Thesis (M Social Work (Social Work))--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The goal of this study is to shed some light on the needs of children orphaned by AIDS as well as on the training and support that their foster parents will need, in order to provide guidelines for equipping foster parents to care for AIDS orphans. The motivation for this study was the rapid spread of HIV/AIDS in the South Africa and the one million South African AIDS orphans left in its wake. Most of these children end up in substitute homes, and many of them in foster care. Researchers agree that AIDS orphans have special needs because of the circumstances surrounding their parents’ death. Foster parents will therefore need to be prepared to meet these needs. It is an internationally documented fact that foster parents have a need for training and support to meet the demands of foster care, and having an AIDS orphan as a foster child will increase, and focus this need. The study was also motivated by the current shortages and challenges in the foster care system in South Africa which makes it difficult for social workers to effectively train and support foster parents, and aims to contribute towards overcoming some of these problems so that foster parents can be properly prepared to see to the well-being of the AIDS orphans in their care. The research was done based on a literature study, which firstly made use of the Ecological Systems Perspective to explore the effects of parental death by AIDS on their children. Subsequently an overview of foster care within the South African context is given, with emphasis on foster care in general, foster care within the challenging South African context and foster care of AIDS orphans. The last part of the literature review discusses foster parent cell groups as a means of training and supporting the foster parents of AIDS orphans for the parenting process. The empirical investigation of the study investigated to what extent, and in what ways, social workers are training and supporting foster parents to care for AIDS orphans. This investigation confirmed some of the findings of the literature study, namely that AIDS orphans have needs that differ from those of other foster children and that social workers are too overburdened to be able to give the foster parents of these orphans the needed training and support. In light of the findings derived from the literature study and empirical research, conclusions and recommendations are made concerning the phenomena under investigation. The recommendations focus on guidelines that can be used by social workers to train and support the foster parents of AIDS orphans. The recommendations centre on the utilisation of resource-friendly methods to train and support foster parents; bringing structure into the foster care process and on social workers having to use research for guidance. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie studie is om lig te werp op die behoeftes van kinders wat deur VIGS wees gelaat is, sowel as op die opleiding en ondersteuning wat hul pleegouers nodig het, ten einde riglyne te verskaf vir die toerus van pleegouers om na VIGS-weeskinders om te sien. Die studie is gemotiveer deur die vinnige verspreiding van MIV/VIGS in Suid- Afrika en die een miljoen VIGS-weeskinders wat agtergelaat is. Die meeste van hierdie kinders word in plaasvervangende huise ingeneem, waarvan baie pleegsorgplasings is. Navorsers stem saam dat VIGS-weeskinders spesiale behoeftes het as gevolg van die omstandighede wat met hul ouers se dood gepaard gaan. Pleegouers sal dus voorberei moet word om in hierdie behoeftes te voorsien. Internasionale studies bewys dat pleegouers self ‘n behoefte aan opleiding en ondersteuning het om aan die vereistes van pleegsorg te voldoen. Hierdie behoefte verdiep en word meer gefokus vir ‘n pleegouer wat ‘n VIGS-weeskind in pleegsorg neem. Die studie is ook gemotiveer deur die huidige tekortkominge en uitdagings inherent aan die pleegsorgstelsel in Suid-Afrika wat dit vir maatskaplike werkers moeilik maak om pleegouers genoegsaam op te lei en te ondersteun. Die studie het dus ten doel gehad om ‘n bydrae te lewer tot die oorkoming van sommige van hierdie probleme sodat pleegouers voorbereid kan wees om na die welsyn van hierdie weeskinders in hulle sorg om te sien. Die navorsing is gebaseer op ‘n verreikende literatuurstudie. Die literatuurstudie het eerstens gefokus op die gebruik van die Ekologiese Sisteemperspektief om die effek