to Children’s Court in terms of Sec 53 of the Children’s Act – this form must include details of the child, details of the person lodging the matter and details of the nature of the matter, plus any supporting affidavits or documentary evidence. 1. 2. 3. an assessment of the developmental and other needs of the child; a family assessment including details of any efforts for family tracing or family reunification that have been considered or attempted; and a permanency plan that is aimed at securing stability in the child’s life. Children’s Court inquiry: Section 150 of the Children’s Act lists various categories of children who may be identified as children “in need of care and protection”. The list includes orphaned and abandoned children, children who are homeless, children exposed to maltreatment or abuse, or children in a state of physical or mental neglect. The documentation of a child is critical to their development and stability and therefore the designated social worker must also consider any need for documentation or legal status for the child in the report. This includes: 1. 2. Unaccompanied and separated migrant children may be considered children in need of care and protection mainly because they are not in the care of parents or legal guardians and are therefore vulnerable to maltreatment or abuse. To secure the safety and well-being of children identified as children in need of care and protection, they must be referred for a Children’s Court inquiry through the DSD or a CPO. The report of the designated social worker must include: 32 | 3. birth registration of an orphaned or abandoned child; application for refugee status for an asylum seeker migrant child who is unaccompanied or separated; or application for immigration status for a migrant child who is not an asylum seeker. The Children’s Court order provides the child with safety and ability to access basic rights such as basic education, shelter and healthcare but it does not confer legal status. As such, it is important that any documentation or legal status issues are resolved before the child turns 18 years old and loses the protection of the Children’s Court. Stakeholder Referral Protocol