Child Protection in Action

Child Protection in Action Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Child Protection in Action, Social service, Port Elizabeth.
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Sanet Viljoen is a Social Worker in private practice.She presents child protection services and training to social workers, auxiliary social workers and line management.

Social Workers and Social Auxiliary Workers, it’s time to secure your CPD points and sharpen your skills for the mid-yea...
01/06/2026

Social Workers and Social Auxiliary Workers, it’s time to secure your CPD points and sharpen your skills for the mid-year line-up. Sanet Viljoen presents a comprehensive series of specialized Zoom workshops (and one exclusive in-person event in Port Elizabeth!) designed to support you on the front lines of child protection.

Take a look at our upcoming schedule, pick the sessions that meet your professional needs, and book early to secure your spot.

📥 How to register:
📧 Email us at [email protected] or [email protected] 📞 Contact: 084 800 1234

Let’s keep learning, growing, and protecting together. 💚

════════════════════⚖️ CHILD PROTECTION WEEK SERIES | #3════════════════════CA = Child AbuseWhen people hear the term c...
01/06/2026

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⚖️ CHILD PROTECTION WEEK SERIES | #3
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CA = Child Abuse

When people hear the term child abuse, they often think only of physical injuries.

⚖️ However, Section 1 of the Children's Act reminds us that child abuse is much broader and includes a range of actions and behaviours that may cause harm to a child.

Child abuse may include:
✔️ Physical abuse
✔️ Sexual abuse
✔️ Bullying by another child
✔️ Labour practices that exploit a child
✔️ Behaviour that harms a child psychologically or emotionally

💡 One of the most important reminders for child protection practitioners is that not all abuse leaves visible signs.

As we continue our Child Protection Week series, we will unpack the different forms of abuse and explore how they may present in practice.

📚 Tomorrow we will take a closer look at Physical Abuse.





⚖️ Disclaimer:
This series reflects my professional opinion, experience, interpretation of legislation and research in child protection practice. Professional opinions may differ. The information shared is intended to encourage reflection, learning and discussion.

════════════════════⚖️ CHILD PROTECTION WEEK SERIES | #2 V = Violence════════════════════ ...
30/05/2026

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⚖️ CHILD PROTECTION WEEK SERIES | #2 V = Violence
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Violence against children is not always visible.
When we hear the word violence, we often think of physical injuries. Yet the National Child Care and Protection Policy (2019) reminds us that violence includes physical or mental injury, abuse, neglect, negligent treatment, exploitation and sexual abuse.
Sometimes the impact of violence is seen in:
✔️ Fear
✔️ Withdrawal
✔️ Aggression
✔️ Difficulty trusting adults
✔️ Changes in behaviour or functioning
⚖️ A legislative reminder:
1️⃣Section 7(1)(l) of the Children’s Act reminds us that children must be protected from violence, including:
•being subjected to violence; and
•being exposed to violence towards another person.
2️⃣Section 7(1)(m) reminds us to consider the impact of family violence involving the child or a family member of the child.
💡 In child protection practice, we must ask:
What happened, what is the impact and what protection does the child need?




⚖️ Disclaimer:
This series reflects my professional opinion, experience, interpretation of legislation and research in child protection practice. Professional opinions may differ. The information shared is intended to encourage reflection, learning and discussion.

═══════════════════⚖️ CHILD PROTECTION WEEK SERIES | #1 VCANE in Practice ═══════════════════Ho...
29/05/2026

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⚖️ CHILD PROTECTION WEEK SERIES | #1 VCANE in Practice
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How confident are we in recognising the signs of:

✔️ Violence
✔️ Child abuse
✔️ Abuse indicators
✔️ Neglect
✔️ Exploitation

This Child Protection Week, we will unpack VCANE in Practice - a practical framework to help child protection practitioners recognise indicators, strengthen assessments and support defensible decision-making.

⚖️ Legislative reminder:
📚 Section 1 of the Children’s Act provides important definitions relating to abuse, neglect and exploitation.
📚 Section 110 reminds us of mandatory reporting duties relating to abuse and deliberate neglect as well as the child protection practitioners responsibilities.
📚 Regulation 35 guides reporting and child protection investigation processes.

💡 Child protection starts with observation, assessment, evidence and action.

🧐 Reflection question:
How confident are you in identifying:
✔️ Neglect?
✔️ Emotional abuse?
✔️ Physical abuse?
✔️ Sexual abuse?
✔️ Exploitation?

💬 This week we will unpack them together.

⚖️ Disclaimer:
This series reflects my professional opinion, experience, interpretation of legislation and research in child protection practice. Professional opinions may differ. The information shared is intended to encourage reflection, learning and discussion.



