School bullying is becoming a problem throughout the world. It is deemed necessary that schools become safer environments for teaching and learning to take place. This study focused specifically on the impact of bullying, educationally and psychologically, on primary school learners. In the literature review conducted, research studies showed that learners were clearly affected by bullying. An empirical investigation, which included four individual sessions and a focus group session, was undertaken to determine what the effects of bullying were on the victims. Transcriptions were made of all the interviews and the data was then analysed to determine what the main themes were. The investigation concluded that bullying does affect learners educationally and psychologically. Based on the results, guidelines were provided for schools, parents, educators and the Department of Education. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Guidance and Counselling)

Beginning as young as five or six years of age, children participate in organised sports and there are an estimated 25-35 million children under the age of eighteen who participate in organised youth sports. Whether success records, statistics, motivational factors or personal reasons are the motivators behind participation in sports, athletes are often studied by the population. Despite a large contingency of children who participate in sports, professional or adult athletes’ thoughts and motivations are often studied. However, one thing is known: The reason children play sports is because they have fun. This study explored the viewpoints of teachers/trainers from Schools in Paarl region from a qualitative perspective on why children choose to participate in sports. The participants were selected via non-probability sampling method with the utilisation of purposive sampling techniques. Data were collected with semi structured interviews with teachers/trainers at Paarl schools. Data were analysed according to Tesch’s (in Creswell, 2009:186) framework for the analysing of qualitative data and data were verified according to Guba’s (in Krefting, 1991:214-222) framework for data verification of qualitative data. The verified data were described in specific teams and sub-themes as well as supplemented by literature control. The researcher concludes this study by drawing certain conclusions and recommendations from the research findings / Practical Theology / M.A. (Daiconiology)

school learnersChild-headed household is a phenomenon that is growing in South Africa. As such, it is imperative to uncover the realities of children in this situation. This study explores and describes the schooling experiences of secondary school learners from child-headed households. This qualitative study included a sample of 20 grade 10 and 11 learners from four secondary schools. Data were collected through structured interviews and document analysis. The Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was used to analyze the data. The findings suggest that secondary school learners from child-headed households live in poverty and encounter experiences such as absenteeism, psychological trauma, gender-based discrimination, lack of adequate food and scholastic materials, drug abuse and teenage pregnancy. These experiences impact negatively on their schooling. The study recommends that learners from child-headed households should get more care and support from educators and other stakeholders. / Science and Technology Education / M.A. (Socio-Education)

Introduction This research was a descriptive study into the cold chain management of childhood vaccines by nurses in Primary Health Care Clinics in the uMgungundlovu District. It is imperative for health professionals to follow the procedures and policies set out by the immunisation and health manuals by of the World Health Organization. The success of any childhood vaccination programme depends on how well nurses and health professionals are able to adhere to the laws, regulations and procedures. There is also a need for clinics and health institutions to be flexible enough to deal with certain constraints so that the vaccination programmes are not interrupted for extended periods of time but rather run efficiently and benefit the intended population. As a result pandemics are easily avoided and a healthy generation of children will bring about a better society. Methodology The study was carried out in two phases i.e. an observational study and a self-administered questionnaire. In the first phase, the observational study was carried out at 14 different clinics in the uMgungundlovu District. In the second phase, the cold chain management of vaccines by nurses was explored by means of a self-administered questionnaire. Results The key findings of the observational study include that on most occasions policy was not being implemented. Furthermore there were no contingency plans to deal with equipment and electricity issues, no monitoring and evaluation systems, poor recording keeping, poor management of the cold box, access to stock and the actual management of the cold chain for vaccines. The self-administered questionnaire was completed by 276 nurses via a simple random sample from the different clinics. The most salient aspects of the research in this phase of the study revealed that education and experience of the nurses are crucial to the sustainability of the childhood immunisation programme. Not surprisingly, some of the findings were similar to that of the observational study. Issues surrounding equipment and electricity, monitoring and evaluation systems, poor recording keeping, poor access to stock and ordering of stock were prevalent in this phase of the research as well. Conclusion Recommendations have been made for ongoing communication between the Department of Health, the District Office of Health and clinics so that the short and long term problems identified are solved.

