Magister Legum - LLM

Text in Afrikaans / In hierdie ondersoek word gepoog om 'n regswetenskaplike basis vir "Die Verslag van die Maatskaplike Werker ingevolge artikels 14(4) en 15(1) van die Wet op Kindersorg as 'n Juridies Gefundeerde Hulpmiddel vir die Kinderhof' daar te stel. Die studie fokus onder andere op vroeere wetgewing rakende sekere regte van kinders voor die instelling van kinderhowe in Suid-Afrika, die aard en instelling van die kinderhof, die posisie van kinderhowe binne die hierargie van howe en die kinderhof se handeling. Ooreenkomstig die administratiefreg word die klem veral geplaas op die regsvereistes wat vir alle administratiewe handelinge geld - soos deur Wiechers (1984) gesistematiseer en deur Eckard (1988) op kinderhofondersoeke van toepassing gemaak is. Regswetenskaplike begrippe met inagneming van die relevante gemeneregtelike beginsels, die tussentydse Grondwet, ander relevante wetgewing en regspraak word ontleed ten einde die betekenis en invloed daarvan vir die verslag van die maatskaplike werker duidelik te maak. By implikasie hied hierdie ontleding ook riglyne vir die skryf van die verslag vanuit 'n regsperspektief. Aan die hand van genoemde regsperspektiewe word 'n voorlopige model binne 'n bepaalde struktuur vir die skryf van hierdie verslag voorgestel. Die regsbeginsels wat ontleed is, word doelgerig en planmatig aangewend in 'n poging om uitvoering aan die doelstellings van die kinderhof te verleen en die bewyswaarde van inligting maksimaal te verhoog. Kritiese stellings asook verskeie dilemmas waarmee die maatskaplike werkers in die praktyk te make het, word aangespreek en word nuwe betekenis aan die begrippe "maatskaplike werker" en "verslag" rakende kinderhofaangeleenthede verleen. By wyse van 'n beperkte verkennende empmese ondersoek binne die Christelike Maatskaplike Raad van Noord-Transvaal, word bestaande kritiek betreffende die verslae wat maatskaplike werkers aan kinderhowe lewer asook die maatskaplike werker se beperkinge rakende relevante regskennis bevestig. Spesifieke behoeftes aan kennis word geldentifiseer en 'n hernieude maatskaplikewerkperspektief rakende kinderhofwerk as 'n spesialiteitsgebied binne die maatskaplikewerkterrein word bevestig. Verder word die regsvereistes asook ander relevante vereistes wat op die verslag van toepassing behoort te wees, en soos vanuit die literatuurstudie bepaal is, beaam. Hierdie ondersoek is 'n nuwe bydrae tot die maatskaplikewerkvakliteratuur en baan die weg tot verdere navorsing en ontwikkeling op hierdie terrein. / This investigation attempts to establish a jurisprudential basis for the "The Report of the Social Worker according to articles 14(4) and 15(1) of the Act on Child Welfare as a Juridically Based Aid for the Children's Court". The study focuses inter alia on earlier legislation concerning certain rights of children prior to the establishment of children's courts in South Africa; the nature and institution of children's courts; the position of children's courts within the hierarchy of courts, as well as actions of the children's court. In accordance with Administrative Law the accent falls especially on legal requirements for all administrative actions as systematised by Wiechers (1984) and as applied by Eckard (1988) to examination in such courts. An analysis is made of jurisprudential concepts such as Common Law principles, the Interim Constitution, and other relevant acts of parliament and court verdicts in order to clarify their meaning and influence for this report. By implication this analysis also furnishes guidelines for writing the report within jurisprudential perspectives. With the aid of these perspectives a preliminruy model is presented within a specific structure for the writing of this report. The jurisprudential principles analysed, are purposively and methodically applied in an attempt to satisfy the goals of the children's court and maximise the value of evidence given. Critical statements and several dilemmas confronting social work practice are addressed, and in the court situation new meaning is accorded to concepts such as "social worker" and "report". By means of a limited exploratory empirical investigation within the confines of the Christian Social Services of the Northern Transvaal the present criticism of reports delivered to courts by social workers as well as their jurisprudential limitations have been confirmed. Specific knowledge deficiencies have been identified and a renewed social work perspective on children's courts as specialist field in social work has been established. Legal and other relevant requirements for this report - as found in the literature study - have been confirmed. This investigation constitutes a new contribution to social work literature and opens the way to further research and development in this field. / Private Law / D. Phil. (Social Work)

