Findings on "House on the Rock"

Delivering findings of the Portfolio Committee on Social Development on allegations of sexual abuse against vulnerable children in the care of the "House on the Rock", Honourable Xoliswa Tom, Chaiperson of the Portfolio Committee on Social Development recommended that "Social Development intensify its monitoring and evaluation processes with all departmentally-funded social needs institutions."

Responding to allegations published on the media earlier this year on mismanagement and gross violation of children's rights at the House on the Rock, Social Development Portfolio Committee instituted an investigation on the Social Development's project for vulnerable and HIV affected children.

In a report tabled to today's seating of the Provincial Parliament at the Good News Christian Center , Honourable Tom revealed that:

• There was a lack of effective communication between the Department of Social Development and the House on the Rock institution.
• No monitoring and evaluation was done by the Department on the operations of the institution and therefore the Department could not account for the use of public funds transferred to the institution.
• Parents were not allowed to visit their children, despite some having to travel long distances to reach the House on the Rock.
• Some children's names were changed to English names and children were not allowed to speak their own language, which is isiXhosa.
• Staff working conditions were not satisfactory and in some instances reached demeaning levels. Conditions of service for staff members were not in line with legally accepted standards.
• There was no information pointing to conclusive investigations having been conducted on children who had allegedly been involved in sexual and other types of assault.

Against the above findings Honourable Tom reported that the Committee recommends that:

• Social Development must intensify and document communication with the House on the Rock. It is believed that this will enable early detection and rapid response to instances of malpractice and poor administration.
• The Department must institute guidelines for good governance and also enhance monitoring and evaluation processes with all departmentally-funded institutions.  These should take into account the legislative framework governing the rights of children and socio-economic aspects impacting on relatives/ parents of the children in the institution's care. 
• All children should be properly registered with House on the Rock in their own original names. The Department must also ensure that all children with names that were changed are given back their names and called by them on a regular basis.
• Relevant stakeholders, such as the Department of Labour, must be engaged to determine the current state of the conditions of service of staff at House on the Rock.

Parliament resolved that Social Development must report within 30 days on the implementation of the Committee resolutions.

FACT SHEET ON THE HOUSE ON THE ROCK

• The "House on the Rock" project started looking after generally disadvantaged children who did not fit in the community and were in need of care and safety. With the growing challenge of HIV/ AIDS confronting society, the project was extended to care for children infected with HIV and children with disabilities.

• In September 2003, Social Development registered the institution as a Children's Home; however it reportedly did not enjoy sufficient financial support from the Department of Social Development. Thus depended on business donors for survival.

• Registered to accept 60, at the time of the visit by the Social Development Portfolio Committee, House on the Rock had 53 children with an allowance of R1 000 per child monthly. The latter had however, been increased to R1 500 per child.
• Children in the care of the House on the Rock were placed by various stakeholders such as the Child Protection Unit, social workers and the Children's Court.
• The youngest of the children (at the time of the Committee's visit) was 5 months old and the oldest, 14 years.
• All children in the care of the institution were black.
• Due to the management of the institution not being able to speak Xhosa, some of the children were given English names and some named after the people who found them.
• Since February this year the media, mostly Dispatch; published alarming allegations of child abuse, violation of employee rights and poor management of the institution

Other reports tabled by the Social Development Portfolio Committee were reports on the Petition by people of Nompumelelo Village as well as the report on allegations of poor service delivery and administrative support to social needs projects/ institutions funded by the Department of Social Development in Alfred Ndzo and OR Tambo Districts.  Please refer to the report attached herewith for more information.

THE END