Thesis (PhD)--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: One of the cruelest legacies of the apartheid era in South Africa was that it created a situation in which a very large proportion of children in the African and Coloured populations live in households affected by severe poverty. The first aim of this dissertation is to make a contribution to knowledge about the South African child poverty profile and its sensitivity to the adult equivalence scale used in measurement. This contribution is based on the Income & Expenditure Survey 2005. In April 1998, following the recommendations of the Lund Committee, the Child Support Grant (CSG) cash transfer programme was introduced. This programme initially paid a benefit of R100 a month to primary caregivers who passed a means test to help them care for children age 0-6. Currently it offers R250 to primary caregivers of children age 0-15 who pass a means test. The second aim of this dissertation is to synthesize the main findings and knowledge gaps of the performance of the CSG based on an analysis of the existing research on the programme. The questions used to structure the CSG analysis are derived from an application of the Rossi et al. (2004) systematic approach for tailoring a social programme evaluation and cover the logic of the programme‘s impact theory, implementation impact and design. Chapter one considers conceptual and methodological issues in child poverty measurement, thereby providing methodological foundations for the analysis. Chapter two reviews the existing research on child poverty in South Africa and identifies knowledge gaps that the Income and Expenditure Survey of 2005 analysis contributes towards filling. Chapter three presents the findings on the sensitivity of the child poverty profile to changes in the adult equivalence scale as well as on the dimensions of the South African child poverty profile. Chapter four describes the Rossi et al. (2004) method for tailoring a social programme evaluation and applies it, thereby laying the foundations for the CSG programme analysis, presented in chapter five. The conclusion explains how the child poverty analysis in the first half of the dissertation relates to the CSG analysis in the second and draws implications of the dissertation‘s main findings for future research. Setting the poverty line at the 40th percentile of households calculated with different AESs, the scope and composition of child poverty are found to be relatively insensitive to the scale used. This supports the argument that it may be appropriate in South Africa to use a poverty line based on a per capita welfare measure. For the construction of the poverty profile per capita income is used as the welfare indicator, with the poverty line set at the 40th percentile of household. The profile finds that poverty remains more extensive amongst children than adults even after the massive injection of cash via the CSG into poor households with children. Large variations across provinces remain. The child poverty headcount and depth and severity measures are all found to be higher amongst children age 0-4 than children age 15-17, despite the prioritization of very young children in the roll out of the CSG programme. The finding that children age 0-4 are still most in need questions the logic behind the government‘s recent decision to expand coverage of the grant to children age 15-17 instead of allocating additional funds to support this group. The CSG programme impact theory is found to be reasonable. A substantial amount of research on the programme‘s implementation is identified, which shows the massive expansion in its coverage since 2000 and that, in general, it has been well implemented. Delay in reaching very young eligible children, under-representation of children with non-biological caregivers and failure to reach some of the very poorest children who live in remote areas emerge as weaknesses in programme implementation. Barriers to access are identified. The difficulty of distilling the effects of the CSG programme on child poverty and its associated deprivations in the absence of a randomized community trial is explained, as is the need to use direct rather than indirect monetary indicators to isolate the impacts of the CSG on child poverty. A small yet convincing evidence base on the impacts of the programme is identified; this shows that it has been achieving its ultimate objectives of reducing child deprivation and promoting human capital development. It