Check Your SASSA Foster Care Grant Status Online 2024
The SASSA Foster Care Grant helps foster parents care for children placed in their homes. This grant provides financial support to meet the children’s basic needs and acknowledges the challenges of fostering.
The grant typically lasts until the child turns 18. However, if the child is still in school at 18, you can continue receiving the grant until they’re 21.
Remember, the grant stops when the child reaches 21, finishes school, or starts earning above a certain amount. This ensures that the support goes to those who need it most during their formative years.
Keeping track of your grant status is simple. You can check it online to stay updated on payment schedules and any changes.
Eligibility Criteria for SASSA Foster Care Grant
To figure out if you qualify for the SASSA Foster Care Grant, here’s what you need to know:
- Who Can Apply: You must be a South African citizen, permanent resident, or recognized refugee. Both you, the foster parent, and the child must live in South Africa.
- Legal Status: You need to be legally appointed as a foster parent, which means there’s a court order verifying your role.
- Target Group: The grant is for children facing tough situations, like being orphaned, abandoned, or mistreated.
- Age Limit: It covers children under 18 years old, especially those who need extra care.
- Income Assessment: There’s a special test to check if you qualify based on the child’s income, not yours as the foster parent.
Means Test for SASSA Foster Child Grant
To see if a child qualifies for the SASSA Foster Care Grant, they look at the child’s income, not the foster parents’. Here’s how it works:
The child can’t earn more than twice the annual amount of the foster child grant. For example, if the grant is R1,130 per month, then it’s R1,130 x 12 = R13,560 per year.
So, to qualify, the child’s annual income must be less than twice this amount, which is R27,120 per year. If the child earns less than this, they might be eligible for the grant.
SASSA Foster Care Grant Value and Cost
Starting from October 1, 2023, the SASSA Foster Child Grant gives R1,130 per month for each foster child under your care.
This grant is super important because it helps make sure foster kids get the support they need. And because the cost of living keeps changing and kids’ needs keep evolving, SASSA updates this grant amount twice a year, on April 1 and October 1.
Now, here’s some good news: SASSA is planning to bump up the grant amount! So, starting from April 1, 2024, you can expect an extra R10 per child each month.
Applying for this grant won’t cost you anything. It’s completely free, which means any eligible foster parent can apply without worrying about fees.
Necessary Documents for Applying SASSA Foster Child Grant
When you’re applying for the SASSA Foster Child Grant, it’s crucial to have all the right documents ready. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Your ID: Make sure you have your original 13-digit bar-coded ID. If you’re a refugee, bring your status permit and refugee ID.
- Child’s ID: You’ll need the child’s birth certificate with a valid ID number.
- Backup ID: If the child doesn’t have an ID or birth certificate, you’ll need a SASSA standard affidavit filled out in front of an Oaths Commissioner.
- Verified Declarations: If formal IDs aren’t available, bring a declaration from a respected community member, like a counselor or social worker, confirming identities.
- Home Affairs Docs: Show proof that you’ve applied for an ID or birth certificate if you’re waiting for them.
- Temporary IDs and Extras: Bring any temporary IDs or extra documents like baptismal or school certificates.
- Court Order for Foster Care: This paper is super important because it officially says you’re the legal foster parent.
- Marital Status Proof: Depending on your situation, bring a marriage certificate, divorce papers, death certificate if your spouse passed away, or an affidavit if you’re single.
- Child’s Earnings Proof: If the child earns money, bring documents like a maintenance payment order to show their earnings.
How Can You Apply for SASSA Foster Care Grant?
You’ll need a legal court order confirming you’re the foster child’s guardian. This step is super important, and usually, a social worker from the Department of Social Development helps out with it.
You can apply for the grant at your local SASSA office or online, whichever works best for you. They’ve set it up this way to make it easy and flexible for everyone.
If you can’t go to a SASSA office yourself because of age or illness, no sweat. A trusted family member or friend can apply for you with a Power of Attorney form signed by you.
When you’re ready to apply, just fill out the SASSA application form, which you can get from their offices.
After you submit your application, a SASSA officer will have a chat with you. This is important to make sure everything’s on the up and up for you and the foster child.
Once you’re done, they’ll give you a receipt with a date stamp. Keep this safe because it proves you applied.
Now, here’s the wait: it usually takes about 3 months for SASSA to review your application and make a decision. They want to be thorough and make sure everything’s right for the grant.
Once you’re approved, the payments start, and they’ll go back to when you applied. That way, you get all the money you’re owed from the start, so you’re not out of pocket during the wait.
Check You Status
Checking your grant status is super important, and SASSA gives you a few ways to do it:
- SASSA Official Website: It’s a reliable place to get the latest info straight from the source.
- Moya App: This is handy, especially if you want to save on data costs.
- SMS to 082-046-8553: Just shoot off a quick message to get updates fast.
- WhatsApp Messaging: You can use the same number to get info easily through WhatsApp.
- SASSA’s Toll-Free Number (0800-601011): If you want to talk to someone directly, this is the way to go. You can get detailed info from a real person.
Things to Do After Applying SASSA Foster Care Grant
If SASSA says no to your application, don’t worry! You can ask them to look at it again. And if that doesn’t work, you have another chance to appeal to the Ministry of Social Development. Just make sure to do it within 90 days.
If you’re wondering why they said no, don’t sweat it. They’ll send you a letter to explain everything.
When it’s time to get paid, SASSA sends the money every month, but the exact day changes. So, keep an eye on their schedule.
You can choose how you want to get paid – like in your bank account or at certain stores. But remember, some banks might charge you for this.
If you want to change how you get paid, just go to the welfare office and they’ll help you out. But remember, the change won’t happen until next month.
If you can’t pick up the money yourself, you can ask someone to do it for you. Just make sure they have the right papers.
And don’t forget to check how much money you have left in your grant. You can do this with your phone, at an ATM, or by calling SASSA.
Frequently Asked Questions
South African citizens, permanent residents, or recognized refugees who are legally appointed as foster parents and have children under their care facing tough situations like being orphaned, abandoned, or mistreated are eligible.
The grant covers children under 18 years old, especially those who need extra care. However, if the child is still in school at 18, the grant can continue until they’re 21.
Eligibility is determined based on the child’s income, not the foster parent’s. The child’s annual income must be less than twice the annual amount of the foster child grant to qualify.
Starting from October 1, 2023, the grant provides R1,130 per month for each foster child under the caregiver’s care. This amount is subject to change and is updated twice a year.
Applications can be made at local SASSA offices or online. It’s important to have a legal court order confirming guardianship and to submit all required documents, including IDs, birth certificates, and court orders.
Required documents include the caregiver’s ID, the child’s birth certificate or ID, court order for foster care, proof of income for the child, and documents related to marital status.
It typically takes about 3 months for SASSA to review an application and make a decision. Payments are backdated to the date of application once approved.
Grant status can be checked online on the SASSA official website, through the Moya App, via SMS, WhatsApp messaging, or by calling SASSA’s toll-free number.
If an application is rejected, the caregiver can request a review from SASSA. If the review is unsuccessful, an appeal can be made to the Ministry of Social Development within 90 days.
Payments can be received directly into a bank account or collected from certain stores. Caregivers can change their payment method by visiting the welfare office, but the change will take effect from the next month.
