot benefit from special or main stream education

LEGISLATION THAT DIRECTS THE SERVICE
Child Care Act No 74 of 1983.

BACKGROUND/INTRODUCTION
Special day care centers provide day care and stimulation services for children who are mentally disabled and who cannot benefit from special or main stream education.
The state provide subsidies to registered places of care (registration in accordance with the Child Care Act, Act 74 of 1983 to provide day care services to children between the age of 1 month 216 months(18 years). There were only 9 facilities in the province in 1996 that were accommodating 492 mentally disabled children. Presently there are 18 facilities that accommodate 1089 children in the province.

AIMS OF THE PROGRAMME
The aims of this programme are;

• To protect the interest of mentally disabled children.
• To promote the physical, emotional and social well- being and functioning of mentally disabled children.
• To develop basic life skills to manage the daily life of mentally disabled children.

The state envisages such centers to provide the following services to mentally disabled children;

• Physical care.
• Psycho-social care.
• Language, stimulation, learning and creative activities.
• Information and guidance to parents and
• Community involvement in early childhood development.

WHO QUALIFIES FOR THE SERVICE?
The selection of subsidised children in a special day care is based on a means test which depends upon combined parental gross income. It is as follows;

• Parent(s) with only one child who have (combined) gross monthly income must not exceed R 1800.
• Parent(s) with two children who have (combined) gross monthly income must not exceed R 2020.
• Parent(s) with three children who have (combined) gross monthly income must not exceed R 2240.
• Parent(s) with four children and more who have (combined) gross monthly income must not exceed R 2460.

WHO MANAGES THE SERVICE
The service is managed by the personnel employed by the centers.

SERVICE
Community based services/protective workshops and training centers.

LEGISLATION THAT UNDERPINS THE SERVICE
Blind persons Act No. 99 of 1962 Mental Health Act

BACKGROUND/INTRODUCTION
Protective workshops are non-residential facilities in the community that are aiming at severely disabled persons. In 1996 there were 15 protective workshops in the Eastern Cape with a total membership of 938. But presently there are only 11 protective workshops with a membership of 491 disabled people.

All protective workshops in the eastern cape are sponsored and managed by NGOs/CBOs. The department provide subsidy in accordance with the financing policy.

The statistics show that, this service is facing a greatest threat of closure. This service is still in accessible to majority of the disabled people in the Eastern Cape.

The reason could be unavailability of NGOs/CBO's in most areas in the Eastern Cape. Training centers conduct formal accredited training courses to the disabled people. The duration of stay in these centers is only until the end of the duration of the course. In 1996 there were 2 state owned training centers; Tembalihle and Enoch Sontonga, in Zwelitsha that were able to admit 65 Disabled trainees. Presently these two centers have been amalgamated as one facility and still admit the same number of Disabled people for training.

PURPOSE/AIMS OF THE SERVICE
The aims of protective workshop includes;

• To promote the quality of life and the dignity of the Disabled.
• To promote constructive use of time amongst the Disabled.
• To promote disabled persons’ independent functioning in the community for as long as possible.

The protective workshop provides the following services;

• Training (Non-accredited training)
• Suitable work activities according to abilities.
• Meals.
• Medical services, occupational therapy and social work Services.
• Transport
• Self-help skills.
• Guidance in social functioning.

DEFINITION OF FOCUS GROUPS
N/A

SERVICE
Community Based Services to the Disabled.

DEFINITION OF SERVICE
Social workers render variety of community based services to persons who experience social needs Problems as a result of disability/illness which includes Mental and physical disabilities as well as deafness and Blindness and illness such as tuberculosis, cancer and HIV/AIDS.

BACKGROUND/INTRODUCTION
Social workers render variety of community based services to persons who experience social needs problems as a result of disability/illness which includes Mental and physical disabilities as well as deafness and Blindness and illness such as tuberculosis, The services are rendered through 105 departmental service points and 90 other service points that are managed by Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and Community Based Organizations (CBOs).

AIMS OF THE SERVICE
The aims of this service include;

• To prevent mental ill-health.
• To promote quality of life and the dignity of the disabled.
• To combat undesirable social conditions amongst the Disabled or their exploitations.
• To promote disabled person’s independent functioning in the community for as long as possible.
• To encourage employers to employ disabled persons in the open labour market.

The service include;

• Information and education
• Development of social skills.
• Orientation/Adjustment to disability.
• Counselling
• Placement in employment.
• Material assistance.
• Initiation and implementation of appropriate community Projects such as clubs and self-help groups.
• Initiation and maintenance of committees and Organizations.
• Recruitment, selection and training of volunteers who will be used to implement the programme.

WHO MANAGES THE SERVICE?
Social Workers in the employ of the Department and from NGO’s.