The Strategic Plan of the Department is informed by the Ten Point Plan, which represents the priorities to be addressed by the social development sector during the period 2000 to 2005. These priorities are the outcome of an intensive process of consultation with a range of stakeholders in October 1999 and were launched by the Minister of Social Development in January 2000.
- Rebuilding of family, community and social relations
We will restore the ethics of care and human development in all welfare programmes. This requires an urgent rebuilding of family, community and social relations in order to promote social integration. - Integrated poverty eradication strategy
We will design an integrated poverty eradication strategy that provides direct benefits to those in greatest need, especially women, youth and children in rural areas and informal settlements. - Comprehensive social security system
We will develop of a comprehensive social security system that builds on existing contributory and non-contributory schemes and prioritises the most vulnerable households - Violence against women and children, older persons and other vulnerable groups
We must respond to brutal effects of all forms of violence against women, children, older persons and other vulnerable groups, as well as design effective strategies to deal with perpetrators. - HIV/AIDS
Our programmes will include a range of services to support the community-based care and assistance for the people living with HIV/AIDS. Particular attention will be given to orphans and children infected and affected by HIV/AIDS. - Youth Development
We will develop a national strategy to reduce the number of youth in conflict with the law and promote youth development within the framework of the National Crime Prevention Strategy and in partnership with the National Youth Commission. - Accessibility of social welfare services
We will make social welfare services accessible and available to people in rural, peri-urban and informal settlements, and ensure equity in service provision. - Service’s to people with disabilities
We will redesign services to people with disabilities in ways that promote their human rights and economic development. We will work with people with disabilities to ensure that their needs are met without further marginalizing them. - Commitment to co-operative governance
All our work must be based on a commitment to co-operative governance that includes working with different spheres of government and civil society. - Train, educate, re-deploy and employ a new category of workers in social development
We must train, educate, re-deploy and employ a new category of workers in social development. This includes the re-orientation of social service workers to meet the challenges of South Africa and link these to regional and global demands.