van ouers se afsterwe weens MIV/VIGS op kinders te ondersoek. Daarna is ‘n oorsig gegee van pleegsorg binne die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks. Klem is geplaas op pleegsorg in die algemeen, pleegsorg binne die uitdagende Suid-Afrikaanse konteks, en pleegsorg spesifiek met VIGS-weeskinders. Die laaste deel van die literatuuroorsig bespreek die moontlikheid om pleegouer-selgroepe te benut om pleegouers die nodige opleiding en ondersteuning te gee vir die proses van ouerskap. Die empiriese studie ondersoek ook in watter mate en op watter manier, maatskaplike werkers besig is om die pleegouers van VIGS-weeskinders op te lei en te ondersteun. Hierdie ondersoek bevestig sommige van die bevindinge van die literatuurstudie; spesifiek dat VIGS-weeskinders unieke behoeftes het en dat maatskaplike werkers te oorlaai is om die pleegouers van hierdie weeskinders die nodige opleiding en ondersteuning te bied. In die lig van die bevindinge van die literatuurstudie en empiriese navorsing is gevolgtrekkings en aanbevelings gemaak. Die aanbevelings het primêr gepoog om riglyne te verskaf wat deur maatskaplike werkers gebruik kan word om pleegouers op te lei en te ondersteun. Die aanbevelings het gesentreer rondom die gebruik van hulpbronvriendelike maniere om pleegouers op te lei en te ondersteun; die strukturering van die pleegsorgproses en die noodsaaklikheid vir maatskaplike werkers om daadwerklik van navorsing gebruik te maak vir leiding.

xxi, 199 leaves: ill. / Introduction and purpose: This empirical study was carried out to determine the nutritional status and level of nutritional knowledge amongst orphaned children. A cycle menu will be developed after sensory evaluations of all protein enhanced dishes. Method: Anthropometric measures were used to determine the nutritional status and to measure the nutrition knowledge of 100 orphaned children aged 9 to 13 years old in Boipatong, Vaal region. A nutritional knowledge questionnaire was administered to the study group. Furthermore the anthropometric measurement was carried out and analysed with World Health Organization software (AnthoPius) using ±2 standard deviations cut off points, and data on nutritional knowledge were captured on Microsoft Excel and analysed for frequencies, mean and standard deviation (SD) using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 1'7. Results: The results for nutritional status revealed that 59% of the population studied were underweight, 40% were stunted and 25% were wasted. Most of the respondents (70%) scored less than 50% on the nutrition knowledge questionnaire. The mean correct answer for multiple choice questions was 29.65% and for true/false question was 50.34%. Conclusion: The orphaned children are under-nourished and wasted. Further to this, the nutrition knowledge of the orphans is poor. It is recommended that a nutrition education programme be implemented so as to address the issue of poor food choices and malnutrition. / National Research Foundation (NRF), VUT and Hubbs and Spokes Model

Student Number : 0217201P - MA (Housing) dissertation - School of Architecture and Planning - Faculty of Humanities / South Africa currently has the fastest growing HIV/AIDS pandemic in the world. Against this backdrop it is therefore not suprising to learn that 4 million children or about 10% of the entire South African population will be orphaned by the year 2015 (Davis, 2002:52; Whiteside & Sunter, 2000 in Madhavan, [2000:1]). These projections paint a clear picture of the challenges that lie ahead for accommodating and sustaining a prevailing family structure of households that are headed by children who are left behind by parents succumbing to the ravages of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Because of their vulnerable age and laws and policies that do not fully cater for their needs, these children become victims of exploitation and abuse and forfeit their human rights enshrined in the Bill of Rights of the South African Constitution (1996). This study aims to unearth the plight of these children. In particular it will focus on the right of entitlement to family property when their parents die or are debilitated by HIV/AIDS related diseases. It concludes by challenging government and other stakeholders to review existing policies and to ensure that legislation is in place that mitigates against any form of violence, abuse, trauma or ostracism to which orphaned children are subjected to by unscrupulous caregivers.

