The goal of the study was to explore the perceptions of social workers regarding their role in aftercare and reintegration towards substance-dependent persons. The research was about the quest to unlock the perceptions that social workers, both in the employ of the Gauteng Department of Social Development and SANCA, have about their role in aftercare and reintegration services. Hence, the research approach followed was qualitative. Due to the nature of the study, the researcher used focus group interviews for data collection. An interview schedule, with guiding questions, was prepared in advance. The research also aimed to make comparisons between the Gauteng Department of Social Development and SANCA findings. Consequently, two focus group interviews were conducted for Gauteng Department of Social Development and SANCA, respectively. The findings from the two focus groups conducted were packaged in three sections, namely, findings from Gauteng Department of Social Development, from SANCA Eersterust and the combined data. The key findings from the Gauteng Department of Social Development were that aftercare services were viewed as motivation of clients and providing emotional support. The causes of substance abuse relapse were due to a lack of support, boredom and stigma. There was limited knowledge amongst social workers on how relevant legislation and policies link up with aftercare and reintegration services. There was a lack of manuals or guidelines on how aftercare and reintegration services should be rendered, and lastly, there was a view from social workers that the Department of Social Development should play a leading role on issues of aftercare and reintegration services. The key findings from SANCA were that aftercare and reintegration services were more about a holistic approach. The causes of substance abuse relapse were mainly about triggers and lack of social infrastructure. The stumbling blocks for effective aftercare and reintegration services were part of an external locus of control, shortage of skills development centres and inadequate services in treatment centres. Aftercare and reintegration services should include assessment, support groups for clients and families, skills development programmes and referrals. Lastly, the role of social workers when it came to aftercare and reintegration services included case management and support. The role of the social workers both from the Gauteng Department of Social Development and SANCA according to the participating social workers were as follows: resource management, therapy, empowerment, case management and support. Recommendations were made for effective aftercare and reintegration services and for future research. The recommendations for effective aftercare and reintegration services were: (1) aftercare and reintegration services should include in their programmes sessions and activities on emotional support and motivation; (2) the holistic approach should be adopted when rendering aftercare and reintegration services to substance-dependent persons; (3) the Department of Social Development should take the lead on issues of aftercare and reintegration services and should be supported by NGOs; (4) social workers were best located and more effective as case managers for substance abuse and aftercare and reintegration services in particular; (5) specialisation of social workers in the field of substance abuse was recommended; (6) there was a need for workshops for social workers in the substance abuse field to be trained about relevant policy and legislation in the sector; (7) there was a need for a manual from the Gauteng Department of Social Development and SANCA which should sketch out the process and procedures of rendering aftercare and reintegration services to recovering substance-dependent persons. The recommendations for future research were that this study was based on social workers from the Gauteng Department of Social Development and social workers from SANCA within the jurisdiction of the Tshwane area. It was recommended that a study be conducted in other areas of South Africa to make comparisons of the data. It was established that there were various legislation and policies which deal with issues of aftercare and reintegration services. There was however, a need to determine whether such legislation and policy were in line with the needs of the substance dependent people. Lastly, it was also recommended that there should be more scientific enquiry on issues of aftercare and reintegration services in substance-dependent persons in South Africa. / Dissertation (MSW)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / lmchunu2014 / Social Work and Criminology / unrestricted

The diploma thesis focuses on the topic of leaving alternative care and it is divided into two parts. In the first theoretical part I describe the system of alternative care in the Czech Republic, its division and definition. I also deal with the termination of care, preparation for independence and the last are forms of assistance and aftercare services. In the practical part, the subject of my interest will be the readiness of young people after the end of alternative care. Through a semi-structured interview, I will find out how they are doing in various areas that are important for independence. In the final part, I summarize the results of the research, which will be provided with commentary. Keywords Substitute care, family, foster care, institutional education, preparation for independent living, after-care services

