A large number of children and teenagers are placed in foster care for various reasons. Social services have a responsibility to follow up youths and ensure that they have the same opportunity for positive development as other young people. A qualitative study was conducted with an abductive perspective by gathering material from social workers in this particular field. The research design of this study is an interview study. The theoretical premise was Bronfenbrenners ecosystem theory and Maslows hierarchy of needs theory. The aim of this study was to examine how social services work to secure youths life situation and how social workers promotes teenagers perspective in their work. The collected material was analyzed thematically. Results showed that all social workers in the study perceived that a functioning schooling and network around the teenagers is important. Another outcome was that frequent follow-up work in foster care is important and that four of six municipalities have one responsible social worker that only follows teenagers in foster care. One of the municipalities which do not have one responsible social worker as a separate position is under preparation to develop this profession. A further result in this study was that social workers variously promote teenagers perspective in their work.

I studien har handläggare från en och samma stadsdelsförvaltning deltagit och där samtliga handläggare vid intervjutillfället arbetade inom avdelningen för funktionsnedsatta. Syftet med studien var att undersöka och analysera om beslutsskillnaderna inom LSS kunde förklaras med hjälp av handläggarnas erfarenhet av behovsbedömningar. Studiens syfte besvarades med hjälp av att intervjua åtta handläggare. Det unika för den aktuella stadsdelen var att beslutfattandet inte gjordes av handläggarna utan av enhetschefen under diskussion med övriga handläggare. Resultatet av studien visade att de påverkande faktorerna vid beslutsfattandet var handläggarens erfarenhet, kunskapsbrist kombinerat med otydliga lagar, riktlinjer och direktiv på arbetsplatsen. Omorganisation, personalomsättning, enhetschefens perspektiv på sociala situationer, funktionsnedsättningar och ekonomin var områden som inte bara påverkade beslutet utan gjorde handläggare mer eller mindre stressade. Resultatet visade också att bemötande från klienten, dess anhöriga/ombud hade olika påverkan på handläggarna, men även klientens inställning till insatserna hade betydelse. Hur ärendet presenterades på ärendedragningen upplevdes också påverka bedömningen för behovet. På vilket sätt beslutet påverkats har enligt handläggarnas upplevelse visat sig skilja i antalet timmar vid omfattade insatser och vid mindre omfattande insatser har skillnaden kunnat vara bifall eller avslag, om beslutet påverkats alls det vill säga. Handläggarna upplever att klienterna får rätt insats, om inte direkt, så småningom. Resultatet är i enlighet med Michael Lipskys (2010) teori om att det är gräsrotsbyråkraterna som utformar sina egna policys. Handläggarna är fria i det dagliga rutinarbetet men inte fria när det kommer till lagstiftning och värdegrunder. I slutändan ska beslutet tillfredsställa klienten, dess anhöriga men även passa in i de tjänster och resurser som socialtjänsten förfogar över. Beslutet ska bygga på en individuell bedömning av klientens behov men i praktiken påverkar andra omständigheter behovsbedömningen.

Denna studie handlar om socialarbetares dilemman i arbetet med familjer där misstanke om sexuella övergrepp mot barn finns och problematik socialarbetare kan se inom dessa familjer. Metoden för studien är kvalitativ eftersom ämnet kräver djupare svar och semistrukturerade intervjuer genomförs med fem socialarbetare i två olika kommuner. Frågor som berörs är bland annat hur socialarbetaren kan uppleva en problematik inom familjer där familjemedlemmar väljer att ta förövarens parti framför barnets parti. Studien tar även upp socialarbetarens dilemma att förhålla sig till sin egen magkänsla och samtidigt ta hänsyn till de lagar och regler som ska styra arbetet. Författarna granskar forskning som tar upp olika behandlingsperspektiv men också ett barnperspektiv för att få mer bredd till det myndighetsperspektiv som socialarbetarna ger. Resultatet från intervjuerna analyseras med tidigare forskning och anknytningsteori, utveckling av ekologisk teori och Foucaults maktperspektiv. Ett av slutresultaten författarna kommer fram till är att sexuella övergrepp ofta är svåra att bevisa och detta kan skapa problematik inom familjen och stora dilemman i socialarbetarens arbete. / This study is about social workers’ dilemmas in working with families where suspicion of sexual abuse against children exists and problems social workers can find within these families. The methodology for the study is qualitative because the subject requires deeper answers and semi-structured interviews are implemented with five social workers in two different municipalities. Issues covered include how the social worker may experience a problem within the families where family members choose to take the perpetrator’s part in front of the child’s part. The study also addresses the social worker’s dilemma in relate to the own instincts, while taking into account the laws and rules that will govern the work. The authors review research addressing various treatment perspectives but also a child’s perspective to get more width to the official perspective that social workers provide. The result from the interviews is analyzed with previous research and attachment theory, developing ecological theory and Foucault’s perspective of power. One of the end results, the authors reach is that sexual abuse is often difficult to prove, and this can create problems within the family and major dilemmas within the social workers’ job.

