To provide efficient and professional services that effectively promote healing and stop further abuse. This minimises and secondary harm to children and their families entering the child protection system
What we do
Our mission
Child abuse no more
Our services
Working with children & families
Our vision is that children will not be abused anymore, but where they are being abused, we want to provide efficient and professional services that effectively promote their healing and stop any further abuse. This translates into a mission to minimize any secondary harm to children and their families upon their entering the child protection system.
Victim support services:
Medico-legal Examinations
The Teddy Bear Foundation’s Medico-legal Clinic is a specialised medical facility for children who have been abused or neglected and a training service for medical professionals working in the child protection field. It is based within the Charlotte Maxexe Academic Hospital, and is run by a multi-disciplinary team of Paediatricians, Doctors, Forensic nurses, Social Workers and volunteers.
Forensic Assessments
Forensic assessments form the basis of court proceedings in convicting perpetrators of violence against children. They take the form of a structured process where the child is engaged through various techniques by our qualified Social Workers. The aim is to elicit information from the child victim regarding the details of an alleged crime and verify these through collateral sources, such as witnesses and other people known to the victim.
Psychological Assessments
This service was established specifically for children with cognitive disabilities to provide them with fair access to the criminal justice system. In the context of sexual abuse cases, the psychological assessment depends on the psychological questions posed by the court. In most cases, psychological assessments are aimed at determining the victim’s mental age as opposed to their chronological age, their capacity to testify with regard to an alleged crime, and the impact of the trauma on the victims.
Therapeutic Counseling and Support
Child abuse causes trauma and emotional scars that can have a negative impact on a child’s development and result in long-term consequences. Every victim of child abuse and their family is provided with the opportunity to receive therapeutic counselling and support. This enables the child and family to assume a sense of mastery to cope with the trauma.
We also provide supportive counselling to the caregivers of children who have been abused. In our experience, the better equipped the caregivers are to cope with the trauma, the better equipped they are to support the child through the process.
Court Preparation and Support
The Court Preparation and Support programme was established in June 1997. It focuses on providing children and parents with skills, emotional support, and legal knowledge in preparation for their appearance in court. The programme is process-oriented in that it includes support for the children and their families from the moment they enter the programme, through the often lengthy legal process, and after that with debriefing.
Outreach:
Child Pregnant Leaners
Child Pregnant Learners programme is a new service to provide teenage pregnancy support services in South Africa. The programme involves going into various township schools to raise awareness and educate teen moms on sexual reproductive health. We also link teen moms to supportive services and other teenage pregnancy support organisations in South Africa to decrease school attrition.
Prevention and Early Intervention
Support Programme for Abuse Reactive Children (SPRAC)
The SPARC program gives children a second chance in life by disrupting the cycle of abuse and diverting them away from the criminal justice system to prevent them from becoming potential offenders.
Alternative Therapy
We offer alternative therapy to build on children’s strengths in a more positive and meaningful way and provide them with alternative means of expression.
Group Therapy
We offer life skills that empower youth to understand the consequences of their behavior and prevent them from reoffending
Community Outreach
Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Outreach
Our Gender-Based Violence outreach is an evidence-based programme to respond to and address violence against women and violence against children:
- Targeting multiple stakeholders in child and adult populations
- Challenging social norms about gender relations and the use of violence
- Offering preventative measures and solutions to gender-based violence in South Africa
Changing views and norms related to GBV in South Africa is a necessary part of changing some negative aspects of traditional versions of masculinity. If children are to reach their full potential, the cycle of intergenerational violence must be broken. With a firm focus on boys and men, and empowerment of girls and women, we ensure that both genders are educated and empowered to raise awareness and change behaviours at all levels of society.
School awareness programme (SAFE)
The program aims to prepare and empower children to be credible witnesses.
We equip children with the necessary skills and knowledge for court appearances.
Addresses children’s fears about
- Court proceedings.
- Offers emotional support to both the child and parent.
- Provides accompaniment for the child during court appearances.
- Delivers follow-up support after the court experience.