Text in Afrikaans / In hierdie ondersoek word gepoog om 'n regswetenskaplike basis vir "Die Verslag van die Maatskaplike Werker ingevolge artikels 14(4) en 15(1) van die Wet op Kindersorg as 'n Juridies Gefundeerde Hulpmiddel vir die Kinderhof' daar te stel. Die studie fokus onder andere op vroeere wetgewing rakende sekere regte van kinders voor die instelling van kinderhowe in Suid-Afrika, die aard en instelling van die kinderhof, die posisie van kinderhowe binne die hierargie van howe en die kinderhof se handeling. Ooreenkomstig die administratiefreg word die klem veral geplaas op die regsvereistes wat vir alle administratiewe handelinge geld - soos deur Wiechers (1984) gesistematiseer en deur Eckard (1988) op kinderhofondersoeke van toepassing gemaak is. Regswetenskaplike begrippe met inagneming van die relevante gemeneregtelike beginsels, die tussentydse Grondwet, ander relevante wetgewing en regspraak word ontleed ten einde die betekenis en invloed daarvan vir die verslag van die maatskaplike werker duidelik te maak. By implikasie hied hierdie ontleding ook riglyne vir die skryf van die verslag vanuit 'n regsperspektief. Aan die hand van genoemde regsperspektiewe word 'n voorlopige model binne 'n bepaalde struktuur vir die skryf van hierdie verslag voorgestel. Die regsbeginsels wat ontleed is, word doelgerig en planmatig aangewend in 'n poging om uitvoering aan die doelstellings van die kinderhof te verleen en die bewyswaarde van inligting maksimaal te verhoog. Kritiese stellings asook verskeie dilemmas waarmee die maatskaplike werkers in die praktyk te make het, word aangespreek en word nuwe betekenis aan die begrippe "maatskaplike werker" en "verslag" rakende kinderhofaangeleenthede verleen. By wyse van 'n beperkte verkennende empmese ondersoek binne die Christelike Maatskaplike Raad van Noord-Transvaal, word bestaande kritiek betreffende die verslae wat maatskaplike werkers aan kinderhowe lewer asook die maatskaplike werker se beperkinge rakende relevante regskennis bevestig. Spesifieke behoeftes aan kennis word geldentifiseer en 'n hernieude maatskaplikewerkperspektief rakende kinderhofwerk as 'n spesialiteitsgebied binne die maatskaplikewerkterrein word bevestig. Verder word die regsvereistes asook ander relevante vereistes wat op die verslag van toepassing behoort te wees, en soos vanuit die literatuurstudie bepaal is, beaam. Hierdie ondersoek is 'n nuwe bydrae tot die maatskaplikewerkvakliteratuur en baan die weg tot verdere navorsing en ontwikkeling op hierdie terrein. / This investigation attempts to establish a jurisprudential basis for the "The Report of the Social Worker according to articles 14(4) and 15(1) of the Act on Child Welfare as a Juridically Based Aid for the Children's Court". The study focuses inter alia on earlier legislation concerning certain rights of children prior to the establishment of children's courts in South Africa; the nature and institution of children's courts; the position of children's courts within the hierarchy of courts, as well as actions of the children's court. In accordance with Administrative Law the accent falls especially on legal requirements for all administrative actions as systematised by Wiechers (1984) and as applied by Eckard (1988) to examination in such courts. An analysis is made of jurisprudential concepts such as Common Law principles, the Interim Constitution, and other relevant acts of parliament and court verdicts in order to clarify their meaning and influence for this report. By implication this analysis also furnishes guidelines for writing the report within jurisprudential perspectives. With the aid of these perspectives a preliminruy model is presented within a specific structure for the writing of this report. The jurisprudential principles analysed, are purposively and methodically applied in an attempt to satisfy the goals of the children's court and maximise the value of evidence given. Critical statements and several dilemmas confronting social work practice are addressed, and in the court situation new meaning is accorded to concepts such as "social worker" and "report". By means of a limited exploratory empirical investigation within the confines of the Christian Social Services of the Northern Transvaal the present criticism of reports delivered to courts by social workers as well as their jurisprudential limitations have been confirmed. Specific knowledge deficiencies have been identified and a renewed social work perspective on children's courts as specialist field in social work has been established. Legal and other relevant requirements for this report - as found in the literature study - have been confirmed. This investigation constitutes a new contribution to social work literature and opens the way to further research and development in this field. / Private Law / D. Phil. (Social Work)