is argued that the existing research and current budgetary context suggests that: the income means test should not be eliminated; the CSG benefit value should not be raised substantially; school related conditions should not have been linked to receipt of the CSG benefit; and, even in the case of children age 16 and above, the grant should be paid to children via the primary caregiver. The research priorities implied by this dissertation are organized into three separate yet interrelated areas of research. The first is further research on the dimensions of multi-dimensional child poverty in South Africa. Here the spotlight needs to be on: understanding more about which children are deprived and in what sense; similarities and differences between the composition of poverty based on indirect monetary measures and other more direct measures of deprivation; the circumstances which ensure that children age 0-4 are still most in need (at least in the resource deprivation sense). The second area is research on the implementation of the CSG programme, in which case the findings from the existing research on the weaknesses in programme implementation and concerns about targeting outcomes need to guide the research. The third area of research identified as requiring further attention is that of the CSG‘s impacts on child deprivation (wellbeing). Here the focus needs to be on establishing which children are benefiting most and least from the grant and why. Towards this end quantitative researchers need to follow the lead of other researchers and use direct indicators of child outcomes. Qualitative research on who controls the resources that flow into the household, as well as how resources are allocated inside the household, can make an important contribution to answering these questions. The CSG‘s potential to generate behavioral effects which could alter household structure and/or income earned from wages is something that is also identified as important for researchers to explore. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Een van die wreedste erfenisse van Suid-Afrika se apartheid-era was dat dit ‘n toestand geskep het waarin die grootse gros van swart en kleurling kinders in huishoudings geleef het wat deur armoede geraak is. Die eerste doel van hierdie proefskrif is om ‘n bydrae te lewer tot kennis omtrent die Suid-Afrikaanse kinderarmoedeprofiel en hoe sensitief dit is vir die volwassene-ekwivalentskaal waarmee dit gemeet word. Die empiriese bydrae oor die kinderarmoedeprofiel en sy sensitiwiteit vir die VES is gebaseer op die Inkomste- en Bestedingstudie van 2005. Na die aanbevelings van die Lund-komitee is die Kinderbystandstoelae (KBT), ʼn program van kontantoordragte, in April 1998 bekendgestel. Die program het aanvanklik ʼn voordeel van R100 per maand aan primêre versorgers betaal wat aan 'n middeletoets voldoen het om hulle te help om kinders van 0 tot 6 jaar oud te versorg. Tans word R250 aangebied aan primêre versorgers van kinders van 0 tot 16 jaar wat aan die middeletoets voldoen. Die tweede doel van hierdie proefskrif is om vas te stel wat die belangrikste vrae is wat tans gevra behoort te word omtrent die KBT se vertoning, gegrond op ʼn analise van die bestaande navorsing oor hierdie program, om die bevindings en kennisleemtes hieroor saam te vat. Hoofstuk 1 beskou konsepsuele en metodologiese kwessies rakende die metings van kinderarmoede, wat die metodologiese grondslag vir hierdie analise bied. Hoofstuk 2 gee 'n oorsig van die bestaande navorsing oor kinderarmoede in Suid-Afrika en identifiseer sodoende die kennisleemtes, wat die analise van die IBS help vul. Hoofstuk 3 bied bevindinge oor die ontleding van die sensitiwiteit van die kinderarmoedeprofiel vir die volwasse-ekwivalentskaal wat gebruik word en dateer hierdie profiel op met gebruik van die Inkomste- en Bestedingstudie van 2006. Hoofstuk 4 beskryf Rossi et el. (2004) se metode oor hoe om ʼn maatskaplike program te beoordeel en pas dit toe om belangrike vrae te identifiseer wat oor die KBT gevra behoort te word. Hoofstuk 5 bied antwoorde op hierdie vrae rakende die KBT sowel as bevindinge en kennisleemtes uit die literatuur rakende die KBT-program. Deur die armoedelyn op die 40e persentiel van huishoudings soos met verskillende VES‘e bereken te stel, word gevind dat die omvang en samestelling van kinderarmoede redelik onsensitief is vir die skaal wat gebruik word. Dit ondersteun die argument dat dit toepaslik mag wees om 'n per capita armoedelyn vir berekening van