'Social babies' placed in safe homes

Babies for whom a hospital room in the Katutura State Hospital was home for months were placed into safe homes this week.Six of the babies, the youngest of whom is one month old and which also include nine-month-old twins, were collected by Ronel Peters from Swakopmund’s Ruach Elohim Foundation and private social worker Catrien du Toit. The babies will now be showered with love and attention at their new coastal safe home. Rosalind Schlabitz from Hope for Life in Windhoek and the organisation&#039;s social worker Anel Putenson opened their hearts to another of the babies, who will now receive the care and nurturing that was withheld from them for months. Du Toit immediately responded to Namibia Media Holdings’ article about the so-called &#039;social babies&#039;, who have been living at the hospital for months without being transferred to safe homes, or put up for foster care or adoption. According to the Child Protection Act, a government hospital is considered a safe place for neglected and abused children, who are placed there by members of the Namibian Police. However, the babies may only spend a maximum of 48 hours there before they are transferred out. The latter is the duty of the social workers of the ministry of gender equality, poverty alleviation and social welfare. However, in the case of these babies, the social workers allegedly never responded to the health ministry’s plea that they should be removed from the hospital. Members of the public keen to get involved with Hope for Life or Ruach Elohim can WhatsApp Catrien at 081 449 4227.

'Social babies' placed in safe homes

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Namibian Sun 2026-06-12

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'Social babies' placed in safe homes

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Namibian Sun 2026-06-12

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