The susceptibility of adolescents to chemical addiction has become a major international concern. Approximately 25% of people in Central Asia and Eastern Europe who inject chemical substances are under the age of 20 years (Youth at the United Nations, 2006), while up to 75% of unintentional injuries among adolescents in America are related to substance abuse (Page & Page, 2003:196). On the national level, approximately 25% of adolescents under the age of 20 are involved in substance abuse (Western Cape Department of Social Services and Poverty Alleviation Transformation Plan, 2006:13). Focusing on the Western Cape, a report from the South African Epidemiology Network (2007:3) highlights that the youngest patient in in-patient treatment was nine years of age, and among 2 798 persons who received in-patient treatment, 27% were under the age of 20, more than any other age group in treatment. Treatment of adolescent chemical addiction should include preparation for treatment, treatment, and also aftercare services to ensure that the addicted adolescent develops skills to maintain sobriety (Meyer, 2005:292-293). Section Six of the South African Prevention and Treatment of Drug Dependency Act (1992) prescribes that chemically addicted persons should have access to professional aftercare services to ensure that treatment is not terminated prematurely. The motivation for this study was based on the fact that, despite this statutory requirement, the Western Cape Drug Forum (2005:3) identified the need for the development of aftercare services in 2005, indicating the lack of focus on aftercare as part of treatment. This concern was confirmed by practitioners in the field of adolescent chemical addiction and findings resulted from previous research regarding relapse experiences of chemically addicted adolescents (Van der Westhuizen, 2007:129-130). / Social Work / D. Phil. (Social Work)

Drug abuse is a very common problem these days; and this problem is especially rampant among the young people of South Africa. Early problems in family management, the antisocial behaviour of the child, and peer pressure and rejection ignite the early onset of substance abuse. Treatment programmes and therapeutic methods to treat chemical dependency are available and utilised, but the high relapse rate and lack of support from family members and dysfunctional families, as well as the fears and challenges expressed by in-patient youth about being reintegrated with their families and a lack of supporting literature in this regard remain a cause for concern and need to be considered by the social work profession in order to plan effective intervention strategies. In response to this situation a research project was undertaken with the purpose of exploring and describing the perceptions, expectations, fears and needs of chemically dependent youth in a rehabilitation centre about being integrated into their family systems in an attempt to forward recommendations to assist social workers in rendering effective therapeutic services to service users in rehabilitation centres who have a substance abuse problem. A qualitative approach was utilised following an explorative, descriptive and contextual research design. The study was conducted at an in-patient rehabilitation centre called the Dr Fabian and Florence Ribeiro Treatment Centre in Cullinan, Gauteng Province in South Africa. Data were collected by means of semi-structured interviews. A sample of participants was selected by using purposive sampling from a population of service users in the Dr Fabian and Florence Ribeiro Centre who are chemically dependent. Data were analysed according to the framework provided by Tesch (cited in Creswell, 2003). Guba‘s model (cited in Krefting, 1991) was employed for data verification. The research findings point to the fact that participants had both negative and positive perceptions about going back to their respective families. On the one hand, there were negative perceptions shared. These were founded on a feeling of worry about the fact that their families criticised them a lot or that their families would not accept that they had changed, would still treat them like addicts, and not trust them. Furthermore, they feared relapse, triggers in their environment and family members who were abusing a substance. On the other hand, some participants perceived the reintegration with their families, following treatment, in a positive light as they were looking forward to joining them again after being in v treatment for three months.They were excited about the fact that they had been granted an opportunity where they could show their families that they have changed and have the chance of starting a new life. Moreover, part of the research findings point to the fact that some of the participants‘ families had already organised employment, a place for them to stay and financial assistance. From the research findings it became clear that the participants harboured the following expectations towards the families with whom they were reuniting: They need the family‘s love and support; to trust them again: to mend severed relationships and spend quality time together; to provide practical and material help, and for the family to be educated on addiction and for the family to accompany them to aftercare. In terms of research findings directed at the site (i.e., the rehabilitation centre) where the research was conducted the participants indicated that they needed more activities, they would like their families to be part of their recovery process, and expressed the need for individual sessions apart from group sessions and aftercare services. In terms of recommendations it was apparent that community members, community organisations and the government sector need to develop and launch chemical substance abuse prevention and awareness programmes through various media, (i.e. articles in newspapers, magazines, talks and documentaries on radio and television, community gatherings and meetings in all communities). Moreover, it is recommended that parents should take responsibility for monitoring and countering substance abuse in their children. Families need to be empowered through talks, attending parenting skills training, workshops and group meetings. South Africa needs to develop a policy focusing on families. Furthermore, it is recommended that treatment centres need to provide individual sessions, family therapy, aftercare services and more extramural activities, if these are not included in their treatment regime. / Social Work / M.A. (Social Science)

