First baby safe in Phoenix

IN a bid to address the scourge of abandoned babies, Phoenix Child Welfare has opened the community’s first baby safe at the Phoenix Children’s Home in Northcroft.

This comes at a time when South Africa is commemorating Child Protection Week, which started on Monday.

Aroona Chetty, the director of the welfare organisation, said since 2020 more than 117 babies had been abandoned in the country.

“The babies were left on the roadside, in bins, refuse dumps, drains and bushes and some still had their umbilical cords attached.

“In many cases, the babies do not survive. The reasons for abandoning a newborn could be that the parents face difficult and desperate circumstances and find that they are unwilling, ready or able to raise a newborn,” said Chetty.

She said areas like Phoenix, Mount Moriah, Mount Royal, Verulam and Tongaat contributed to the national statistics.

Chetty said that about four months ago, a couple heard a baby crying near a fence across the Phoenix Highway. The baby was wrapped in a blanket and emergency services were notified. The child was then taken to hospital. Chetty said the baby safe was created so that incidents like this never happen.

“That baby is with us now at the children’s home. We are processing paperwork to enable the baby to get adopted. We anticipate the baby will soon be placed into the care of a loving family.”

She said the baby safe was initially sponsored through a partnership with the Mercury newspaper and the Sibaya Community Trust in 2019 but was officially launched with the children’s home this month.

Chetty said the baby safe had now been installed on the boundary wall of the nursery within the children’s home complex.

“This is a first for the Phoenix area and hopefully this will increase the mortality rate of our babies. This gives parents a safe and anonymous way to give up their newborns without fear of arrest and knowing that their babies will be cared for. The baby safe is easy to use and protects both the parents and the baby.” She described the safe as a baby box. “There is a blanket placed inside. There are two openings, one for the baby to be placed in at the front and one at the back. Once the baby is placed in the safe, three alert signals are sent out, one of which is to the house mother. The baby will be taken out of the baby safe and moved to a fully-equipped baby nursery within minutes. The baby will also undergo a full medical check-up and the necessary legal procedures are taken.”

Chetty said the baby would then be taken to the children’s home and placed under the care of the house mother.

Two years after phase one of the home was launched, Phoenix Child Welfare embarked on Phase 2, a project to increase the home’s capacity by erecting a double-storey building on the property.

Phase 2 was funded by the Sibaya Community Trust, spearheaded by businessman Vivian Reddy. It cost R1.25 million. “We have two cottages with eight children at the moment, two of which are for babies. The home is able to accommodate up to 24 children at a time. For the Phase 2 extension, the Sibiya Community Trust funded us to accommodate more children. We also have a staff complement of 35.”

Chetty said the welfare organisation not only catered to the Phoenix area but also to Mount Moriah and Mount Royal.

“Child protection is our core function so we also remove children from unsafe homes. Once we remove children, we place them in our home and try to find homes within the community for them.”

Chetty said she has had many successful adoptions. “We placed one of our boys with a couple in Port Elizabeth and he is doing well. We placed another boy with a couple in Johannesburg and they have now moved overseas.

“At the end of the day, all we want is for children to be brought up in happy, loving homes. The most important thing a child needs is love and care.”

She said the organisation was in need of foster parents. “Foster parents would be for interim care once we remove a child. The government would provide a grant during the time the child is in your care.”

Action Society, a civil rights body, said it was important to highlight the need for child safety during Child Protection Week. Kaylynn Palm, Action Society’s action centre co-ordinator, said: “Children’s rights are being violated daily. We cannot and will not accept such high levels of violence and crime against children.”

According to the government website www.gov.za, it is the responsibility of all South Africans to ensure children are protected. “It is in our hands to stop the cycle of neglect, abuse, violence and exploitation of children.”