M.Ed. (Education Management) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

In this study the focus is on the implementation of the Children’s Act in mainstream schools. The Children’s Act mandates that all children who are in need of care both in school and out of school should be taken care of and be protected. However, they are often not afforded the full opportunity to enjoy the benefits of this Act. This is due to various factors that hinder the process of its implementation in mainstream schools. The main emphasis of this study is on the factors that hinder the implementation of the Children’s Act. The aim of the Children’s Act is to look after and provide services and support to children in need of care and protection. In order to provide such services and support to children, one needs to first identify such learners in need of care and their needs. Having done this, the support needed can be assessed and provided. This process is not easily achieved in mainstream schools. This study seeks to determine the factors that discourage the implementation process of the Children’s Act in mainstream schools. Data collection for this study included face to face interviews with teachers who are principals of schools and Life Orientation teachers, a social workers and school nurse. The data was used to analyze and interpret the challenges that hinder the implementation of the Children’s Act in mainstream schools. Among others, the study found that there is a lack of collaboration among stakeholders and coordination of service delivery. Poor parental involvement and commitment to parent involvement programmes was also evident. However, to a limited degree, there is interaction between the schools and relevant government departments. The study recommends that multidisciplinary teams should be formed whereby scarce resources can be shared. Various professionals should have the opportunity to come together toshare ideas and information. In order to encourage identification of learners in need of care, it is recommended that, the peer groups or peer educators be established and awareness campaign be conducted in schools. The study also recommends that developmental assessment programmes be conducted. Developmental assessment programmes will help gather information directly from learners or from an appropriate adult in the child’s life. They provide frameworks which can be used as guides for eliciting and analysing information.

Text in Afrikaans / This study is about the provision of a prototype court preparation programme for the primary school child that had been sexually assaulted. The programme is developed from a Gestalt approach. Literature regarding several existing court preparation programmes was studied and compared in order to identify certain themes for the child's preparation. Knowledge regarding the court, procedures and the functions of the various role players was conveyed to the child with emphasis on the child's role as witness. The research strategy utilised in the study was that of the intervention research and specifically the D&D-model that comprises six phases. The study incorporates the first three phases plus the first step of the fourth phase. Semi-structured interviews and focus groups were utilised to establish which themes could be addressed to support the child towards being a credible witness. These themes are summarised in the court preparation programme and are addressed from the Gestalt approach. / Social Work / M.Diac. (Spelterapie)

This study is concerned with how educational legislation shapes and uses freedom for the purpose of governing the parent. The key question guiding the study was: How does the Act constitute the ‘parent’ as a subject position responsible for schooling the child? Central to the work is an examination of the School Education Act 1999 (the Act) using Foucault’s thinking on governmentality. This is prefaced by historical accounts that bring together freedom and childhood as contrived styles of conduct that provide the governmental logic behind the Act. The study reveals how the Act shapes and uses the truth of freedom/childhood to construct the responsible parent as a style of conduct pegged to a neo-liberal political rationality of government. It is this political rationality that provides the node or point of encounter between the technologies of power and the self within the Act which forms the ‘responsible’ identity of the parent as an active self-governing entrepreneur made more visible by the political construction of ‘others.’ This is a legal-political subjectivity centred on the truth of freedom/childhood and a neo-liberal rationality of government that believes that any change to our current ethical way of being in relation to educating the child would ruin the very freedoms upon which our civilised lifestyle depends. In essence, the Act relies on the production of ‘others’ as the poor, Aboriginal and radical who must be regulated and made autonomous to constitute the ‘parent’ as an active consumer whose autonomous educational choices are an expression of responsibility in relation to schooling the child

Text in Afrikaans / This study is about the provision of a prototype court preparation programme for the primary school child that had been sexually assaulted. The programme is developed from a Gestalt approach. Literature regarding several existing court preparation programmes was studied and compared in order to identify certain themes for the child's preparation. Knowledge regarding the court, procedures and the functions of the various role players was conveyed to the child with emphasis on the child's role as witness. The research strategy utilised in the study was that of the intervention research and specifically the D&D-model that comprises six phases. The study incorporates the first three phases plus the first step of the fourth phase. Semi-structured interviews and focus groups were utilised to establish which themes could be addressed to support the child towards being a credible witness. These themes are summarised in the court preparation programme and are addressed from the Gestalt approach. / Social Work / M.Diac. (Spelterapie)

