The mission of the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Social Development is to promote developmental social welfare services and community development to the people of KZN in partnership with stakeholders. Based on its mandate, the Department develops and implements programmes for the eradication of poverty, social protection and social development amongst the poorest of the poor, and the most vulnerable and marginalised. It effectively implements this through its partnerships with its primary customers/clients and all those sharing its vision.

The Department's core functions are social welfare services, which focuses on childhood development, child care and protection services, special needs persons, restorative services such as social crime prevention and support, and HIV/AIDS care and support; and development and research, which focuses on youth development, sustainable livelihood, institutional capacity building and support, research and demography, and population capacity development and advocacy.