Care experience includes children and young people who are or were cared for by family members with the support of social workers, foster caregivers, or children and young people from children's homes and residential units.

According to a study by a multidisciplinary team of researchers at the University of Cape Town, South Africa has recorded one of the highest numbers in the world for primary caregiver deaths.

South Africa has the highest number of Covid-19 orphans on the continent, with 94 625 having lost parents and guardians in the past year, the study has revealed.

South Africa was one of 21 countries involved in the study that found that more than 1.5 million children were orphaned after losing their parents, guardians and caregivers to the pandemic. This was between last March and April 2022.

The study was done in partnership with the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom and titled Global minimum estimates of children affected by Covid-19-associated orphanhood and deaths of caregiver: a modelling study.

SOS Children's Villages aims to raise awareness that "every child should belong to a family and grow up with love, respect and security".

In a world filled with poverty, violence and injustice, the greatest victims are often children, according to the organisation.

Care Day offers an opportunity to advocate for children and young people with care experience, translating into dialogues and actions that will build a better world for children.

The objective is to improve the situation of children, striving towards a world where children and young people:
  • overcome adversities,
  • are proud of themselves and their achievements, and
  • look forward to a future of opportunity, equality and equity.
Care Day is an opportunity to unite in recognising the rights and resilience of care experienced children and young people.

Lebo Phaweni, SOS Children's Villages head of communications, says, "SOS Children's Villages is about seeing children develop to their full potential, within loving families."

"When children can no longer live with their own families, we provide quality alternative care, within a family, within a home and within a village," says Phaweni.

"We also support vulnerable families in their own communities, so that they may be strengthened, avoiding the possibility of complete family breakdown. We work with partners to implement various psychosocial programmes for children and youth, to help them in becoming successful adults who will meaningfully contribute to the world," Phaweni concludes.

For more information, visit www.sossouthafrica.org.