The objects of the Children’s Act include the following:

1. To promote the preservation and strengthening of families.
2. To give effect to the full constitutional rights of children which include:

2.1   Family care or parental care or appropriate alternative care if so indicated.

2.2   Protection for maltreatment, neglect, abuse or degradation.

2.3   That the best interests of the child are of paramount importance in every matter concerning the child.

1. To make provision for structure and services for promoting and monitoring the sound physical, psychological, intellectual, emotional and social development of children.
2. To strengthen and develop community structures which can assist in promoting the care and protection for children.
3. To provide care and protection for children who are in need of care and protection.
4. To recognise the special needs that children with disabilities may have.

In order to meet the object as outlined in the Children’s Act, we at Jewish Community Services focus on early intervention services to vulnerable children and their parents in an attempt to prevent statutory intervention and the removal of vulnerable children.  We always consider that which serves the best interest of the child/children concerned. However, there are times when after careful assessment of the child’s circumstances and care, and consideration of the risk factors that negatively impact on the child’s well-being, safety and security, that statutory intervention needs to be instituted.  Statutory intervention could involve the opening of a Children’s Court Inquiry proceedings to enable the designated social worker to investigate the situation when the parents are uncooperative. This does not necessary indicate the removal of the child/ children concerned from his/her parental care. There are occasions when the risk to the child concerned is so great, that the statutory removal to a place of safety is indicated pending further investigation and finalisation of the Children’s Court Inquiry proceedings.

The Children’s Act makes provision for any person concerned about a child’s well-being to approach the Children’s Court by completing the necessary documentation. The aim of the latter is for the Presiding Officer to provide guidance and direction and if so indicated, in the child’s best interest refer the matter to our office to conduct the prescribed investigation.

It must be noted that in some incidences pressure is put on this organisation to remove children from their parental care. This organisation, at all times aims to preserve family life.

There are parents in the community who have being caring for their family member. These parents are themselves now aging and unable to provide the necessary resources (emotional, social and financial) that are required to keep the family member stable and safe. There are adult children who have been raised by a parent that has a personality disorder diagnosis and are caring for this parent.

Caring for a person living with a psychiatric diagnosis can be incredibly draining on emotional and financial resources and little left over for caring for themselves. A support group for these family members aims to provide some support but also a space to share knowledge of the various illnesses and coping skills.

Should you wish to join such a group, contact Cheryl Neeson at Jewish Community Services on 021 462 5520 or email cheryl@jcs.org.za

VOLUNTEERS AT JEWISH COMMUNITY SERVICES

Jewish Community Services (JCS) renders a diverse range of social work services to the Cape Town Jewish Community. In an attempt to adequately address the needs of the community, the services of volunteers are required. Volunteers for JCS can become involved in a number of projects.

There is a Craft/Art Group for JCS clients, as a means to create a stimulating environment that will promote the mental health of its members by social interaction with others and the exploration of their creative talents. Since March 2010, the group has grown from strength to strength. The Craft/Art group is looking for volunteers who can be involved in various capacities such as general project management and development, shopping for materials, lifting and development of the project to include outings to art exhibitions, organising exhibitions, fund raising etc.

The group is dependent on the donations of materials including paints, canvases, beading materials, stencils, paintbrushes, monetary donations are welcomed. If you have a skill in any of the arts/crafts and are willing to share your skill with the members of the group, your talents will be welcomed.  The members are eager to learn new crafts. The group runs once weekly for 2 hours from the JCS Cottages.

Tikvah packs and delivers fresh fruit and vegetables to members of the community who are less fortunate. While there are adequate volunteers for packing, some of them JCS clients wishing to give back, there is an on going need for drivers to deliver these boxes twice a month to the various areas the beneficiaries live in.

Volunteer drivers are also needed to assist with clients getting to appointments with mental health and medical professionals, doing shopping and lifts to state health facilities.

Should any of the above interest you and you are available to assist or wish to make a donation of craft materials, contact Cheryl Neeson at 021 462 5520.

Hymie Becker and Dave Jaffe

Dave and Eve Jaffe (front) Benny Katzenberg and Mike Joffe ( standing at the back)

“A day in the life of a social worker at JCS”

6.45am – Social worker receives a call from a client who needs to be seen by her GP today – check diary – advise client social worker will be available after 4.00pm to take client to GP

6.50am – Social worker leaves home to fetch client in Sea Point to be at Dept of Social Development by 7.30am to apply for disability grant

7.30am – Arrive at Department of Social Development – number 21 in the queue

10.00am – Still waiting to be attended – social worker realizes that naively miscalculated time schedule for the day – sent BBM to social work manager advising that running late for supervision at 10.30am

11.05 – Leave Department, drop client off at home – head back to the office –

11.18 Arrive back at the office – reschedule supervision for tomorrow -  sift through telephone messages – some urgent, others very urgent and one extremely urgent – social worker manages to return 2 calls before office interview with new client at 11.30am