Summary in Afrikaans and English / Although the rights of children in South Africa are being regulated by legislation, statistics prove that statutory services on behalf of children annually increase. Scientific accountable information regarding the child can be obtained by the assessment of the child. The purpose of this investigation was to identify the gaps in the existing assessment guidelines, as well as the needs of social workers regarding assessments. The sequential exploratory strategy was utilized, as quantitative data supported qualitative findings. The investigation showed that minimal assessment literature is available in South Africa and internationally, although assessment is the basis evidence of the social worker. The biggest gap in assessment guidelines is that assessment does not carry weight in the court. There is a need for social workers to be trained in relevant assessment skills based on a specific frame of reference. Gestalt therapy can provide a suitable theoretical frame of reference for assessment, and can serve as scientific foundation for social workers during the statutory process. A framework for an assessment guideline was thus proposed. / Ten spyte daarvan dat die regte van kinders in Suid-Afrika deur wette gereguleer word, bewys statistiek dat statutere dienste aan kinders jaarliks toeneem. Wetenskaplik verantwoordbare inligting ten opsigte van die kind kan bekom word deur die kind te assesseer. Die doel van hierdie ondersoek was om leemtes wat in bestaande assesseringsriglyne is vas te stel, asook die behoeftes wat by maatskaplike werkers ten opsigte van assessering bestaan. Die opeenvolgende verkennende strategie is tydens hierdie ondersoek gevolg, aangesien kwantitatiewe data gebruik is om die kwalitatiewe bevindings te ondersteun. Die ondersoek het getoon dat min literatuur ten opsigte van assessering in Suid-Afrika en internasionaal beskikbaar is, ten spyte daarvan dat assessering die basis van die getuienis van die maatskaplike werker vorm. Die grootste leemte wat in assesseringsriglyne ge'identifiseer is, is die feit dat assessering nie gewig in die hof dra nie. 'n Behoefte ten opsigte van opleiding in toepaslike assesseringsvaardighede vanuit 'n spesifieke teoretiese verwysingsraamwerk bestaan. Gestaltterapie kan 'n teoretiese verwysingsraamwerk vir assessering bied en kan dien as wetenskaplike fundering vir optrede van maatskaplike werkers tydens die statutere proses. 'n Raamwerk vir 'n assesseringsriglyn is voorgestel. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Play Therapy)

Education is since the inception of the world regarded as the formal process by which society conveys its accumulated knowledge, skills, customs and values from one generation to another. Today, education is a human right and the right to education and specifically the right to (a) basic education is acknowledged and emphasised worldwide. In South Africa, the right to a basic education is entrenched in the Constitution and is regarded as one of the most crucial constitutional rights, particularly because it promotes economical and social well-being. The protection of a child’s right to a basic education in terms of the South African Constitution together with the most important international instruments pertaining to education will be extensively discussed and the most important similarities and differences between, and challenges in the legal systems of South Africa, New Zealand and Namibia regarding a child’s right to (a) basic education will be addressed with due consideration of factors such as early childhood development and education, mother tongue education and HIV/AIDS which may affect a child’s right to (a) basic education. It is submitted that the success of any country, whether it is social, financial or economic success, depends on how its citizens are educated. Moreover, a good education system is crucial, not only for ensuring that its populace are well educated, but also for optimal human development and for the maintenance and preservation of socially responsive economic and political systems. Education is a life-long process and in order to give effect to the right to (a) basic education, the adoption and implementation of the recommendations made throughout this study are proposed. / Private Law / LL.D.

