Questionable Correction: Independent Oversight of Child & Youth Care Centres in South Africa

There have been various reports pointing to a lack of independent oversight and monitoring of child and youth care centres (CYCCs) in South Africa. This Policy Brief draws on evidence from two examples in order to highlight a number of concerns. These concerns include the findings that, in both cases, the children concerned were found to be living in alarming conditions and had received no education or developmental input, and that staff were not interested in caring for the children. Various other violations of the South African legislative framework also came to light. In view of the aforegoing, it is clear that there are a number of deficiencies in the current oversight model. There is thus a considerable need for a truly independent oversight mechanism so as to comply with the mandates formulated in terms of both international and local law. In this Policy Brief, the recommendations made include suggestions as to how such a framework might be implemented going forward. Moreover, the Policy Brief presents a summary of the more detailed findings set out in the related Research Paper with the same title.