11.30am – Initial interview with new client – a full assessment of client’s needs required

12.30pm – Interview terminated – social worker receives more telephone messages that need to be returned – social worker manages to deal with another 3 messages before having to leave the office for a 1.30pm home visit in the Southern Suburbs (the rest of the messages are returned while driving – hands free J)

1.35pm Social worker arrives at client – spends 50 minutes with client

2.30pm – Social worker on the road again to visit a client in hospital

3.35pm – Social worker arrives back at the office – reads and replies to emails – pick up more telephone message – leaves to fetch client for GP appointment

4.00pm – Fetches client for 4.15pm appointment with GP

4.25pm – Client seen by GP who advises social worker that client needs to be taken to hospital as a matter of urgency – GP has already confirmed that a bed is available and that cardiologist is on standby

4.35pm – Social worker and client on way to hospital – social worker escorts client to ward – nursing staff take over so that social worker can have client admitted.

4.52pm – Social worker returns to ward to be advised by cardiologist client is “having a heart attack” – client prepped for surgery – social worker advised that client will be in theatre for about an hour – giving social worker enough to go to client’s flat to collect toiletries, sleepwear etc.

5.35pm – Social worker arrives back at the hospital – client still in surgery – gives social worker opportunity to advise client’s “out of town” family re client’s situation

6.10pm – Client out of theatre – stable – social worker spends some time with client and has opportunity to speak to surgeon to receive feedback.

6.30pm – Social worker leaves client – social worker emails to cancel client’s meals on wheels for the next few days (thank goodness for Blackberry)

6.52pm – Social worker arrives home – social worker receives warm welcome from two four-legged furry children – thank goodness for left overs in the fridge – family fed – social worker showers and collapses into bed – and its only MONDAY

PESACH / PASSOVER

 Pesach at JCS office’s

Every Pesach the Union of Orthodox Synagogues raises funds by means of the Maot Chittim / Matzo Appeal to assist the less fortunate members of our community during this time.  Jewish Community Services, in conjunction with Pick ‘n Pay, make up and distribute gifts in the form of food parcels to single people or families.

We are extremely grateful to the schools that have kindly collected boxes of matzos and donated these to JCS.  The matzos are distributed in addition to the food parcels.

JCS also undertakes to distribute matzos to all the organisations, viz., Highlands House, Oranjia, Glendale and Astra. We also supply matzos to institutions such as Valkenberg, Alexandra and Stikland, if required.

We would like to thank each and every participant in this project for their generosity and wish you all Chag Kasher V’Sameach.

Click on this link to view the prices.  To view the catalogue, click on “Download Astra Catalogue” on the left hand side of Astra’s home page

Please visit our store for bargains galore! You never know what you may find.

Our volunteers at Bargains Galore doing a splendid job.

Donations welcome!  We accept any kind of household goods at our shop. If you can’t deliver, we can collect.

Call Ethne at our office 0214625520 or the shop 0214347142

Robbie Katz & Jessie Zinn

SJC is the acronym for ‘Students for Jewish Care’, a new committee formed by two members of the Student Council, Robbie Katz and JessieZinn.

The aim of the committee is to encourage learners to be involved in aspects of Jewish Community life. Currently there is one project being implemented, 10-12 learners set off every Thursday at 2^ndbreak to Highlands House for forty five minutes. The purpose is to sit and converse with residents and chat to them about whatever they like. The students bring with them ‘Shabbat Packs’ (muffin, juice, biscuits and a card for Shabbat) to distribute.

The Herzlia Ambassadors have a meeting on a Thursday at first break to organise the visit for that week. The conversation with residents lasts about 10-15 minutes and they talk about what they have experienced on a daily basis and snippets from their lives. The topic often turns to their grandchildren, and usually they have some connection with Herzlia children. Jessie highlighted the fact that often their grandchildren are in other countries so it really serves the purpose of intervening in their isolation and loneliness. It is also great for learners who have grandparents elsewhere. The residents also talk about what their accomplishments have been during their lives. Generally the conversation is about everyday matters.

At present 15 learners are committed to SJC and the students themselves fund the packs that they make. On Chagim the students also make Chagim packs E.G. Purim, they made biscuits and added some goodies.

Depending on school schedules and exams of course, this programme runs effectively and routinely.

The students have a list of names according to the ‘floors’ at Highland House. The students are going via the floor system in terms of reaching all residents, as Herzlia students do not want to miss out on anyone.

When interviewed Robbie and Jessie expressed that they really enjoy their visits and that their intention is to spread out to the other welfare organisations as well. There is the intention of extending the visits to Sundays which gives more time to the project and this attracts students as it contributes to their community service hours for grades 10 and12.

If any readers are interested in contributing towards these ‘packs’ that would be greatly appreciated as currently students are spending (all together) about R200.00 a week from their own pockets.

We are all excited and in agreement that the SJC Committee will attend this year’s AGM in September and do a presentation on the SJC’s work throughout the year. Well done Herzlia students, we appreciate your work!