How to Qualify for SASSA Foster Child Grant

The SASSA Foster Child Grant is an initiative the South African government took to provide financial support to assist foster parents in providing for the needs of children in their care. A foster child is a child who has been placed in a foster parent’s custody by a court as a result of being orphaned, abandoned, at risk, abused, or neglected.

Aimed at ensuring the well-being and development of foster children, the SASSA Foster Child grant helps cover essential costs such as food, clothing, education, and healthcare. As a part of South Africa’s social welfare system, the SASSA Foster Child Grant plays a crucial role in alleviating poverty and promoting the stability and growth of children who, due to various circumstances are unable to remain with their biological families. By supporting foster families, SASSA enhances the quality of life for vulnerable children. However, applying for the SASSA Foster Child Grant is a long process and if you don’t know the right way to apply, your chances of getting this grant become low. Everything about the SASSA foster child grant is explained below.

Eligibility Criteria

To get the SASSA foster child grant, the applicants must fulfill the following eligibility criteria:

The applicant must be a South African citizen, permanent resident, or refugee.
The applicant and the foster child must live in South Africa.
The foster child must be younger than 18 years.
The foster child must be legally placed in the applicant’s care and must remain in the applicant’s care.

Documents Required

To apply for the SASSA Foster Child Grant, the applicants must have these required documents:

13 digit-bar-coded identity document.
Birth certificate of the child.
Status permit and refugee ID if the applicant is a refugee.
Birth certificate of the child/children, or their ID from their countries of origin.
A court order that proves that the child was placed in the applicant’s custody.
Proof of the applicant’s marital status.

Applying for the SASSA Foster Child Support Grant

Follow the step-by-step instructions given below to apply for the SASSA foster Child Grant:

Visit your nearest SASSA office with all the required documents.
Inform the SASSA representative there that you want to apply for the SASSA Foster Child Grant.
The SASSA representative will give you a form to fill out.
Fill out the form in the presence of a SASSA representative. Make sure to enter correct and updated information.
Submit the form to the SASSA representative and get your stamped receipt. Keep this receipt safe as it is your proof of application.

Application Processing Time

After you’ve submitted your application, SASSA will take its time to verify your details and other information you provided. It can take up to 90 days for the application process to complete. During this time, you should regularly perform an SASSA status check to update yourself about your application status.

Application Outcomes

After the application processing time is complete, SASSA will notify you about the outcomes. If your application is approved, you can start getting your grant payments from the day the court placed the child in your custody. However, you can appeal to SASSA for reconsideration if your application is rejected. You must appeal within 90 days after you were notified about your application rejection.

SASSA Foster Child Grant amount

After the approval of your application, you will get your grant payments on the day you apply. According to SASSA, the beneficiaries of the SASSA foster child support grant will get paid about R1,180 per month per child. The beneficiaries will get paid through their preferred method of payment which can be one of the following:

Collecting cash on a specific day from a specific pay point. You can use your SASSA card to collect the cash. However, if your SASSA card has expired, you need to undergo SASSA card renewal first.
Direct grant deposit into the beneficiary’s personal bank account. If your banking details have changed, you can change your banking details using the Moya App.
Through an institution(e.g. A welfare organization) acting as the administrator of the grant.

Review of SASSA Foster Child Grant

The SASSA reviews the grant-dispersed to beneficiaries of the SASSA foster child grant to ensure only the deserving and needy people get the grant and to minimize the possibility of fraudulent activity. The SASSA performs this review at the expiration of the court order issued to put the child into the beneficiary’s custody. Currently, the court order expires every two years.

SASSA beneficiaries are informed 3 months before the review occurs.

SASSA Foster Child Grant Suspension

Due to the following reasons, the SASSA Foster Child Grant may be suspended.

A change in beneficiary’s circumstances.
The outcome of a review by SASSA.
Lack of beneficiary’s cooperation during grant review.
Fraudulent or incorrect information was provided.
Accidentally approved grant by SASSA.

SASSA Foster Child Grant Lapse

There are many reasons why the SASSA foster child grant will lapse. These are :

Death of the child.
Death of the foster parent.
Admission of child to a state’s institution.
Unclaimed grant for three consecutive months.
Beneficiary’s absence from the country.
Losing custody of the foster child.
Losing the refugee status.

Difference between Foster Child Grant and Child Support Grant

The Foster Child Grant provides financial support to the foster parent for the care of a child, up to 21 years for those in secondary schooling or tertiary education, who are placed in his/her care by the court order issued by the Children’s Court. The objective of the grant is to ensure that the children who need care and protection are well taken care of by the State.

The Child Support Grant’s primary objective is to ensure that the primary caregivers of children, up to 18 years, living in extreme poverty can access financial assistance to supplement household income. Just over 13 million poor children receive the grant. The SASSA Child Support Grant is a poverty alleviation grant.

Things to Remember

The application form for the SASSA foster child grant is not available online. The applicants must visit their nearest SASSA office to apply for this grant.
There is no fee of any kind to apply for the SASSA foster child grant. The whole process is completely free.
If you can’t collect the grant money yourself, you can appoint a procurator at the SASSA office or give someone the power of attorney to collect the grant money on your behalf.
Before applying, make an appointment with a worker of the Department of Social Development. He will issue a court order confirming your custody of the child.
If you receive grant money through your bank account, a welfare institution, or a procurator, you need to fill out a life certificate every year at the SASSA office as proof that you’re alive.
Always keep SASSA informed about changes in your or the child’s personal and financial circumstances.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the SASSA Foster Child Grant plays a role in supporting the welfare of vulnerable children in South Africa. By providing financial assistance to foster parents, the grant ensures that these children receive essential care, including food, clothing, education, and healthcare. This support not only addresses the immediate needs of foster children but also contributes to their long-term well-being and development.

FAQs ( Frequently Asked Questions)

According to SASSA policy, the foster parents applying for the SASSA foster child grant get R1,180 each month.

To check your balance, Dial *120*69277# from your phone and follow the automated prompts, provide all your details, and you will soon receive your current grant balance details via SMS.

A foster parent has the right to make day-to-day decisions for the care and upbringing of the child including the right to consent to the surgery of the child in certain instances.

To qualify as a foster parent, you must be 18 years or older, fit, willing, and able to look after the child, and able to provide a favorable environment for the child’s growth and development.