Pitting Non-Relative Cluster Foster Care Placements Against the Best Interests of the Child

Abstract

Globally, regionally, nationally and locally, foster care placement remains a practice that is mired in controversy and complexity, specifically with regards to its implication upon the total wellbeing of the child and the effectiveness of such placement in meeting the best interest of the child. South Africa is regarded as the leading nation with the premier dominance of children in need of care and protection in Southern Africa and is regarded as a guru in championing and promoting child custody within foster care placements. Accordingly, this paper through a systematic review of literature pitted the perfidy and panacea of foster care against the best interest of the child in South Africa. The paper also recommends the child welfare system to contemplate promoting and advising immediate families to take the responsibility of caring and protecting those children in need of care and protection. Likewise, the paper also indorses the need to support and monitor the functioning of non-relative foster care placements so that they adhere to the requirements on the best interest of the child.

DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n14p554