Suid-Afrikaanse armoedeprofiele te gebruik. Dus word die armoedelyn op die 40e persentiel van per capita inkomste gestel vir die konstruksie van die armoedeprofiel. Hierdie profiel toon dat armoede onder kinders meer algemeen is as onder volwassenes, selfs ná die massiewe inspuiting van kontant in arm huishoudings met kinderlede deur die KBT. Daar bly groot onderskeide tussen provinsies. Vir kinders 0 tot 4 is die koppetelling, diepte en intensiteit van kinderarmoede alles hoër as vir ouer kinders tot in die groep 15–17. Dit ondersteun die regering se huidige beleid om voorkeur te verleen aan jonger kinders in die stryd teen armoede. Die teorie agter die KBT program se impak word as redelik beoordeel. ʼn Beduidende hoeveelheid navorsing bestaan oor die KBT se implementering. Dit toon die massiewe uitbreiding van die program sedert 2000 en dat die program in die algemeen goed geïmplementeer is. Swakpunte in implementering wat uitgewys word is die sloering om baie jong kwalifiserende kinders te bereik en onderverteenwoordiging van kinders waarvan die versorgers nie biologies verwant is aan die kinders nie. Daar word aangevoer dat die beperkte navorsing oor die KBT-program se impak daarop dui dat dit sy uiteindelike doelstelling bereik om kinderontbering te verminder en menslike kapitaal te bevorder. Die analise van die KBT-program lei tot die slotsom dat die inkomste-middeletoets nie uitgeskakel moet word nie, dat skoolplig-voorwaardes nie vir die program moes ingestel geword het nie, dat die voordeelvlakke van die program nie tans beduidend verhoog moet word nie en dat die toelae ook in die geval van ouer kinders (16 jaar en meer) wel steeds aan die primêre versorger uitbetaal behoort te word. Een duidelike kennisleemte oor die KBT-program is hoe dit gedrag beïnvloed, in die vorm van arbeidsmigrasie, arbeidsaanbod en fertiliteit, sowel as gesinstruktuur en reëlings rondom die versorging van kinders. ʼn Verdere kennisleemte is hoe die program op die vlak van beleid en implementering met ander ondersteuningsmaatsreëls vir kinders geïntegreer is. Die analise wys op die behoefte daaraan om beleidsopsies te verken wat sal help dat kinders wie se versorgers nie biologiese verwante is nie netsoveel sal baat van die inkomste wat weens die KBT in arm huishoudings invloei as ander kinders. Navorsingsprioriteite wat uit hierdie proefskrif se bevindinge spruit kan in drie onafhanklike maar gekoppelde navorsingsgebiede gegroepeer word. Die eerste is verdere navorsing oor die dimensies van multi-dimensionele kinderarmoede in Suid-Afrika. Hier behoort die soeklig te val op: ʼn beter begrip van watter kinders ontbeer en in watter sin; ooreenkomste en verskille tussen die samestelling van armoede gebaseer op indirekte monetêre maatstawwe en ander meer direkte maatstawwe van ontbering; en wat veroorsaak dat kinders in die ouderdomsgroep 0-4 se behoefte steeds die grootste is (ten minste in die hulpbron-ontbering sin van die woord). Die tweede gebied is navorsing oor die implementering van die KBT-program, waar bevindinge oor swakhede in program-implementering uit bestaande navorsing en besorgdheid oor die uitkomste van teikening navorsing behoort te rig. Die derde navorsingsgebied wat verdere aandag verg is die KBT se impak op kinderontbering en -welsyn. Hier behoort die klem daarop te val om vas te stel watter kinders die meeste voordeel trek uit die toelae en hoekom dit die geval is. In hierdie verband word geargumenteer dat kwantitatiewe navorsers ander navorsers se voorbeeld behoort te volg en direkte maatstawwe van kinderuitkomste behoort te gebruik. Kwalitatiewe navorsing oor wie bronne beheer wat die huishouding binnevloei en hoe dit binne die huishouding toegedeel word, kan veel tot die beantwoording van hierdie vrae bydra. Nog iets wat uitgewys word as ʼn belangrike gebied wat navorsers verder moet ontgin is die KBT se potensiële effek op gedrag wat huishoudingstruktuur en/of looninkomste beïnvloed.