The Child Witness Project (CWP)

Description

The Child Witness Project (CWP) is based at five Sexual Offences Courts: in Atlantis, Cape Town, Khayelitsha, Paarl and Wynberg, and provides a child friendly, caring and supportive atmosphere for child witnesses when they visit the court to consult with the prosecutor and again to testify at the trial. Child witnesses and their families have access to our special waiting room where Court Support Workers are always available to provide appropriate support as well as a light meal, a cuddly toy and/or a cosy place to sleep. Our Social Workers at the courts provide therapeutic counselling to the children and caregivers should this be necessary. We have found that this service has huge benefits for children who are required to appear in court as not only are they assisted to feel emotionally strong and confident, their competency as a witness is enhanced and further secondary trauma by the legal system is avoided or significantly reduced.