By early 2007, 200 social workers were providing support to PAFs and SAFs, including the regular monitoring
of the child’s health and social development. Ongoing training has been provided for social workers
every three months, with the support of UNICEF and the Hopes and Homes NGO. Training has covered
issues such as recognizing signs of potential abuse, undertaking assessments of potential alternative families
and family hygiene. In addition social workers continue to meet every week, to share experiences and
learn from one another. New and existing social workers train together, establishing a system of coaching
and mentoring within the team. Importantly, much of the training has also been opened up to adopting families
as well, including issues such as hygiene and nutrition education, legal issues related to adopted children,
and the respective roles of alternate families and social services in relation to the child.
One further development has been the establishment of regular funds for each alternative family, totalling
approximately US$100 per month, in addition to provision of health insurance for all children in the family.
In addition, all school fees for adopted children are met by the state. This addressed one concern often
raised by prospective adoptive families during the 2003 research, which underlined that the financial costs
of adoption were a potential obstacle.
Changes in attitudes, procedures and laws relating to abandonment of babies and children