The aim of this study was to identify difficulties experienced by caregivers of children orphaned by HIV/AIDS. The aim was achieved through the following objectives: investigate the family background of caregivers of AIDS orphans; investigate the general emotional impact of caring for AIDS orphans on caregivers; investigate the health impact of caring for AIDS orphans on caregivers; investigate the extent of financial impact of caring for AIDS orphans on caregivers; investigate the impact of caring for AIDS orphans on the social life of caregivers; to make recommendations so as to assist in helping caregivers. A literature review and the qualitative empirical research method were used to achieve the aim and thus, the objectives stated above. The literature review revealed the following difficulties experienced by caregivers of AIDS orphans: lack of knowledge regarding the formal adoption of orphans; lengthy process administered by an increasingly overstretched system; bad behaviour by orphans; stress resulting to poor physical and mental health, strained personal relationships and lowering of standards of care; poverty; "role strain" and "identity"; interpersonal and family conflicts; isolation and fear for the future; excessive workload of having to care for children; and stigma and discrimination relating to HIV/AIDS. However, this study highlighted the following difficulties: poverty; stress and depression; family fights; adoption; bad influence on orphans by neighbours; education; lack of training; lack of social services support; lack of community support structures; and lack of prior planning by orphans' parents. The conclusions drawn from this study are that there were similar problems revealed in this study to those identified in the literature. For example, both literature and this study revealed poverty, stress and interpersonal and family conflicts as major problems experienced by caregivers. Grandparents and other family members who were caregivers in this study did not see "role strain" and "identity" as major stumbling blocks. Stigma and isolation were also some of the problems not directly experienced by most caregivers. However, it was evident that lack of involvement of some of these caregivers with the community, has led to their not experiencing stigmatisation and isolation. The following recommendations were made: caregivers should be given adequate training on how to use the grants given to orphans; researchers should use their research findings to influence government policy regarding termination of grants for orphans, that is, as long as orphans are still attending school or university, grants should not be terminated; universities and government should set aside special bursaries or study loans for orphans at universities, and these loans must only be paid when the orphans are in the position to do so; government should make extra funds available to give to caregivers as incentives; Social Welfare Department should be strengthen so that free counselling could be given to caregivers whenever is necessary; School-Based Support Teams (SBST) committees in schools should be capacitated and empowered; capacitate and empower non -governmental organisations (NGOs); and there should be a strong interaction between schools, NGOs, social workers, nurses and police. Limitations of the current study were also identified. This study could not show with absolute certainty whether the problems identified are related to orphanhood in general, rather than orphanhood by HIV/AIDS. Thus it was deemed necessary in future to have a comparison group of caregivers of orphans due to reasons other than HIV/AIDS. Other limitations included reliance on one population race. The study cannot ascertain whether these findings can be applicable to caregivers from other race groups such as white or coloured races. South Africa is a multicultural society with different norms and values. Thus, the way we react to certain stimuli might be influenced to a large extent by our customs and values. Further limitations included reliance on one specific type of caregiving. The study did not explore other type such as orphanages, but concentrated on what is regarded as the traditional safety net. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2009.