Summary in Afrikaans and English / Although the rights of children in South Africa are being regulated by legislation, statistics prove that statutory services on behalf of children annually increase. Scientific accountable information regarding the child can be obtained by the assessment of the child. The purpose of this investigation was to identify the gaps in the existing assessment guidelines, as well as the needs of social workers regarding assessments. The sequential exploratory strategy was utilized, as quantitative data supported qualitative findings. The investigation showed that minimal assessment literature is available in South Africa and internationally, although assessment is the basis evidence of the social worker. The biggest gap in assessment guidelines is that assessment does not carry weight in the court. There is a need for social workers to be trained in relevant assessment skills based on a specific frame of reference. Gestalt therapy can provide a suitable theoretical frame of reference for assessment, and can serve as scientific foundation for social workers during the statutory process. A framework for an assessment guideline was thus proposed. / Ten spyte daarvan dat die regte van kinders in Suid-Afrika deur wette gereguleer word, bewys statistiek dat statutere dienste aan kinders jaarliks toeneem. Wetenskaplik verantwoordbare inligting ten opsigte van die kind kan bekom word deur die kind te assesseer. Die doel van hierdie ondersoek was om leemtes wat in bestaande assesseringsriglyne is vas te stel, asook die behoeftes wat by maatskaplike werkers ten opsigte van assessering bestaan. Die opeenvolgende verkennende strategie is tydens hierdie ondersoek gevolg, aangesien kwantitatiewe data gebruik is om die kwalitatiewe bevindings te ondersteun. Die ondersoek het getoon dat min literatuur ten opsigte van assessering in Suid-Afrika en internasionaal beskikbaar is, ten spyte daarvan dat assessering die basis van die getuienis van die maatskaplike werker vorm. Die grootste leemte wat in assesseringsriglyne ge'identifiseer is, is die feit dat assessering nie gewig in die hof dra nie. 'n Behoefte ten opsigte van opleiding in toepaslike assesseringsvaardighede vanuit 'n spesifieke teoretiese verwysingsraamwerk bestaan. Gestaltterapie kan 'n teoretiese verwysingsraamwerk vir assessering bied en kan dien as wetenskaplike fundering vir optrede van maatskaplike werkers tydens die statutere proses. 'n Raamwerk vir 'n assesseringsriglyn is voorgestel. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Play Therapy)

Education is since the inception of the world regarded as the formal process by which society conveys its accumulated knowledge, skills, customs and values from one generation to another. Today, education is a human right and the right to education and specifically the right to (a) basic education is acknowledged and emphasised worldwide. In South Africa, the right to a basic education is entrenched in the Constitution and is regarded as one of the most crucial constitutional rights, particularly because it promotes economical and social well-being. The protection of a child’s right to a basic education in terms of the South African Constitution together with the most important international instruments pertaining to education will be extensively discussed and the most important similarities and differences between, and challenges in the legal systems of South Africa, New Zealand and Namibia regarding a child’s right to (a) basic education will be addressed with due consideration of factors such as early childhood development and education, mother tongue education and HIV/AIDS which may affect a child’s right to (a) basic education. It is submitted that the success of any country, whether it is social, financial or economic success, depends on how its citizens are educated. Moreover, a good education system is crucial, not only for ensuring that its populace are well educated, but also for optimal human development and for the maintenance and preservation of socially responsive economic and political systems. Education is a life-long process and in order to give effect to the right to (a) basic education, the adoption and implementation of the recommendations made throughout this study are proposed. / Private Law / LL. D.

Text in Afrikaans / Globally divorce is an increasing phenomenon. If not handled correctly it may be significantly destructive for the people involved. The new Children’s Act, Act 38 of 2005 regards the best interests of the child paramount in all matters concerning the care, protection and well-being of a child. It underpins the importance of the full, or specific parental responsibilities of parents, the importance of a conciliatory and non-confrontational approach to the settlement of child-centred disputes. It also mandates that the child has the right to participate in an appropriate way in any matter concerning that child and that his views must be given due consideration. Further Act 38 of 2005, provides for parenting plans to be agreed upon determining the exercise of their respective responsibilities and rights. The goal of this research was to explore, develop and implement a process of family mediation with reference to Act 38 of 2005. Five families affected by divorce and their children were selected as case studies for qualitative research. Applied research was done within the context of intervention research and the first four phases of Rothman and Thomas’ Intervention Research model was used. Problems caused by divorce were identified and the goal was to address the best interests of the child by improving the co-parenting relationship, parent-child relationships and the quality of parenting. Information gathering and synthesis took place by using existing information sources, studying natural examples and identifying functional elements of successful models.An observational system was designed. It included the natural observing of the five case studies, specific procedural elements and intervention. The design criteria were applied to the preliminary intervention concept. / Social Work / D.Diac. (Spelterapie-Rigting)