Sustainability

As a registered Child and Youth Care Centre, Kids Haven qualifies for a grant from the Department of Social Development. The grant provides core funding for residential beneficiaries (In-Care only) with a top-up payment for two social workers and one auxiliary social worker.  

Kids Haven does not receive State grant income for Pre-Care or After-Care activities.  These must be fully funded by donor income.

In addition, Kids Haven relies on donor funding to meet the real costs of caring for children and providing everything that they need while In-Care.

• Kids Haven is registered for 172 children with the State providing a monthly per child grant for their care and rehabilitation.  The value of the grant changes annually and is usually increased by 6%.  
• The State grant covers 66% of the cost of INCARE only.  The State does not support any community work or the Aftercare programme.
• Donors, including individuals, close the gap and ensure Kids Haven has the income to deliver quality care throughout the year. 

Grant and donor income is necessary to address the funding gap, and enables Kids Haven to achieve the following standards:

• A ratio of 1:30 children to a social worker, versus the 1:60 ratio as funded by the Department;
• A social worker for the community work;
• A team of community workers to provide support to families in and around Benoni and to deliver capacity building training programmes or provide resources like food parcels;
• Kids Haven can run the In-house Bridging School Programme to stabilise children, which facilitates their placement in the formal school system;
• Kids Haven can enrol children into the most suitable formal school, cover transport to and from school, and provide uniforms and resources for school; and
• Maintain contact and support for children and youth who have left Kids Haven incare through the Kids Haven Aftercare programme – focused on securing decent work for youth.