The aim of this study was to identify difficulties experienced by caregivers of children orphaned by HIV/AIDS. The aim was achieved through the following objectives: investigate the family background of caregivers of AIDS orphans; investigate the general emotional impact of caring for AIDS orphans on caregivers; investigate the health impact of caring for AIDS orphans on caregivers; investigate the extent of financial impact of caring for AIDS orphans on caregivers; investigate the impact of caring for AIDS orphans on the social life of caregivers; to make recommendations so as to assist in helping caregivers. A literature review and the qualitative empirical research method were used to achieve the aim and thus, the objectives stated above. The literature review revealed the following difficulties experienced by caregivers of AIDS orphans: lack of knowledge regarding the formal adoption of orphans; lengthy process administered by an increasingly overstretched system; bad behaviour by orphans; stress resulting to poor physical and mental health, strained personal relationships and lowering of standards of care; poverty; "role strain" and "identity"; interpersonal and family conflicts; isolation and fear for the future; excessive workload of having to care for children; and stigma and discrimination relating to HIV/AIDS. However, this study highlighted the following difficulties: poverty; stress and depression; family fights; adoption; bad influence on orphans by neighbours; education; lack of training; lack of social services support; lack of community support structures; and lack of prior planning by orphans' parents. The conclusions drawn from this study are that there were similar problems revealed in this study to those identified in the literature. For example, both literature and this study revealed poverty, stress and interpersonal and family conflicts as major problems experienced by caregivers. Grandparents and other family members who were caregivers in this study did not see "role strain" and "identity" as major stumbling blocks. Stigma and isolation were also some of the problems not directly experienced by most caregivers. However, it was evident that lack of involvement of some of these caregivers with the community, has led to their not experiencing stigmatisation and isolation. The following recommendations were made: caregivers should be given adequate training on how to use the grants given to orphans; researchers should use their research findings to influence government policy regarding termination of grants for orphans, that is, as long as orphans are still attending school or university, grants should not be terminated; universities and government should set aside special bursaries or study loans for orphans at universities, and these loans must only be paid when the orphans are in the position to do so; government should make extra funds available to give to caregivers as incentives; Social Welfare Department should be strengthen so that free counselling could be given to caregivers whenever is necessary; School-Based Support Teams (SBST) committees in schools should be capacitated and empowered; capacitate and empower non -governmental organisations (NGOs); and there should be a strong interaction between schools, NGOs, social workers, nurses and police. Limitations of the current study were also identified. This study could not show with absolute certainty whether the problems identified are related to orphanhood in general, rather than orphanhood by HIV/AIDS. Thus it was deemed necessary in future to have a comparison group of caregivers of orphans due to reasons other than HIV/AIDS. Other limitations included reliance on one population race. The study cannot ascertain whether these findings can be applicable to caregivers from other race groups such as white or coloured races. South Africa is a multicultural society with different norms and values. Thus, the way we react to certain stimuli might be influenced to a large extent by our customs and values. Further limitations included reliance on one specific type of caregiving. The study did not explore other type such as orphanages, but concentrated on what is regarded as the traditional safety net. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2009.

Magister Artium (Social Work) - MA(SW) / Since the inception of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, millions of individuals of all ages have been affected. To date, more than 15 million people have died from HIV/AIDS, resulting in a substantial increase in the number of orphans worldwide. AIDS orphans are not spared from the catastrophic outcomes of the virus but rather are critically affected by the presence of familial HIV/AIDS. They have come to be seen as a vulnerable population of the youth who are neglected and ineffectively educated and cared for. Numerous risk factors and outcomes have been identified for AIDS orphans, such as parental bereavement, poverty, financial strain, the loss of educational opportunities, and stigmatisation. Although these risk factors and outcomes may be present among all orphaned youth, AIDS orphans display higher levels of psychological difficulties and distress than youth orphaned by other causes. Scholars have begun to investigate the association of AIDS orphans with a highly stigmatised disease in the hope of uncovering possible explanations. This research has become a challenging task as there is insufficient filtered information examining the effects of HIV-related stigma on the psychological well-being of AIDS orphans. With limited knowledge, it is impossible to accurately illustrate or address the risk that HIV-related stigma poses to the