The SAFE program is a prevention model that creates awareness in learners and educators about their rights and responsibilities. This expands on acceptable and unacceptable behaviour. The SAFE program has a protocol training manual for educators on the identification, management and legislation pertaining to child abuse cases.
Boys and Girls SHR Clubs
This school outreach program focuses on developing prosocial skills in children, helping them distinguish between risky and protective behaviors. It is crucial to underscore the significance of incorporating the boy child within the framework of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SHR), ensuring their holistic development and fostering a comprehensive understanding of responsible decision-making.
Court Preparation
The program aims to prepare and empower children to be credible witnesses.
We equip children with the necessary skills and knowledge for court appearances.
Addresses children’s fears about
- Court proceedings.
- Offers emotional support to both the child and parent.
- Provides accompaniment for the child during court appearances.
- Delivers follow-up support after the court experience.
GBV Prevention
Evidence-based programs to address violence against women and violence against children targeting multiple stakeholders, challenging social norms about gender relations and the use of violence.
Research And Development
Compile and manage statistical data on child abuse, present research findings at conferences, and publish articles and papers on abuse.
Diversion
Support Programme for Abuse Reactive Children
The DIVERSION program gives the children a second chance in life by diverting them away from the criminal justice system and stopping them from becoming potential offenders
Multi-disciplinary training
Multi-disciplinary training
The Teddy Bear Foundation is one of the few organisations that provide holistic integrated services to children that have been abused, and we have been doing so since 1986.
Our impact
We are here for all children
Justice for children
- Cases reported – 6992
- Cases put on the roll – 5385
- Cases convicted – 367
- Withdrawal – 908
Crime prevention dialogue
- 285 380 children and parents reached
Launch together to #ENDviolence
A partnership-wide campaign and Solutions Summit Series to raise awareness, share what works and catalyse political and financial commitments.
UNICEF Partnership
- (Gender-based violence and Femicide (GBVF), Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) and Bodily Autonomy) – 45650
- Two provinces – 5 staff recruited and appointed.
- Engaging with schools – (SAFE TALK PROGRAMME) 460972
Child Pregnant Leaners Intervention
- 433 of girls who received support
- 25 of families who received support
- 14974 of support provided to educators and schools.
International Platforms
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G20 Summit (2026) Dr. Omar represented South Africa and the Teddy Bear Foundation on the global stage, advocating for international standards in child forensic interviewing, exploring AI-supported early detection for at-risk children, securing cross-border funding for trauma recovery, and pushing for policy harmonization to protect migrant and refugee children. She connected with international NGOs, policymakers, and child rights leaders.
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The 18th IATSO Conference (2025, Poznań, Poland, August 26–29): Dr. Shaheda Omar was a presenter (with co-author Sheri Errington) for the free presentation titled “Unveiling a hidden reality: Exploring exposure to pornography amongst learners in Johannesburg, South Africa.” This was part of the conference themed “Successes and failures in preventing sexual violence. Empirical findings, new concepts, and intercultural perspectives,” held hybrid at Adam Mickiewicz University.
- SVRI (Sexual Violence Research Initiative) Forum — Dr. Shaheda Omar presented at multiple SVRI events, including the SVRI Forum 2011 in Cape Town (where she shared the Teddy Bear Clinic’s model for care and support of child survivors, emphasizing holistic approaches to prevent secondary victimization).
- Presentations and references in broader international contexts, such as UNICEF-supported Africa Child Trauma Conference (2020 report acknowledgments) and collaborations on global child protection themes.
Equip ECD Practitioners
- Identification, Management and Legislation pertaining to Child Abuse.
- To address child abuse (Physical, sexual, emotional, neglect)
- 1240 Practitioners trained
Protecting children during COVID-19
By providing more than 2000 people with parenting tips, sharing information (pamphlets) guidance on how to make learning safe during school closures and masks given out.
How you can help us
make a difference in the lives of abused children in South Africa
Donate towards a child’s Journey To Healing.
Take action
You can be part of a child's journey of healing
We’re a registered NGO tackling child abuse in South Africa.
