CHILDREN’S COURTS RULES GAZETTED, IN FORCE SOON

CHILDREN’S COURTS RULES GAZETTED, IN FORCE SOON

• 20 February 2026
• Courts
• SA Legal Academy

Please note: On 27 February 2026, the Department of Justice & Constitutional Development gazetted a second set of rules in the composite end-of-week National Regulations. According to the list of notices contained in that composite publication, the rules replace those gazetted a week earlier. The replacement rules themselves make no reference to this. Neither has a media statement been issued to clarify the matter. The replacement rules are scheduled to come into force on 27 March 2026.

On behalf of the Rules Board for Courts of Law, the Department of Justice & Constitutional Development has gazetted Children’s Courts rules developed under the 2005 Children’s Act and intended to promote access to courts in the best possible interests of children, their needs and their rights.

As SA Legal Academy reported at the time, the rules were released in draft form in December 2024 for public comment. Scheduled to come into force on 20 March 2026, among other things they deal with:

• children’s participation in proceedings
• temporary safe care
• alternative care
• adoption
• administrative matters, and
• appeals.

Please click the link below for more information:

• rules (replaced on 27 February 2026)

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