Foster Care Grant – Eligibility & Application Guide

A Foster care grant is provided to fulfill the needs of a child who is in the custody of a foster parent. A foster parent is a person who is not a guardian or a parent of a child but temporarily takes care of a child and is appointed by a valid court and child protection organization. This grant aims to fulfill the needs of the foster child. In this article, I will explain the criteria, application procedure, process time, and more.

Who Can Be a Foster Child?

A foster child is a child under 18 years placed in the care of a foster parent due to these reasons:

A foster child can be orphaned and not have any source of money.
The child is abandoned or neglected by the parents.
A child’s life is at risk if he returns to the parents or caretaker.
A child who is degraded and abused by the caretaker or the parents.

Are You Qualified as a Foster Parent?

You can be a foster parent if you meet the following criteria set by the SASSA. The requirements are:

You are 18 or above.
Willing to take care of the foster child.
You can provide a better environment for the child.
You are physically and mentally fit.

Who is eligible for the Foster Care Grant?

If you are appointed as a foster parent of a child and you need financial assistance from the SASSA to take care of the needs of the child, then you must fulfill this criteria:

You are a South African national, refugee, or permanent citizen.
Your foster child is younger than 18 years and in need of proper care.
The foster child and you are living in South Africa.
You are a legal foster parent of a child appointed by the child court or a child protection organization.

Note: As there is no particular mean test for the foster grant in aid; However, SASSA will examine the financial status of your foster child to verify whether your child needs the grant or not.

Documents Required for the Foster Care Grant

When you are applying for the care grant then, you must have the following documents for the application procedure:

You should have a 13-digit unique ID card. And If you do not have a 13-digit ID card, then:
An affidavit was completed in front of an Oaths commissioner. And the Oaths commissioner is not associated with the SASSA.
A sworn statement that verifies your age and name is signed by a reputable person, for example, a principal, leader, commissioner, etc.
The SASSA officer will collect your fingermarks, and then you will be referred to the ” Department of Home Affairs ” where you can apply for the ID card. The grant will be suspended if you fail to get an ID card.
The department will issue a temporary ID card, which will be necessary for the grant application.

A child birth certificate is needed. If you do not have a birth certificate, you can provide SASSA an affidavit or a sworn statement.
Legal court orders that show they appointed you as a foster parent.
You must have a child school certificate(if applicable).
Bring the documents that will show your marital status.
If you have a spouse, then you must have a wedding license.
In case of divorce, show the divorce decree.
If your spouse died, then bring the death certificate of your spouse.

What if You Do Not Have a Court Order Regarding Foster Care?

If you do not have the legal orders for your appointment as a foster parent, then set a meeting with any social worker associated with ” The Department of Social Developments ” before applying for the grant. They will help you in obtaining legal court orders.

Application Procedure for the Care Grant

Firstly, go to the nearest SASSA office. The SASSA officer will provide you with an application form. Fill out this form in front of an official. Hook up the documents we have discussed above with the application form. Now, apply for the grant with the attached documents to the SASSA officer. In return, he will give you a receipt with his name written on it. You must keep this receipt safe as evidence that you have submitted the application to the SASSA office. The receipt could be required later.

Processing Time for the Foster Care Grant Application

SASSA will take up to 3 months to process your application. The application processing time can vary by the number of applications from the day you applied for a care grant. If your application is accepted, you will receive the payment from the day the court appoints you as a foster parent for a child.

What if Your Application is Rejected?

The SASSA will send you a written letter explaining why you are not eligible for this grant. If you are unsatisfied with the explanation, you can appeal to the “Minister of Social Development” at the “Department of Social Development” within 90 days.

Foster Care Grant Amount

You will receive a total of R1180.

Grant Review

The review is conducted after every 2 years when the court orders expire. The SASSA will review your application to verify that you are still meeting the requirements for the grant.

They will confirm that you are still alive and whether your circumstances have changed.

SASSA will send a notification almost 3 months before the review detailing the time and the place where the review will be conducted. If you are confined to the bed, then the SASSA team will visit your house for the review.

Payment Methods for the Care Grant

There are several methods to receive the grant payment from SASSA. These methods are:

You will receive a payment in your bank account.
Besides the bank account, you can receive the payment in the postbank account.
From specific institutes, such as welfare institutes.
You can receive the payment from the SASSA partners.

Reasons for the Suspension of the Grant

There can be various reasons for the suspension of your grant. Some of these are:

Your financial condition changes.
You did not cooperate with the team during the review.
It could be a consequence of the review.
You provided the fake information in the application.
There might be an error while selecting your application.
If you did not claim grant money for straight 3 months.
You are out of the country for more than 90 days.

Restoration of Your Care Grant

If you do not agree with the suspension of the grant, then you can appeal to the “Ministry of Social Development” at the “Department of Social Development” in the 90 days from the suspension of your grant.

Reasons for the Grant Lapsing

There could be many reasons for the lapsing of your grant. Some of these reasons are:

If your foster child dies.
If you died.
Your foster child has turned 18 years old. Please note if your foster child is still going to school after 18, then the grant will extended up to 21 years of age.
If your foster child is taken out of your care.
Your foster child is admitted to a state institution for care.

Conclusion

In this article, we have discussed the application procedure, required documentation, processing time, etc. If you are taking care of a foster child and are eligible for the grant, apply for this care grant to receive financial assistance from the SASSA.