psychological well-being of AIDS orphans. The present study aimed to examine and report on the effects of HIV-related stigma on the psychological well-being of AIDS orphans who have lost one or both of their parents to HIV/AIDS. The study employed a systematic review methodology which identified and critically evaluated relevant literature for inclusion and provided a descriptive meta-synthesis of findings. The review considered studies reporting on the effects of HIV-related stigma on the psychological well-being of AIDS orphans that were published during the period 2004–2015. The review was conducted in four systematic steps. Firstly, potential titles were identified using predetermined sets of keywords in databases available at the University of the Western Cape. Secondly, the abstracts of potential titles were screened for relevance to the study and were promoted to the next level of review. Thirdly, the full text of the studies of all eligible abstracts were retrieved and evaluated for methodological quality using a critical appraisal tool. Eligibility for inclusion was determined by a predetermined threshold score of 80%. Lastly, studies included in the present study were subjected to a process of data extraction. Subsequently, the title search yielded 5473 prospective titles of which 96 titles were identified for possible inclusion. Abstract screening excluded 59 titles, and the differences of 37 studies were included. Critical appraisal of potential studies excluded 28 studies, and the remaining 9 studies were deemed eligible for the purpose of the present study, achieving the threshold score of 80% and above and have been included in the review. The theory explication meta-synthesis and line of argument forming the discussion of findings revealed that AIDS orphans are critically affected by various measures of HIV-related stigma. The central feature extracted from the included studies was the increase of psychological distress and poor psychological functioning of AIDS orphans resulting from HIV- related stigma. Stigma acted to perpetuate poverty, the loss of educational opportunities and the process of bereavement, while leading to an increase in depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, conduct disorder, adjustment disorder and delinquency among AIDS orphans. In conclusion, AIDS orphans experienced all measures of HIV-related stigma resulting in an increase of psychological distress accompanied by lower levels of poor-psychological functioning.

This dissertation profiles the needs of abandoned or orphaned, HIV affected or infected children living in a South African institution. The purpose of my research is to identify the needs of the children; then identify how the staff within the institution perceive that they provide for these needs; and lastly look at what Music Therapy as a discipline can offer the children in regards to the needs identified. Interviews with fulltime and part-time staff members suggest that the needs of the children relate mainly to a lack of individual attention. Inconsistent quality of care and limited opportunities for forming attachments to specific caregivers were identified foremost as resulting in difficulties with forming and maintaining relationships and social functioning with peer members and staff members, in the institutional social cultural context. The therapeutic relationship offered to the children in Music therapy sessions offers opportunities to address the individual and social needs identified. / Dissertation (MMus (Music Therapy))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Music / unrestricted

During the past decade, South Africa has become the country with the highest number of HIV/AIDS infections in the world. In the wake of the widely spread HIV/AIDS epidemic in South Africa, hundreds of thousands of children are left parentless. Since limited research exists on the psycho-educational needs of children orphaned by AIDS in South Africa, the focus of this study was on their psycho-educational development. A literature study was conducted to investigate the HIV/AIDS epidemic in South Africa and its consequences for the psycho-educational development of AIDS orphans. A qualitative investigation was undertaken and interviews were conducted with caregivers of AIDS orphans at two care centres in rural KwaZulu-Natal. The aim of the investigation was to identify the psycho-educational needs of AIDS orphans as perceived by their caregivers. Moreover, the investigation also aimed at identifying factors that impede the psycho-educational development of AIDS orphans, and to determine the extent to which these day care centres meet the psycho-educational needs of these orphans. The following psycho-educational needs of AIDS orphans emerged from the investigation: - the need to socialise and communicate - the need to cope with parental death - the need for acceptance - the need for security and care - the need for love and belonging - the need to deal with negative emotions Physical and material needs were added to the above needs, since these were frequently mentioned during the course of the interviews. Factors that seriously impeded the psycho-educational development of AIDS orphans were abuse and neglect. The investigation also revealed that the care centres were to a large extent able to meet a broad spectrum of these orphans’ psycho-educational needs, especially at the care centre where the AIDS orphans were able to sleep over and received the full-time attention caregivers. Since the extended family system can no longer fully carry the burden of hundreds of thousands of AIDS orphans in South Africa, care centres situated in the affected communities can offer a viable alternative to traditional models of care. The study emphasised the need for further research on the needs of AIDS orphans as well as increased support of AIDS orphans on local, provincial and national levels. / MEd (Learner support), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012

