Childrens Commissioner WC

04/02/2026

Yesterday, the Commissioner joined Cape Talk radio host Clarence Ford to talk about last week’s unannounced visits to Early Child Development Centres and Child and Youth Care Centres within the Garden Route District Municipality. To listen to the interview, click on the link below:

https://www.primediaplus.com/childrens-commissioner-unannounced-ecd-visits-in-eden-karoo-district-municipality/





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29/01/2026

PRESS STATEMENT: Commissioner for Children, Sarah Roberts, conducts monitoring visits to child care service centres in the Eden Karoo District Municipality.

The Commissioner for Children, Sarah Roberts, is undertaking a series of unannounced monitoring visits at various Child and Youth Care Centres (CYCCs), Early Childhood Development (ECD) Centres, clinics, and schools within the Eden Karoo District Municipality, scheduled from January 26 to January 30, 2026.

23/01/2026

15/01/2026

Yesterday, the Childrens Commissioner WC had an informative and meaningful engagement with @ ChildSafe South Africa to discuss the WCCC mandate, the services offered by ChildSafe SA, and possible collaboration.

ChildSafe South Africa aims to reduce and prevent injuries to children through research, education, and advocacy. Children, especially those aged 0-6, are constantly at risk of sustaining injuries whether at home, in playgrounds, or on the road. These injuries can include burns, falls, drowning, and poisoning, many of which are preventable.

We would like to thank Zaitoon Rabaney, the Executive Director, and her team for their dedication to educating communities about these preventable injuries to children. The team conducted a demonstration on safety precautions at home that can help prevent injuries, highlighting common mistakes like leaving a hot iron or a burning candle unattended. These seemingly small errors can lead to devastating outcomes.

Child safety and injury prevention are collective responsibilities, and we urge parents and caregivers to actively ensure that children are kept safe from all forms of injury.

13/01/2026

Congratulations to the Grade 12 Class of 2025!!!

22/12/2025

26/11/2025

The Childrens Commissioner WC was recently interviewed on the Voice of the Cape radio station and Cape Talk Radio. During these discussions, she talked about her mandate functions, her priorities for the office, and her plans for the term. Click on the links below to listen to the interviews.

https://omny.fm/shows/mid-morning/new-western-cape-commissioner-for-children

https://vocfm.co.za/new-childrens-commissioner-outlines-priorities-as-south-africa-reflects-on-world-childrens-day/

https://echocast.fabrik.fm//B7VxzwXr83y957qQ

10/11/2025

We are pleased to share our latest learning brief on Secure Care Facilities in the Western Cape.

The Western Cape Commissioner for Children (WCCC) conducted monitoring visits to all secure care Child and Youth Care Centres (CYCCs) across the province between July and August 2024, following our 2023 baseline study on alternative care. These centres accommodate approximately 624 children each year, including children in conflict with the law and those in need of care and protection.

Our visits focused on:
✔️ Realisation of children’s rights
✔️ Quality of care and daily living
✔️ Infrastructure and facility environment
✔️ Programmes and support services offered

This learning brief highlights children’s lived experiences in these facilities and offers recommendations to strengthen care, safety, and rights protection.

Click on the link below to read the full learning brief.

https://www.westerncape.gov.za/childrens-commissioner/resources

05/11/2025

Yesterday, the Childrens Commissioner WC and her team had the honour to attend the launch of the South African Child Gauge 2025. The report provides critical evidence on the state of children in South Africa and highlights priority areas requiring collective action. The focus of this year's edition is the intersections of violence against women and children.

We welcome this year’s findings and will integrate the insights into our ongoing work to monitor, promote, and protect children’s rights in the Western Cape. Collaboration across sectors remains essential to ensuring that all children are able to survive, develop, and thrive.

We commend the Children's Institute, University of Cape Town and its partners who contributed to this important publication.

03/11/2025

And just like that, it has been a month since I became the Western Cape Commissioner for Children.

The first month has been busy between office admin and getting to know the different departments, attending workshops and planning for the next twelve months.

Building relationships between my office and all stakeholders is very important to me, and I had the opportunity to attend workshops and community-based meetings, which gave me some insight into the lives of the children in our province. We attended workshops by The Brave Movement, Planet Youth and Gender Norms research Validation Workshop. Although all these workshops provide valuable data, one must always remember, as one speaker said: "Behind every data point is a beating heart"

In the next month or two, I will do unannounced visits to various Child and Youth Care Centres around the Western Cape and will continue to engage with community-based teams.





fans

23/10/2025

PUBLIC STATEMENT: Childrens Commissioner WC Sarah Roberts speaks on violence against children.

06/10/2025

We’re excited to introduce our new series, Children’s Rights Unpacked! This child-friendly educational series explores the rights of children in an easy-to-understand way. Join our Child Government Monitors as they break down the articles of the UNCRC, focusing on protection, provision, and participation rights.

Click the link below to watch the first episode.

https://youtu.be/VQxebMNh9PE?si=Gxl7lBNhq2um__b0