In accordance with the Children’s Act, the courts place children, in need of care and safety, in child and youth care centers such as the Durbanville Children’s Home. The Durbanville Children’s Home is a South African non-profit organisation and is a service of BADISA (NPO 011-891) a church-based, non-governmental welfare organisation. Majority of the children in our care are not orphans and are in contact with their parents or other family members.
Durbanville Children’s Home does not facilitate adoptions. However, Magdalena Huis, another BADISA programme based in Boston, could assist prospective parents with adoptions and can be contacted on 021 948 3637 or 021 949 1656.
Durbanville Children’s Home does not facilitate foster care placements. In order to gain more information about foster care placements, kindly contact:
The Department of Social Development – 021 940 7100
The ACVV Head Office (Zonnebloem) – 021 461 7437
Child Welfare – 021 638 3127
Durbanville Children’s Home is very grateful for interest from students and schools and their enthusiasm to become involved with the Home. However, unfortunately there is limited space available at the Home each term. Therefore students are allowed on a “first come, first served” basis. Students who cannot be accommodated at Durbanville Children’s Home are referred elsewhere. Students are also welcome and encouraged to attend information sessions held at the Home in order to obtain information for projects. See details of information sessions below.
To become a volunteer at Durbanville Children’s Home, interested parties need to attend a compulsory information session held at the Home. This is the first step to becoming a volunteer and all are welcome at the sessions without prior confirmation.
Information Session dates for 2025;
Durbanville Children’s Home cares for all children in need, irrespective of their religious backgrounds.
Orphaned and abandoned children in South Africa are placed with the organisation that best meets the needs of each child. This is determined by the Children’s Court.
Provision is made in the Children’s Act for young people to obtain permission from the Department of Social Development to remain in the Children’s Home until the end of the year in which they turn 21 if the continued stay in the Children’s Home is necessary to enable that person to complete his or her education or training.
Not only do all facilities at Durbanville Children’s Home meet the minimum requirements stipulated in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, but staff at the Home also believes in offering children every opportunity to reach their full potential. In order to achieve this, only the best quality is offered in all aspects ranging from accommodation to education. As a result, children from Durbanville Children’s Home have even represented South Africa in several different disciplines.
Durbanville Children’s Home does receive a government subsidy per capita. In order to receive this subsidy, the Home has to draw up an annual service plan and achieve certain contractually agreed outcomes and outputs.
All of our Child Youth Care Worker’s are receiving the Further Education and Training (FET) Certificate in Child and Youth Care Work through collaborating with NACOSA, an accredited service provider.
Durbanville Children’s Home does not, and is not allowed to, test children for AIDS before they are accepted into the Home. Once the Home has become the child’s legal guardian, testing is only done if symptoms are displayed in order to give the child access to the best possible medical treatment. As a preventative measure, caregivers are trained to treat all children in the same way from the beginning of their stay. An example is the use of gloves at all times when treating wounds. This eliminates any noticeable differences should a child have a positive AIDS diagnosis.
Durbanville Children’s Home operates a range of family strengthening programmes based on the principles of family development planning.
Due to child protection and safety, no “walk-in” visitors are allowed. The Children’s Home holds information sessions where we provide overall information about our home, its history, and the services we offer. Additionally, we host other events throughout the year, such as Open Days and our Annual General Meeting. Please keep an eye on our Facebook/Instagram/LinkedIn pages for notifications about these events. If you would like to arrange a meeting and a tour of our home for fundraising and marketing opportunities, please contact our Marketing and Fundraising Manager at dch@dchome.org.za. For companies interested in getting involved as part of their Corporate social investment (CSI) programme, kindly contact dch@dchome.org.za. If you are an organisation or company wishing to present fun activities for our children, please book an appointment with our programme coordinator at cycw@dchome.org.za. For general volunteering opportunities or if you are a student needing to complete projects, contact volunteer@dchome.org.za.
Thank you for understanding the importance of protecting our children’s privacy and safety at all times.
Children at Durbanville Children’s Home always need caring individuals to share the responsibility for their well-being now and in future. All contributions make it possible for the Home to help and educate children to help themselves in the future, instead of leaving them to their own devices and a life of hopelessness and poverty. Contributions can be made in any of the following ways:
Monthly contributions through the Sponsor a Child project
Supporting one or more of our events
Assisting with our campaigns
Sponsorship of a specific project
Financial donations
Bequests and legacies
