This Child Protection Week, HOT 102.7FM is placing a spotlight on the real issues affecting children across South Africa—from online grooming and neglect to poverty and the systemic cracks that leave them vulnerable. While the laws protecting children are sound on paper, what’s often missing is the presence, awareness, and action needed in everyday life.

The most powerful protector: presence

Child protection begins at home—with present and involved parenting. That’s the view of child advocacy expert Luke Lamprecht, who believes emotional availability is a child’s most reliable shield.

He warns that parents often send mixed messages—encouraging children to speak up about inappropriate behaviour, but then overriding their boundaries in everyday settings. He also raises concerns about digital distraction, likening excessive phone use around children to secondhand smoke. According to Lamprecht, true protection requires connection: being fully present in the relationship between parent and child.

The danger of emotional gaps

Predators are not always lurking in dark alleys—they’re often online, waiting to exploit children who feel unseen in their own homes. Sarah Clayton from the Global Empathy Project says emotional neglect, even in loving families, creates openings that predators are quick to fill.

With both parents often glued to their screens, even well-cared-for children may feel isolated and overlooked. That longing for love and validation can make them vulnerable to online manipulation—especially when someone shows them attention and admiration they aren’t receiving elsewhere.

Clayton urges parents to be emotionally engaged—not just physically present.

Poverty makes protection harder

With more than half of the country’s population living in poverty, the daily stress of survival is leaving many families stretched to the limit. In these environments, children often bear the brunt of adult frustration and household pressure. In cramped homes, where privacy is impossible and sleeping arrangements are unsafe, the risk of abuse quietly increases.

Lack of financial security also chips away at parental confidence, especially among fathers who feel disempowered by unemployment. These tensions sometimes result in neglect or violence—further isolating the most vulnerable.

Child protection isn’t just about awareness—it’s about action. Whether it’s being emotionally available, advocating for better housing and support, or funding frontline services, every South African has a role to play. This week, HOT 102.7FM is sharing stories that inspire, inform, and hopefully, ignite real change—because childhood should never hurt.

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