Birth Defects was written for healthcare workers who look after individuals with birth defects, their families, and women who are at increased risk of giving birth to an infant with a birth defect. This book is being used in the Genetics Education Programme which trains healthcare workers in genetic counselling in South Africa. It covers: modes of inheritance, medical genetic counselling, birth defects due to chromosomal abnormalities, single gene defects, teratogens, multifactorial inheritance

1. Addendum B: Social grants available in
South Africa for people with disability
QUALIFYING SOCIAL GRANTS
REQUIREMENTS FOR FOR PERSONS WITH
SOCIAL ASSISTANCE DISABILITY
In order to qualify for a social grant for
persons with a disability, the applicant: 1. Foster child grants
1. Must be a South African citizen. The qualifying requirements are:
2. Must be resident in the Republic at the 1. Child or children must be legally placed in
time of application. the care of the foster parent/s.
3. Must be a person with a disability, who has 2. The income of the foster child must not
attained the age of 18 years and as a result exceed twice the annual amount of a foster
of his/her degree of disability be unable to child grant.
obtain employment to support him/herself. 3. The applicant and foster child or children
4. The period of disability for all work must must be resident in the Republic at the
either be permanent or temporary for a time of application.
continuous period of six months up to
one year. NOTEThe foster parents and children
5. Must not refuse to undergo the necessary need not be South African Citizens.
medical treatment, unless the treatment
may be life threatening. 2. Care dependency grants
6. As well as the spouse, must comply with The qualifying requirements are:
the means test.
7. Must not be maintained or cared for in a 1. The parent/s and care-dependant child
State Institution. must be South African Citizens.
8. Must not be in receipt of another social 2. The applicant and care-dependant child
grant in respect of him/herself. must be resident in the Republic at the
time of application.
3. The care-dependant child or children must
be between the ages of one and 18 years.

2. ADDENDUM B 127
4. The child must be a care-dependant child 3. The applicant must be the primary care
as defined in the Act. giver of the child or children concerned.
5. Medical treatment must not be refused 4. The child or children must:
provided that it is not life threatening. • Be under the age of nine years
6. The care-dependant child or children during the period 1 April 2003 to
must be legally in the care of the parent or 31 March 2004.
foster parent. • Be under the age of 11 years during the
7. The applicant and spouse and child must period 1 April 2004 to 31 March 2005.
comply with the means test (the income • Be under the age of 14 years after
of the foster parents will not be taken into 1 April 2005.
consideration). 5. The grant is payable in respect of a
8. The care-dependant child or children maximum of six children.
must not be permanently cared for in a 6. The primary care giver must not receive
State Institute. remuneration to take care of the child or
children concerned.
3. Child support grants 7. An institution must not receive an award
for taking care of the child.
The qualifying requirements are: 8. The primary care giver or any other person
1. The child and primary care giver must be must not already be in receipt of a grant on
South African Citizens. behalf of the child.
2. The child and primary care giver must
be resident in the Republic at the time of
application.