Many South African families are beset by social, psychological and economic challenges placing children at risk. Family preservation services, capitalising on families’ strengths to resolve their problems, are crucial to avoid the removal of children from their homes. Using a qualitative approach, this study reveals the experiences and perceptions of twelve social workers providing family preservation services in the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan of Gauteng Province. These social workers articulate their understanding of and experiences with the Children’s Act (Act No. 38) of 2005. They are generally optimistic that family preservation services can offer a helping process with the potential to improve family functioning. Nevertheless, there are stumbling blocks to effective service delivery, such as the kinds of social problems experienced by families, lack of funding, high caseloads, lack of resources and little co-operation from other disciplines and agencies. Based on these findings, recommendations are made for practice, policy and further research. / Social Work / MA (Social Work)

The susceptibility of adolescents to chemical addiction has become a major international concern. Approximately 25% of people in Central Asia and Eastern Europe who inject chemical substances are under the age of 20 years (Youth at the United Nations, 2006), while up to 75% of unintentional injuries among adolescents in America are related to substance abuse (Page & Page, 2003:196). On the national level, approximately 25% of adolescents under the age of 20 are involved in substance abuse (Western Cape Department of Social Services and Poverty Alleviation Transformation Plan, 2006:13). Focusing on the Western Cape, a report from the South African Epidemiology Network (2007:3) highlights that the youngest patient in in-patient treatment was nine years of age, and among 2 798 persons who received in-patient treatment, 27% were under the age of 20, more than any other age group in treatment. Treatment of adolescent chemical addiction should include preparation for treatment, treatment, and also aftercare services to ensure that the addicted adolescent develops skills to maintain sobriety (Meyer, 2005:292-293). Section Six of the South African Prevention and Treatment of Drug Dependency Act (1992) prescribes that chemically addicted persons should have access to professional aftercare services to ensure that treatment is not terminated prematurely. The motivation for this study was based on the fact that, despite this statutory requirement, the Western Cape Drug Forum (2005:3) identified the need for the development of aftercare services in 2005, indicating the lack of focus on aftercare as part of treatment. This concern was confirmed by practitioners in the field of adolescent chemical addiction and findings resulted from previous research regarding relapse experiences of chemically addicted adolescents (Van der Westhuizen, 2007:129-130). / Social Work / D. Phil. (Social Work)

Many South African families are beset by social, psychological and economic challenges placing children at risk. Family preservation services, capitalising on families’ strengths to resolve their problems, are crucial to avoid the removal of children from their homes. Using a qualitative approach, this study reveals the experiences and perceptions of twelve social workers providing family preservation services in the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan of Gauteng Province. These social workers articulate their understanding of and experiences with the Children’s Act (Act No. 38) of 2005. They are generally optimistic that family preservation services can offer a helping process with the potential to improve family functioning. Nevertheless, there are stumbling blocks to effective service delivery, such as the kinds of social problems experienced by families, lack of funding, high caseloads, lack of resources and little co-operation from other disciplines and agencies. Based on these findings, recommendations are made for practice, policy and further research. / Social Work / M. A. (Social Work)

