Legislation includes laws passed by Parliament, Regulations, Rules, Directions and similar. For the ECD Info Hub the primary focus is on those policies related to children from birth to five years and services to these children.
These are organised by topic on this page. If you are looking for something related to a specific area, please click on it below and it will take you to that part of this page.
If you are looking for a policy, please go to the policy page.
Disclaimer: While every effort has been made to ensure that the sources provided on this page is error free, should any discrepancy be found, the official version of the Act, Regulations and Rules and any subsequent amendments to the Act, Regulations and Rules, printed in the Government Gazette, will always take precedence over the information in this document.
General: Children
- Bill of rights of the Constitution of Republic of South Africa (1996)
- Children’s Act 38 of 2005
- ZAF Childrens Act Explained Booklet 1 2009
- Childrens Act – Amendment to Regulations 2024 (no 50870)
Early learning and basic education
- South African Schools Act 84 of 1996
- South African Schools Act: Exemption of parents from payment of school fees in public schools (Gazette 29311, Regulation Gazette 8566)
- Regulations for Safety Measures at Public Schools
- Regulations to Prohibit Initiation Practices in Schools
- National Education Policy Act 27 of 1996
- Adult Basic Education and Training Act 52 of 2000
- Skills Development Act 97 of 1998
Health / Environmental health
- National Health Act 61 of 2003
- Mental Health Care Act 17 of 2002
- National Health Act- National health norms and standards for premises and acceptable monitoring standards for environmental health practitioners
Child protection
- Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act 32 of 2007
- Domestic Violence Act 116 of 1998
- Sexual Offences Act 23 of 1957
- Abolition of Corporal Punishment Act 33 of 1997
Social protection (including grants)
Citizenship
Governance and finance
- Public Finance Management Act 1 of 1999
- Promotion of Access to Information Act 2 of 2000
- Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013
- Nonprofit Organisations Act 71 of 1997
