The issues about child protection have become a global concern. With the increase in cases of child abuse, neglect and mal-treatment, this study sought to address such issues in the South African context. The government through the Department of Social Development introduced various statutory requirements to ensure the protection of vulnerable children in South Africa. Through the use of a qualitative approach, this study investigated the duties of social workers working within statutory interventions to ensure the safety of abused and neglected children in two distinct areas in Amathole District, Eastern Cape. Semi-structured interviews from the study indicated that, social workers play major roles to ensure that vulnerable children are catered for. Their duties which are guided by law have seen so many abused children being removed from their place of abuse to better places of safety. However, despite the vigorous work done by social workers, statutory interventions still faces many challenges which make them ineffective.

The aim of this study was to investigate unaccompanied migrant children (UMC )experiences, challenges and coping strategies in South Africa as they navigate their lives with no parental care and protection in a foreign country. The continuous inflow of UMC remains a major challenge globally and more so in South Africa. The inflow resulted in unaccompanied migrant children facing adverse challenges such as exploitation, marginalisation, discrimination and violation of human rights. In response to this influx, the South African Government embarked on several commendable initiatives, notwithstanding the national guidelines by the Department of Social Development, which unfortunately could not provide adequate guidance for social workers, on how to respond effectively to challenges facing UMC. The study was qualitative guided by exploratory, descriptive, and contextual designs. A sample was drawn using purposive sampling. Participants sampled for data collection were UMC and social workers tending them, from two shelters; one in the Limpopo and one in the Gauteng provinces, respectively. Data was collected using semi-structured interviews and analysed using Tesch’s eight steps of data analysis in Creswell (2013). The findings confirmed that unaccompanied migrant children do not receive satisfactory services from social workers who are mandated by the Department of Social Development to look after all the vulnerable children in South Africa. In addition, the findings further confirmed the contradictions and misalignment of legal frameworks that make it difficult for social workers to provide effective services to the UMC, thus exposing the latter to a continued plethora of daily challenges. Despite the magnitude of challenges presented by the host country, it emerged that unaccompanied migrant children demonstrate a range of coping mechanisms to survive the challenges experienced within the borders of South Africa. Prominent in the findings was the dissatisfaction of social workers regarding lack of clarity and inconsistencies in the current Social Development Guidelines on; Separated and Unaccompanied Children Outside their Country of Origin in South Africa. Based on these findings, recommendations are made for practice and additional guidelines were developed to enhance service delivery to the UMC. / Social Work / D. Litt. et Phil. (Social Work)

The child protection system includes foster care. Yet some foster children are neglected, physically or emotionally abused and are used to obtain Foster Care Grants. The essence of this study is to develop a thorough and comprehensive understanding from the frame of reference of social workers on the factors that contribute to the neglect and abuse of foster children as well as their suggestions about possible interventions. The qualitative research approach was applied. The researcher utilised purposive sampling to select social workers. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to gather information and data was analysed. It is clear from the findings that the foster care system needs to be reviewed to minimise or stop neglect and abuse of foster children. / Social Work / M.A. (Social Work)

In this study, guidelines were developed for used by social workers to provide emotional support to children in foster care. The child in foster care as well as the services rendered in respect of such a child have been discussed in a literature study. The principles of Gestalt therapy were also discussed as these were used as part of the empirical study and as basis for the guidelines for social workers. A qualitative research design was used to complete the empirical study and case studies were used. Children between six and twelve years who have been in foster care for less than two years and who needed emotional support were selected for the study by means of a purposeful test sample. The research results showed that children in foster care are in need of emotional support. To provide such emotional support to the child in foster care, guidelines have been developed for social workers which they can apply when providing services to the child. These guidelines also serve as the conclusions and recommendations of the study. / Social Work / (M. Diac. (Play Therapy))

In this study, guidelines were developed for used by social workers to provide emotional support to children in foster care. The child in foster care as well as the services rendered in respect of such a child have been discussed in a literature study. The principles of Gestalt therapy were also discussed as these were used as part of the empirical study and as basis for the guidelines for social workers. A qualitative research design was used to complete the empirical study and case studies were used. Children between six and twelve years who have been in foster care for less than two years and who needed emotional support were selected for the study by means of a purposeful test sample. The research results showed that children in foster care are in need of emotional support. To provide such emotional support to the child in foster care, guidelines have been developed for social workers which they can apply when providing services to the child. These guidelines also serve as the conclusions and recommendations of the study. / Social Work / (M. Diac. (Play Therapy))

Text in English / Orphans and vulnerable children are increasingly forming a larger portion of the South African population. The escalating number of these children in communities is caused mainly by the loss of parents to HIV/AIDS. This poses a huge challenge for the government and organisations rendering social welfare services to these orphans and vulnerable children. This qualitative study sought to explore and describe the nature of collaboration between social workers and child and youth workers in rendering services to orphans and vulnerable children in the Free State province. The non-probability sampling technique of purposive sampling guided the data collection process using in-depth one on one semi structured interviews as a data collection method. Finally the data was analysed by means of Creswell’s data analysis spiral followed by the principles of Guba for data verification. The ethical considerations adhered to throughout this study were informed consent, right to privacy, avoidance of deception, debriefing of participants, management of information. The rationale was that overlapping boundaries exist when the two professions work together in addressing the needs of orphans and vulnerable children. The findings of the research confirmed that there are no clear guidelines on the collaboration of social workers and child and youth care workers, although personal efforts are made for a healthy working relationship. Recommendations were made in relation to the findings. / Social Work / M.A. (Social Work)