SASSA Foster Care Grant Application & Eligibility Get full details about SASSA Foster Care Grant Application Process and its Eligibility to know who is able to receive the grant.
What is SASSA Foster Care Grant
SASSA foster child grants are financial aid that SASSA provides to foster parents to assist them with caring for foster children. Foster children are those who have been placed in your care due to unavoidable circumstances, such as being orphaned or abandoned, tortured or neglected, or being at risk.
SASSA Foster Care Grant Amount
The current child support grant payment is valued at R1 130 per child per month as at October 2023. Nonetheless, it should be understood that this amount will be reviewed every six months and may be altered due to various reasons including inflation and government policy changes.
Who is Eligible for the Foster Care Grant?
You must satisfy the following conditions in order to be eligible for SASSA Foster Care Grant:
Foster Parent Status: You must possess the legal status of a foster parent to a child where there exist a court order to this effect providing for the child’s placement in foster care.
Residency: You and the foster child must be residents in South Africa.
Citizenship or Residency Status: You must be a South African citizen, a permanent resident of the country and or a refugee.
Child’s Age: The foster child in question must not be older than 18 years.
But, grant can go on till the age of 21 in the event the child still goes to school or until the completion of their matric whichever is earlier in their case.
Financial Need: There is no concrete income barrier but SASSA takes into consideration the financial status of the applicant and the child relative to the criteria in place.
Required Documents for the Foster Child Grant Application
To apply for the grant, applicants need to provide several documents:
- The birth certificate of the child is required. If it’s not available, a signed affidavit form can be used as a substitute.
- Refugees need to provide their refugee ID.
- Permanent residents should submit their state ID.
- The ID documents of the spouse of the applicant are needed.
- If the applicant is married or divorced, proof of this marital status is required.
- In case the spouse of the applicant is deceased, the death certificate of the spouse is necessary.
- The applicant needs to sign an affidavit.
How to Apply for the Foster Care Grant
The process of applying for a Grant for Foster Care follows these steps:
1. Contact a Social Worker: This is the first and most important step. You need to get in touch with a social worker from the nearest Department of Social Development offices. They will help in getting a court order to that effect, which recognizes you as a foster parent.
2. Proceed to the SASSA Office: After attaining the court order, visit your local SASSA office along with these documents:
A copy of your South African Identity Document
The birth certificate of the child
The court order of the foster care arrangement
Documents proving your income and expenditure
3. Fill in the Application Form: A SASSA officer will assist you with the application form.
Submit Your Application: Upon completion of the form, the applicant is to append their signature in the appropriate spaces and attach the necessary documents/letters. Proof of application will also be issued in the form of application receipts.
4. Submit Your Application: After completing the form, submit it along with the required documents.
Foster Child Grant Documents Required
You must bring the following documentation (originals or certified copies) when applying for a foster child grant.
- Identification Documents
- Original 13-digit barcode identification document (ID).
- If you are a refugee, your status permit or refugee ID.
- Birth Certificate of an infant with a valid identification number.
- You can only get a birth certificate or ID if you have one.
- The SASSA official will provide you with the form or download it here. A SASSA official will provide the form, but you can also Download the SASSA Affidavit here.
- Bring a validated declaration attested to by a reputable individual (such as a community counselor, leader of the traditional culture, social worker, a religious leader recognized, or a school principal) who can confirm you and your child.
- Department of Home Affairs documentation should confirm your identification card or birth certificate application.
- The Department of Home Affairs will provide you with a temporary identification document. (if applicable).
- The baptismal certificate, if available.
- If available, the school certificate.
- The card of the Road to Health Clinic, if available.
- You are officially designated as the legal foster parent by the court order.
- If applicable, please provide documentation proving your marital status.
- If you’re married, a marriage certificate is required.
- If the marriage is dissolved, a divorce decree will be issued.
- If your spouse is deceased, you will need to obtain a Death Certificate.
- The Affidavit/Sworn Statement is used if none of the options above applies.
- Please provide any documentation that reveals your child’s earnings, such as a maintenance payment order. (if available)
The balance of the Foster Child Grant is calculated by using SASSA.
You can check your remaining grant balance using the SASSA Balance Check. You can manage your money and grant money by checking your account balance. You should check your account balance regularly after your grant is paid.
- You can dial the USSD codes *120*3210# and *120*69277# from your mobile phone.
- You can withdraw cash from any ATM.
- You can send an SMS to the SASSA WhatsApp number 82 046 8553
- Call the SASSA toll-free number 800 601 011