You don't need a grand gesture to change a child's day. 💚 Whether it's praising them for a job well done or helping them...
29/05/2026

You don't need a grand gesture to change a child's day. 💚 Whether it's praising them for a job well done or helping them navigate a tough decision, these small acts of kindness build a foundation of trust and security. Which one will you do today?

The playground has moved online, and so have the risks. 💻 With 70% of children browsing unsupervised, digital literacy f...
28/05/2026

The playground has moved online, and so have the risks. 💻 With 70% of children browsing unsupervised, digital literacy for parents is now a frontline defense in child protection.

We’re turning 6! 🥳 To celebrate six years of Child Protection in Action, we are giving away 6 FREE WORKSHOPS! 🎈How to En...
27/05/2026

We’re turning 6! 🥳 To celebrate six years of Child Protection in Action, we are giving away 6 FREE WORKSHOPS! 🎈

How to Enter:
Like our page 👍
Share this post 🔁
Tag 3 friends/colleagues in the comments 🏷️

It’s our way of saying thank you for your incredible dedication to the children and youth of South Africa.

📢 Winners Announced: 12 June 2026
📧 Enquiries: [email protected]

Good luck to all our "Heartful Helpers"!

⚖️ IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMNT FOR CHILD PROTECTION PRACTITIONERSLast night, while scrolling Facebook, I came across a very i...
26/05/2026

⚖️ IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMNT FOR CHILD PROTECTION PRACTITIONERS
Last night, while scrolling Facebook, I came across a very important article published in De Rebus of 2026, that I think child protection social workers, social auxiliary workers, CYCC practitioners and others involved in children’s court matters should take note of.
📌 New Children’s Courts Rules of South Africa, 2026 are now applicable.
These Rules were published in the Government Gazette on 27 February 2026 and came into operation on 27 March 2026.
The article explores practical issues relating to:
✔️ Child participation
✔️ Questioning techniques for children
✔️ Court proceedings
✔️ Urgent and ex parte applications
✔️ Judicial case management
✔️ Matters involving children in need of care and protection
✔️ Adoption proceedings and more.
I would strongly encourage practitioners to go and read the article:
“New Children’s Courts Rules: What practitioners need to know about child participation” published in De Rebus (May 2026 edition).
🔎 You can search for it on Google or on the De Rebus website.
💡 At a later stage, we can unpack some of these Rules together because I believe they are highly applicable to how we present matters before court and advocate for children.
👇 Have you had an opportunity to look at the new Rules yet?

⚖️ AGES IN THE CHILDREN’S ACT SERIESBefore we dive into the different ages mentioned in the Children’s Act, let us first...
26/05/2026

⚖️ AGES IN THE CHILDREN’S ACT SERIES

Before we dive into the different ages mentioned in the Children’s Act, let us first explore what age, maturity and stage of development mean. These concepts are mentioned repeatedly throughout the Act and play an important role in decision-making involving children.

📍 Slide 2A: Explores what age, maturity and stage of development mean.

📍 Slide 2B: Explores sections in the Children’s Act (Sections 1 – 61) where age, maturity and stage of development are mentioned.

📍 Slide 2C: Explores sections in the Children’s Act (Sections 136 – 234) where age, maturity and stage of development are mentioned.

Throughout the Children’s Act, these concepts appear repeatedly because children must be given opportunities to participate in ways that are appropriate to their age, maturity and stage of development.

One section that deserves a closer look is Section 31- Major decisions involving child.

Section 31 reminds us that before major decisions are made about a child, the child’s views must be considered.

This includes important matters such as:

✔️ Marriage
✔️ Adoption
✔️ Leaving the Republic
✔️ Passport applications
✔️ Guardianship and care arrangements
✔️ Education and health decisions
✔️ Living arrangements and personal relationships

Being heard is not based only on age. A child may be young but still able to express meaningful views. Another child may be older but still need support to understand implications.

👇 Reflective question for practitioners:
How do you assess and record a child’s maturity and stage of development in practice?

📌 Disclaimer: The purpose of this series is to unpack the Children’s Act and connect legislation to practice. The content reflects a practical interpretation to encourage discussion, reflection and defensible child protection practice.



In a field that deals with trauma, the small wins are actually the big ones. ✨ Did a child smile today? Did a placement ...
25/05/2026

In a field that deals with trauma, the small wins are actually the big ones. ✨ Did a child smile today? Did a placement finally come through? Drop a "win" in the comments and let’s celebrate the impact you’re making.

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Port Elizabeth

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Monday 09:00 - 17:00
Tuesday 09:00 - 17:00
Wednesday 09:00 - 17:00
Thursday 09:00 - 17:00
Friday 09:00 - 17:00
Saturday 09:00 - 13:00

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