Sep 19, 2025 | Blog
This year, Durban Child and Youth Care Centre celebrates a staggering 120 years of serving, nurturing, and loving children and youth in need. That’s 12 decades of hope, healing, hugs, and hard work — and we’re still going strong! To mark this historic milestone, we asked some of our amazing staff to share what this journey means to them:
Phila – Heart full of hope
“Working at DCYCC is a blessing and an honour. To be part of the 120th anniversary is to celebrate a legacy of love, care, and resilience that has transformed countless young lives. For me, it means being part of a family that gives hope where there is despair, and light where there is darkness. I am deeply grateful to walk this journey of nurturing and empowering children. My prayer is that DCYCC continues to grow in strength, compassion, and resources so that generations to come may find safety, healing, and opportunity within its walls. May our legacy shine for another 120 years and beyond!”
Mandy – Growth & gratitude galore
“It’s an honour to work at DCYCC. Every day I get to serve the amazing children in our care and collaborate with dedicated people who share my passion. This place has helped me grow – not just professionally, but personally too. I have so much respect for the Board, who push us to be our best and to constantly improve our services. Here’s to growing more, loving harder, and serving better in the next 120 years!”
Bridget – Real Talk
“It feels GREAT to be part of such a huge milestone — 120 years is no joke! Yes, we’re always patching up the building… but just like the walls, we also have to patch up our mindset to meet the ever-changing needs of our children and youth. There’s always something new to learn!
My prayers are:
– For God to continue to bless and protect every child and staff member.
– For our kids to excel at school and stay safe.
– For teamwork to remain strong.
My wishes are:
– School buses to help our children get to school safely.
– Upgrades for our aged buildings.
– And of course… another 120 years of DCYCC love and care!”
Nokwanda – Social Work with big heart
“Joining DCYCC in 2023 was nothing short of an answered prayer. I had been asking God for a space where I could grow and make a difference — and here I am! This journey has shown me that every child has potential to become whoever they want to be. And being part of this team means helping them get there. I’m SO excited about our 120th celebration. My hope is that we keep growing stronger and that the world starts to take notice of the amazing work we’re doing right here in Durban.
Gugu – Short, sweet, and full of heart
“120 years of DCYCC — what a beautiful milestone! I’m so grateful to work with such a dedicated team that’s changing lives every single day. My wish? Simple: More growth. More love. More support. That’s what keeps us going!”
Here’s to 120 years of care — and many more to come!
We’re proud! We’re grateful! And we’re ready for the next chapter!
Let’s keep building a legacy of love, laughter, and lasting impact!
#DCYCC120 #CelebratingCare #LegacyOfLove #StrongerTogether #HealingHopeHappiness
Jul 24, 2025 | Blog
What is Play Therapy? It is a psychological method that therapists use to help children and even adults explore their feelings, process experiences, and develop coping mechanisms. As adults we watch children spontaneously and often with great glee start playing with anything close by; a cardboard box, a twig, literally anything. This instinctive action is crucial for children’s healthy development, and contributes to their cognitive, physical, social, and emotional well-being. During Play Therapy, the therapist creates a safe, comfortable environment for the child and allows them to play while observing how the child expresses themselves through the play. This is especially helpful for children who struggle to verbally articulate their thoughts and emotions.
Generally, children who are referred for play therapy are those who struggle to express emotion in appropriate ways. Through regular interaction with the therapist, involving playing with toys, art, games, and role playing, the child learns how to express their feelings suitably leading to behaviour change, increased happiness, and critical thinking skills.
Knowing that young children often struggle with communicating their thoughts and feelings, we can help them learn how to become better able to express themselves by encouraging play that expands creativity, teaches problem-solving, relieves boredom, and encourages connections with other people. This will result in appropriate developmental growth and increased confidence.
Jun 20, 2025 | Blog
Self-care is the practice of caring for the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects of one’s life. Engaging in activities associated with these aspects fosters a sense of wellbeing. Generally, the idea of self-care is synonymous with adults, however self-care is just as important for children. Learning how to nurture oneself and develop healthy habits that support overall health is important for the times in life when we must deal with life’s stresses.
Helping children develop healthy habits during childhood provides building blocks for greater independence, self-pride, emotional resilience, and a smoother transition into adulthood. Here at Durban Child and Youth Care Centre we currently care for 20 teenage girls, each on her own unique journey. Recently, one of our volunteer’s treated the girls to a donation of facial products. This thoughtful gesture brought immense joy and excitement, as such luxuries are rare for them. It was a reminder of the how the simple act of developing a skin care routine can boost the confidence of a teenager preparing for adulthood.
As caregivers, we play a vital role in modelling self-care and creating opportunities for our children to develop their own practices. Here are just a few ideas of one can use; establish mindfulness through techniques like journaling, deep breathing, listening to music, and spending time in nature; encourage creative expression through engaging in art, music, and dance; promote regular physical activity through outdoor play and participation in sport; learn why nutritious food is important for development and how to make healthy food choices; promote good health through hygiene practices and adequate sleep and rest. By developing these habits early, children learn to manage stress, build resilience, and cultivate a positive sense of self. This not only supports their current sense of well-being but also lays the foundation for a healthier, stronger future.