During the past decade, South Africa has become the country with the highest number of HIV/AIDS infections in the world. In the wake of the widely spread HIV/AIDS epidemic in South Africa, hundreds of thousands of children are left parentless. Since limited research exists on the psycho-educational needs of children orphaned by AIDS in South Africa, the focus of this study was on their psycho-educational development. A literature study was conducted to investigate the HIV/AIDS epidemic in South Africa and its consequences for the psycho-educational development of AIDS orphans. A qualitative investigation was undertaken and interviews were conducted with caregivers of AIDS orphans at two care centres in rural KwaZulu-Natal. The aim of the investigation was to identify the psycho-educational needs of AIDS orphans as perceived by their caregivers. Moreover, the investigation also aimed at identifying factors that impede the psycho-educational development of AIDS orphans, and to determine the extent to which these day care centres meet the psycho-educational needs of these orphans. The following psycho-educational needs of AIDS orphans emerged from the investigation: - the need to socialise and communicate - the need to cope with parental death - the need for acceptance - the need for security and care - the need for love and belonging - the need to deal with negative emotions Physical and material needs were added to the above needs, since these were frequently mentioned during the course of the interviews. Factors that seriously impeded the psycho-educational development of AIDS orphans were abuse and neglect. The investigation also revealed that the care centres were to a large extent able to meet a broad spectrum of these orphans’ psycho-educational needs, especially at the care centre where the AIDS orphans were able to sleep over and received the full-time attention caregivers. Since the extended family system can no longer fully carry the burden of hundreds of thousands of AIDS orphans in South Africa, care centres situated in the affected communities can offer a viable alternative to traditional models of care. The study emphasised the need for further research on the needs of AIDS orphans as well as increased support of AIDS orphans on local, provincial and national levels. / MEd (Learner support), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012

HIV/AIDS has assumed epidemic proportions in the world of today. The main age group infected by this disease is between the ages of 20 – 40 years. The result of this is that the children who are not infected by the disease will be orphaned and forced to assume the role of head of the house and breadwinner, at a stage in their lives when they should not be burdened with these responsibilities. Orphans are perhaps the most tragic long-term legacy of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. The stigma attached to HIV/AIDS exacerbates the trauma, hampers the bereavement process and exposes children to discrimination and victimization in their community and their extended family. Investigation into existing literature has revealed that insufficient previous studies have been conducted on HIV/AIDS orphans and even fewer pertaining to the emotional needs of the HIV/AIDS infected population in the South African context. For the purpose of this study it was decided to assess the emotional needs of HIV/AIDS affected orphans in the developmental stage of middle childhood. A literature investigation into the historical background of HIV/AIDS was done and the demographic impact of the disease on South Africa was given. The impact that HIV/AIDS has on the patient was discussed along with the impact that it has on the affected significant others of the patient. Secondly a literature investigation on middle childhood was done. The child in middle childhood as well as the family with children in middle childhood was discussed. Attention was given to the developmental tasks, developmental characteristics and the child’s comprehension of death during middle childhood. Attention was also afforded to the family with children in middle childhood with specific emphasis on the developmental tasks and needs of the family and the developmental tasks of siblings. The aim of the research study was to assess the emotional needs of HIV/AIDS orphans. An exploratory research design by means of a qualitative approach was followed. Five respondents were purposively sampled that complied with the set criteria. They were assessed through the utilization of six different Gestalt therapy techniques over a period of one week. Themes were identified through the empirical study. The research question “What are the emotional needs of HIV/AIDS orphans?” was answered and the following emotional needs of the respondents were identified: · Longing for the deceased mother. · Loneliness. · Stigmatization. · Preoccupation with the physical features of the deceased. · Anger. · Insecurity. · Preoccupation with death. · Fear of death. The following themes can be considered for further research in this field: · Establishment of a therapeutic program for affected children. · A comparison between the emotional needs of those children who have knowledge regarding their parent/s status and those who do not. / Dissertation (MA (Play Therapy))--University of Pretoria, 2005. / Social Work and Criminology / unrestricted