The Foster Care Grant pays R1,290 per child per month. It is one of the higher grant amounts SASSA offers. Yet many caregivers who are raising children that are not their own never receive it, or wait far longer than they expected.
The reason is almost always the Children’s Court order.
Most articles about the Foster Care Grant list the documents you need and stop there. They do not explain what the court order is, how you get one, or what happens if it lapses. This article covers all of that.
What the Foster Care Grant is for
The Foster Care Grant is for people who have been officially placed by a court as the foster parent of a child under 18. The child must be in need of care and protection as recognised by a Children’s Court.
It is not a general grant for any caregiver. Grandparents, aunts, uncles, and siblings who are raising a child without a court order do not qualify for the Foster Care Grant. They may qualify for something else, which is covered below.
The grant is R1,290 per child. If you are a foster parent to two children, you can apply for two separate grants.
The Children’s Court order: what it is and why it is required
A Children’s Court order is a legal document issued by a magistrate’s court that formally places a child in your care. It is issued under the Children’s Act. Without it, SASSA cannot process a Foster Care Grant application. This is not a policy choice SASSA can waive. The order is a legal requirement.
The order exists to protect the child. It gives the state a record of who is responsible for the child’s welfare and creates accountability on both sides.
You cannot apply for the grant first and get the order later. The order must be in place before SASSA will accept the application.
The role of the social worker
You cannot get a Children’s Court order on your own. A registered social worker must be involved. This is the step that takes the most time and where most applications stall.
Here is how it works. A social worker from the Department of Social Development, or from an accredited non-governmental organisation, assesses the child’s situation. They produce a report for the court. The magistrate uses that report to decide whether to issue the order.
If you are raising a child informally and want to apply for the Foster Care Grant, your first step is to contact your nearest Department of Social Development office and request a social worker assessment. Do not start at SASSA. SASSA comes later.
The social worker assessment, the court process, and the eventual court order can take several months. This is normal. It is not a sign that your application has been lost.
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Documents SASSA needs once the order is in place
Once you have the Children’s Court order, SASSA will ask for:
- Your South African ID document
- The child’s birth certificate
- The Children’s Court order
- Proof of your residential address
- Proof of the child’s school attendance (if school age)
- Your banking details in your own name
SASSA may ask for additional documents depending on the case. Your social worker can help you prepare.
What happens when a court order lapses
Children’s Court orders for foster care are not permanent. They are issued for a specific period and must be renewed by the court before they expire.
If the order lapses, SASSA stops paying the grant. Payment does not continue while renewal is being processed. This catches many caregivers off guard, especially those who have been receiving the grant for years.
Your social worker is responsible for starting the renewal process before the order expires. If you are not sure when your order expires, check the document. The date is on it. If your social worker has not contacted you about renewal and the expiry date is approaching, contact the Department of Social Development yourself. Do not wait.
Foster Care Grant vs Child Support Grant Top-Up: not the same thing
A lot of caregivers confuse these two.
The Child Support Grant Top-Up is for relatives who are caring for an orphan and do not have a Children’s Court order. It is the route for grandparents, aunts, uncles, and siblings in that situation. It does not require a court order because it is designed for informal kinship care.
The Foster Care Grant requires a court order and is for formally placed foster parents.
The two grants serve different situations. If you are raising an orphan as a relative and you do not have a court order, ask SASSA or your social worker about the Child Support Grant and the Top-Up. Trying to apply for the Foster Care Grant without a court order will result in a declined application.
How to follow your application
After you submit your Foster Care Grant application at a SASSA office, SASSA will process it and notify you of the outcome. You can follow the status of your application at MySRD (mysrd.org.za). MySRD is an independent information website and is not connected to SASSA or government. It shows you what SASSA’s system returns for your query.
If you have not heard back within three months of submitting, contact SASSA directly.
SASSA toll-free: 0800 60 10 11 SASSA WhatsApp: 082 046 8553
A summary of the steps
- Contact the Department of Social Development and request a social worker assessment.
- Wait for the social worker to complete the report and submit it to the Children’s Court.
- The magistrate issues the Children’s Court order.
- Take the order and all required documents to your nearest SASSA office.
- Submit your Foster Care Grant application.
- Follow the outcome through SASSA’s channels.
- When the court order approaches its expiry date, contact your social worker to start renewal.
The court order is the step that takes the longest and the step most caregivers are not warned about. Start that process first.