Who We Are
Ethelbert Child & Youth Care Centre (CYCC) is a registered non-profit and public benefits organisation (NPO & PBO) specialising in the full-time care, rehabilitation and support of vulnerable, abandoned and abused children within Kwa-Zulu Natal. As a residential place of safety, Ethelbert CYCC supports 65 beneficiaries aged 18 months to 18 years. All beneficiaries are placed in our care following a rigorous investigative process undertaken by the Department of Social Development, Department of Justice and social welfare placement agencies.
Established in 1907, Ethelbert CYCC was a memorial initiative of the Corbishley family following their son’s tragic drowning. Through the assistance of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa, the Centre was built and has been servicing the greater community for over 100 years.
What We Do
The integral and most valuable objective of our work is to reunite beneficiaries with their rehabilitated parents or families. However, not all beneficiaries are able to return to their families and therefore remain in our care. It is at this juncture that our foster programme is critical in affording our children the familial experiences that they long for. Until reunification takes place, Ethelbert CYCC’s aim is ensuring all of our beneficiaries’ fundamental needs and rights are met.
These include:
- A safe environment free of prejudice;
- A balanced and nutritious diet;
- Education through affiliation with local primary; secondary and tertiary learning institutions incl. after school programming;
- Freedom of speech where each beneficiary is provided with a forum to express themselves without judgement;
- Psychosocial support through individual and group sessions with a Centre-based Social Worker;
- Familial love and structure through qualified Child Care Workers who serve as custodians for beneficiaries, providing day to day care and emotional support;
- Spiritual guidance and upliftment.
A Holistic Approach to Child Care
“A child typically finds themself simultaneously enmeshed in different ecosystems, from the most intimate home ecological system moving outward to the larger school system and the most expansive system which is society and culture. Each of these systems inevitably interacts with and influence each other in every aspect of the child’s life.”
– BRONFENBRENNER ECOLOGICAL THEORY
A Holistic Approach to Child Care
“A child typically finds themself simultaneously enmeshed in different ecosystems, from the most intimate home ecological system moving outward to the larger school system and the most expansive system which is society and culture. Each of these systems inevitably interacts with and influence each other in every aspect of the child’s life.”
– BRONFENBRENNER ECOLOGICAL THEORY
our main goals
To render a high-quality comprehensive package of residential Child Care services that promote optimal rehabilitative and growth outcomes.
These include:
- Creating a safe and therapeutic familial environment;
- Ensuring educational needs of children are met through admission into mainstream schools, remedial or specialized teaching for children with learning disabilities;
- Early Childhood Development programming for children aged 2-5 years.
- Recreational, life-skills and extra-curricular programming.
- Spiritual Development of children
- Collaborative efforts with placement agencies for reunification of families including Department of Social Development;
- Host- and foster-parent recruitment, training and support;
- Making optimal use of qualified personnel and dedicated volunteers;
- Establishing partnerships with the corporate sector, like-minded organisations and government departments;
- Implementing healthy business principles to ensure quality service.