Mar 26, 2025 | Blog
How do you respond to a child who says, “leave me alone”? Do you get upset, raise an eyebrow and shout with assertive authority? Or do you step back and take a moment to try and understand the reasons why?
The challenge most of us, who have children or work with children is that we tend to think that by virtue of being the adult we should be respected because we know best. Well truth be told, in most cases mature, informed adults do know what’s best for children. However, there are situations when this is not the case. At times we eagerly jump in with a solution before taking the time to fully understanding the child’s view of the problem or situation they are facing.
I am sure you will agree this is especially so when we are stressed or pushed for time, we sometimes underestimate the importance of the ‘process’, rather focussing on the ‘outcome’, and in so doing deny the child learning opportunity necessary for their development.
It’s important that we not only hear the words spoken but pause to ‘listen’ to what is being said; to feel the emotion and ask questions to understand what lies behind the words. It often takes a lot of courage for children to say what they ‘really mean’ and the way we respond will impact whether they will feel comfortable and free to open up and share more with us. When we pause to listen, we provide children with the opportunity to calm down. Giving them the freedom to express themselves builds their confidence and in turn increases their trust in us. It’s not only about providing a solution but rather creating an atmosphere where children are free to express themselves and then together to work through and towards possible solutions, leaving the lines of communication open.
So, the next time a child says, “Leave me alone” …Consider one of the following replies:
- “I’ll give you some space for now. I’m here when you are ready to talk.”
- “I see you need some alone time. I’m close by if you want company.”
- “I’ll step back. Just let me know when you want to share what’s on your mind.”
- “I need to be alone too sometimes. Take all the time you need.”
- “I get it. Just know that I love you and you are safe.”
Feb 27, 2025 | Blog
2025 is a year that marks 120 years of our existence as a place that provides children with a caring home. We acknowledge the importance of the support received from our community of friends and donors who from the very beginning and through the decades have contributed towards this achievement. During a recent interview with a journalist from the Berea Mail, I was asked to share what stood out as a highlight my 35years of service at the Organisation. Recognising that this represents just a little over a quarter of the existence of the Organisation reminded me that anything achieved thus far has only been possible because of the foundations laid during the early years and the subsequent sound leadership of the various people who had dedicated their time, expertise and funds to the running of the Organisation throughout the years. The history of this Organisation is peppered with times of transition and change, and so it comes as no surprise that my response was specifically related to the transition and changes that emanated from the dawning of democracy in our country.
Amidst the onslaught of changes to policy, new information on child care practice, opportunities for transformational training, piloting new models, challenging the way we did things with the way we should be doing things, and advancing child and youth care as a profession, was the sense that we were living in a historical moment. There was an excitement, an energy, a vibrancy that birthed a courage which saw us believe that we could reinvent our services and through so doing ensure that those receiving them would find healing from their trauma, be inspired to envisage dreams and hold on with hope for the fulfilment of their future.
As with the decades before, we worked hard to survive this uncertain time and with the support of our donors, are proud of the success, victory and even respect within our field that has been achieved. Change can be daunting; however, it is a reality of life that cannot be ignored. When embraced with bravery and determination it can lead to new beginnings. The transforming of services from providing traditional custodial care for children to focussing on Family Reunification is without a doubt the most rewarding of the changes we introduced. Children have the right to grow within family and whilst we will continue to work to that end, for the time that they must remain in our care, we are resolute in our commitment to ensuring that DCYCC is their home.
We trust God’s plan for our organisation and having experienced His unfailing favour in the face of past, present and no doubt future challenges, we are certain that our faith in His perfect wisdom and timing will see this Organisation through for many decades to come.
Nov 7, 2024 | Blog
Exam fever is upon us! If you have children at school, you will recognise the symptoms. Sleepless nights, fits of irritation followed by cold sweats, a hoarse voice, as you do everything in your power to encourage, motivate and support your child during this period. There is no doubt that school examinations can be a stressful time for the entire family. We want to create an environment in which our children can reach their full potential and realise the responsibility we have in trying to make this period less stressful for them. Accepting that the uniqueness of our child determines their preferred study method can be difficult when that method differs from what we consider to be the best method. Bottom line and non-negotiable should be the message that nothing replaces hard work! So, to help keep you sane during this trying time, we have pulled together a few ideas that you may want to draw on to provide your child with the guidance and support needed to set them up for success.
Have a Study Plan: Develop a timetable and study routine appropriate for your child’s grade and learning style. It is also helpful to assist your child identify their peak learning time.
Have a Balanced Diet: Maintain proper nutrition by feeding your child healthy, nutritious meals and snacks. The brain needs food to function. Avoid too much sugary snacks, as this may give a burst of energy and improve their mood but lead to a sugar crash which will decrease focus and concentration.
Get enough Sleep: Make sure your child gets plenty of rest. Sleep or lack thereof affects cognitive function. Enough sleep improves the ability to think clearly and logically, and assimilates the information learned during the day.
Stay Active: Exercise can significantly reduce the effects of stress and boost brainpower. So, something as simple as a daily short walk, swim, bicycle ride can be helpful.
Schedule Relaxation Time: This may sound counterintuitive, however allowing time for doing something that lets your child to just be, is important. It allows for rejuvenation. So yes, let them watch their favourite programme or listen to their favourite song.
Remember, our learning abilities differ greatly, so provide the support and encouragement and trust that your child will do the rest.
