A small team is doing some incredibly important work for vulnerable children, and their first research paper is in line for publication!
Johannesburg, South Africa (24 June 2026) – The SCAN Programme, short for Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect, helps identify cases of child abuse and neglect, supports children through the medical side of things, and works to make sure they don’t fall through the cracks after that.
The programme has been running at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital since 2018 under the leadership of Dr Anrie Le Roux, with support from programme assistant Nkosikhona Masikana, and over the years, it has grown into a vital part of child protection at Bara.
Recently, SCAN reached a big milestone with its first research paper being accepted for publication this year!
It is an academic achievement, but it’s also a really important step for child protection work in South Africa. It means the lessons, patterns and challenges seen through the programme are helping build a stronger body of local knowledge around child abuse and neglect, which can only help more children in the long run.
The SCAN Programme works with children who are admitted to hospital as well as outpatients, helping with assessments, follow-up care and support in cases where abuse or neglect is suspected. It also assists with teaching and training, awareness talks, court and adoption assessments, and research.
A big part of what has helped the programme grow has been its partnership with Surgeons for Little Lives, which has given SCAN dedicated consultation rooms, admin support, research assistance and the backing needed to keep building.
Currently, the programme runs one day a week, but the hope is to expand it into a full-time service so that even more children can access the protection and care they need.
As Dr Le Roux says, South Africa’s children are South Africa’s future. And making sure they are safe, protected and cared for is work that matters to all of us.
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