Drug abuse is a very common problem these days; and this problem is especially rampant among the young people of South Africa. Early problems in family management, the antisocial behaviour of the child, and peer pressure and rejection ignite the early onset of substance abuse. Treatment programmes and therapeutic methods to treat chemical dependency are available and utilised, but the high relapse rate and lack of support from family members and dysfunctional families, as well as the fears and challenges expressed by in-patient youth about being reintegrated with their families and a lack of supporting literature in this regard remain a cause for concern and need to be considered by the social work profession in order to plan effective intervention strategies. In response to this situation a research project was undertaken with the purpose of exploring and describing the perceptions, expectations, fears and needs of chemically dependent youth in a rehabilitation centre about being integrated into their family systems in an attempt to forward recommendations to assist social workers in rendering effective therapeutic services to service users in rehabilitation centres who have a substance abuse problem. A qualitative approach was utilised following an explorative, descriptive and contextual research design. The study was conducted at an in-patient rehabilitation centre called the Dr Fabian and Florence Ribeiro Treatment Centre in Cullinan, Gauteng Province in South Africa. Data were collected by means of semi-structured interviews. A sample of participants was selected by using purposive sampling from a population of service users in the Dr Fabian and Florence Ribeiro Centre who are chemically dependent. Data were analysed according to the framework provided by Tesch (cited in Creswell, 2003). Guba‘s model (cited in Krefting, 1991) was employed for data verification. The research findings point to the fact that participants had both negative and positive perceptions about going back to their respective families. On the one hand, there were negative perceptions shared. These were founded on a feeling of worry about the fact that their families criticised them a lot or that their families would not accept that they had changed, would still treat them like addicts, and not trust them. Furthermore, they feared relapse, triggers in their environment and family members who were abusing a substance. On the other hand, some participants perceived the reintegration with their families, following treatment, in a positive light as they were looking forward to joining them again after being in v treatment for three months.They were excited about the fact that they had been granted an opportunity where they could show their families that they have changed and have the chance of starting a new life. Moreover, part of the research findings point to the fact that some of the participants‘ families had already organised employment, a place for them to stay and financial assistance. From the research findings it became clear that the participants harboured the following expectations towards the families with whom they were reuniting: They need the family‘s love and support; to trust them again: to mend severed relationships and spend quality time together; to provide practical and material help, and for the family to be educated on addiction and for the family to accompany them to aftercare. In terms of research findings directed at the site (i.e., the rehabilitation centre) where the research was conducted the participants indicated that they needed more activities, they would like their families to be part of their recovery process, and expressed the need for individual sessions apart from group sessions and aftercare services. In terms of recommendations it was apparent that community members, community organisations and the government sector need to develop and launch chemical substance abuse prevention and awareness programmes through various media, (i.e. articles in newspapers, magazines, talks and documentaries on radio and television, community gatherings and meetings in all communities). Moreover, it is recommended that parents should take responsibility for monitoring and countering substance abuse in their children. Families need to be empowered through talks, attending parenting skills training, workshops and group meetings. South Africa needs to develop a policy focusing on families. Furthermore, it is recommended that treatment centres need to provide individual sessions, family therapy, aftercare services and more extramural activities, if these are not included in their treatment regime. / Social Work / M.A. (Social Science)

Against the background of an increase in the demands for treatment of adolescent chemical addiction, as well as the persistently high relapse rate, the significant impact on the development and well-being of chemically addicted adolescents needs to be considered by the social work profession, in order to plan effective intervention strategies. The purpose of this research study was to explore and describe the experiences of chemically addicted adolescents who had relapsed after in-patient treatment. Subsequently, the researcher aimed to generate guidelines and recommendations for social workers, in order to prevent relapse. A qualitative research approach was employed. The researcher made use of descriptive, exploratory and contextual research designs. The study was conducted at adolescent in-patient treatment centres in the Western Cape, South Africa. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews. Interviews were tape-recorded and transcribed, and field notes were taken to record the data. The sample selected from the population of chemically addicted adolescents in the Western Cape who relapsed after in-patient treatment was selected through the purposive sampling technique. Tesch's framework for data analysis (in Creswell, 2003) was employed, and data verification was conducted through Guba's model (in Krefting, 1991:214-222). The research results, concluding guidelines and recommendations are being disseminated by means of this written report. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Social Work)

Against the background of an increase in the demands for treatment of adolescent chemical addiction, as well as the persistently high relapse rate, the significant impact on the development and well-being of chemically addicted adolescents needs to be considered by the social work profession, in order to plan effective intervention strategies. The purpose of this research study was to explore and describe the experiences of chemically addicted adolescents who had relapsed after in-patient treatment. Subsequently, the researcher aimed to generate guidelines and recommendations for social workers, in order to prevent relapse. A qualitative research approach was employed. The researcher made use of descriptive, exploratory and contextual research designs. The study was conducted at adolescent in-patient treatment centres in the Western Cape, South Africa. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews. Interviews were tape-recorded and transcribed, and field notes were taken to record the data. The sample selected from the population of chemically addicted adolescents in the Western Cape who relapsed after in-patient treatment was selected through the purposive sampling technique. Tesch's framework for data analysis (in Creswell, 2003) was employed, and data verification was conducted through Guba's model (in Krefting, 1991:214-222). The research results, concluding guidelines and recommendations are being disseminated by means of this written report. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Social Work)