Life in Our Safe House
Children often arrive at night, frightened, with only the clothes they are wearing. Bella, our safe house mother, and the team give them a warm bed, a full plate and an adult who stays. Some stay a weekend, others a few months.
Malachi has been a place of safety in Cape Town since 2005, and has cared for 173 children.
How a Place of Safety Works
What is a place of safety?
A place of safety is a home where a child can be placed temporarily when they are not safe at home, usually because of abuse, neglect or abandonment. In South Africa, children are placed there by a social worker, police official or children’s court while their situation is investigated and a long-term plan is made.
Who decides that a child goes to a place of safety?
A social worker or police official can remove a child who is in immediate danger. The case then goes to the children’s court, which decides where the child should live while the investigation continues.
How long do children stay in a place of safety?
Anything from a weekend to several months, depending on the investigation. At Malachi, some children return to family, some move to foster care and some are adopted.
What's the difference between a place of safety and foster care?
A place of safety is temporary care during an investigation. Foster care is longer-term care ordered by the children’s court. Malachi does both.
How are places of safety funded?
The government pays a safety grant of R33 per child per day, and the foster child grant is R1,290 a month. At Malachi it costs about R1,600 a day to run both homes, so donors cover most of it.
How You Can Help
Give Monthly
Steady monthly gifts cover groceries, school and care.
Donate Goods
Nappies, formula, food and toiletries, used every day.
Partner as a Company
Fund a costed project or volunteer as a team.