Thesis (Ph.D. (Social Work))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

Due to the legal obligation to report actual or suspected cases of child sexual abuse and neglect, parents, concerned community members and friends, as well as various professionals like teachers, doctors and psychologists, refer children on a daily basis to social workers in order to initiate an investigation of the allegations. The intake interview is therefore a critical step in the process of child protection and care. In the context of this study, intake interview refers to the initial contact between the social worker and the child in the case of child sexual abuse, where a social worker seeks to establish all objective facts relating to the case so as to make informed decisions and to act accordingly. The Mafikeng Service Point of the Department of Health and Social Development has no standard procedures for social workers in cases of child sexual abuse. It is against this background that a North West based study on the child sexual abuse intake procedures was conducted at Mafikeng Service Point. The study was descriptive and quantitative in nature, with the aim of making a theoretical as well as an empirical study of the intake procedures at the time of the investigation. Data was collected by means of a self–administered questionnaire on the current intake procedures of 30 social workers. Data was triangulated by analysing 15 case files of reported child sexual abuse. It was found that the majority of social workers of the Mafikeng Service Point lack sufficient knowledge and skills regarding interviewing child sexual abuse cases and the legal requirements involved. As a result, they follow diverse and largely inefficient intake interview procedures. The 15 case files that were analysed revealed that social workers do not perform follow–up sessions after the intake and that case files are therefore not officially closed. Recommendations are made to the Mafikeng Service Point with regard to the intake procedures of child sexual abuse cases. / Thesis (M.A. (MW))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

Child sexual abuse is a serious problem that always has been and will be with families and communities. Child sexual abuse occurs within the family, and parents sometimes expect of the child not to tell, or tell the child to deny the abuse. This situation is sometimes exacerbated by the position of the perpetrator within or towards the family. Parents need to be familiarized with the different phases of the process of sexual abuse. Parents are expected to be committed and to provide reliable care and protection for the child. Child sexual abuse is a sensitive issue that harms the inner emotional person of the victim, and affects other family members. The child and the parents need a social worker who has the knowledge and skills to help the family. The family structure, its functioning and the relationships in the family are all important within the context child sexual abuse. The research was conducted among the social workers in Madibeng Municipality. The aim was to explore and describe the role of social workers in motivating parents to disclose the sexual abuse of their child. An empirical study was conducted using a qualitative approach to explore the role of the social worker. A self–administered schedule was used to evaluate the role of the social worker by means of interviews with each social worker. From the data collected during this research it becomes evident that social workers need forensic training so that they could learn the relevant skills and techniques to interview and handle child sexual abuse cases. The knowledge received during training will not only benefit the children, but also the parents. This research found that most social workers employed in both government and non–government organizations in the Madibeng area have not received formal training on how to deal with sexually abused children and their parents, especially with regard to how to motivate parents to disclose the sexual abuse of their child. Guidelines are offered for social workers on how they can motivate parents to disclose the sexual abuse of their children. / Thesis (M.A. (MW))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

The demand for forensic social work as a specialist field is increasing rapidly, due to the increasing moral decline of the community and consequent higher demands set to generic social workers. Amendments to existing acts as well as the development of new legislation, lead to more opportunity for the prosecution of the perpetrator, and therefore a higher utilization of the forensic social worker. A need was experienced to do research regarding the gaps experienced by social workers or any other workers who are currently executing forensic assessments with the sexually traumatised child. The aim of the investigation was to determine which gaps social workers experience in the field when assessing a child forensically. A recording procedure was used to obtain qualitative as well as quantitative data. A purposive sampling was used were interviews were held with five participants to obtain the data. A selfdeveloped questionnaire was used as measuring instrument. It is clear from the findings that there are definite gaps within the field of forensic social work and the need of further research within the field of forensic social work in South Africa is highlighted. / Thesis (MA (SW (Forensic))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

Searching for meaning within the real life experiences of frontline social workers working with clients involved in the illegal drug trade. There is a strong likelihood that during the course of a career a front line social worker will have the opportunity to work with a client who is or has been involved in the illegal drug trade. As there is essentially no existing research literature about social workers who work with clients involved in the illegal drug trade, one of the purposes of this research was to explore this experience from the perspective of front line social workers and bridge the gap in this research area. This qualitative interpretative analysis provided the opportunity to gain insight into and put meaning to the experiences and perceptions of the 11 frontline social workers as they work with clients involved in the illegal drug trade. This research also provides valuable information and implications for practice and for further research.

Thesis (Ph.D. (Social Work))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

Due to the legal obligation to report actual or suspected cases of child sexual abuse and neglect, parents, concerned community members and friends, as well as various professionals like teachers, doctors and psychologists, refer children on a daily basis to social workers in order to initiate an investigation of the allegations. The intake interview is therefore a critical step in the process of child protection and care. In the context of this study, intake interview refers to the initial contact between the social worker and the child in the case of child sexual abuse, where a social worker seeks to establish all objective facts relating to the case so as to make informed decisions and to act accordingly. The Mafikeng Service Point of the Department of Health and Social Development has no standard procedures for social workers in cases of child sexual abuse. It is against this background that a North West based study on the child sexual abuse intake procedures was conducted at Mafikeng Service Point. The study was descriptive and quantitative in nature, with the aim of making a theoretical as well as an empirical study of the intake procedures at the time of the investigation. Data was collected by means of a self–administered questionnaire on the current intake procedures of 30 social workers. Data was triangulated by analysing 15 case files of reported child sexual abuse. It was found that the majority of social workers of the Mafikeng Service Point lack sufficient knowledge and skills regarding interviewing child sexual abuse cases and the legal requirements involved. As a result, they follow diverse and largely inefficient intake interview procedures. The 15 case files that were analysed revealed that social workers do not perform follow–up sessions after the intake and that case files are therefore not officially closed. Recommendations are made to the Mafikeng Service Point with regard to the intake procedures of child sexual abuse cases. / Thesis (M.A. (MW))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.