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Contextual stressors that are associated with living in low-income communities have an adverse impact on the mental health of adolescents. International studies indicate that this outcome is influenced by the presence of factors that may buffer the impact of stressors, or which may increase adolescents' vulnerability to experiencing stress. The present study was aimed at exploring the factors that influence the mental health of 173 school-going adolescents residing in low-income communities in the Western Cape. By using a quantitative method with a correlational design, the research explored the relationship between depression (measured on the Beck Depression Inventory - Second Edition) and the following factors respectively: self-esteem (measured on the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale), coping strategies (measured on the Coping Strategies Indicator), perceived social support (measured on the Social Support Appraisals Scale) and resilience (measured on the Resilience Scale for Adolescents). Results of the correlational analyses indicated that high self-esteem, higher use of the problem-solving coping strategy, stronger perceived social support and higher resilience were significantly related to decreased levels of depression. In contrast, higher use of the avoidant coping strategy was significantly related to higher levels of depression. These results indicate that while some factors may buffer the impact of perceived contextual stressors on adolescents' mental health (for example, problem-solving coping, stronger perceived social support and resilience), other factors may increase adolescents' vulnerability to experiencing depression (for example, avoidant coping). These results may inform interventions focused on promoting mental health or preventing incidence of depression in adolescents living in low-income communities. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Kontekstuele stressors wat geassosieer word met ʼn bestaan in lae-inkomstegemeenskappe het ʼn nadelige impak op die geestesgesondheid van adolessente. Internasionale studies dui daarop dat hierdie resultaat beïnvloed word deur die teenwoordigheid van faktore wat die impak van stressors kan versag of adolessente se kwesbaarheid vir stres kan verhoog. Die huidige studie is daarop gemik om ondersoek in te stel na die faktore wat die geestesgesondheid van 173 skoolgaande adolessente, wat in lae-inkomstegemeenskappe in die Wes-Kaap woon, beïnvloed. Deur ʼn kwantitatiewe metode met ʼn korrelasionele ontwerp te gebruik, het die studie ondersoek ingestel na die verhouding tussen depressie (bepaal volgens die Beck-depressie-inventaris-Tweede uitgawe [Beck Depression Inventory - Second Edition]) en die volgende faktore: selfagting (bepaal volgens die Rosenberg-selfagtingskaal [Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale]), hanteringstrategieë (bepaal volgens die hanteringstrategie-aanduider [Coping Strategies Indicator]), waarneembare sosiale ondersteuning (bepaal volgens die sosiale-ondersteuningstakseringskaal [Social Support Appraisals Scale]) en geeskragtigheid (bepaal volgens die geesteskragtigheidskaal vir adolessente [Resilience Scale for Adolescents]). Die resultate van die korrelasionele ontleding dui daarop dat hoë selfagtingsvlakke, ʼn toename in die gebruik van probleemoplossingstrategieë vir die hantering van situasies, beter waarneembare sosiale steun en hoër geeskragtigheidsvlakke ʼn beduidende verwantskap toon met ʼn afname in depressievlakke. In teenstelling hiermee was daar ʼn opvallende verband tussen vermydingsgedragstrategieë en hoër depressievlakke. Hierdie resultate dui daarop dat hoewel sommige faktore die impak van waarneembare kontekstuele stressors op die geestesgesondheid van adolessente kan versag (byvoorbeeld probleemoplossingstrategieë vir die hantering van situasies, beter waarneembare sosiale steun en geeskragtigheid), ander faktore die adolessente se kwesbaarheid vir depressie kan verhoog (byvoorbeeld vermydingsgedragstrategieë). Hierdie resultate kan moontlik ʼn bydrae lewer tot ingrypings wat gemik is op die verbetering van geestesgesondheid of op die voorkoming van die voorkoms van depressie by adolessente wat in lae-inkomstegemeenskappe leef.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2015 / ENGLISH ABSTRACT : It has been suggested that the complex needs of children with neurodevelopmental disorders are best addressed with a family-centred approach. As this approach has been increasingly incorporated into healthcare systems over recent years, most children with disabilities are now able to remain at home as opposed to living in institutions or group homes. Many parents have thus been forced to adopt the role of a primary caregiver for their child that has been diagnosed with a disability or chronic condition. This study aimed to investigate the experiences of caregivers for children with cerebral palsy in rural communities of the Western Cape, with a specific focus on the barriers and facilitators that they encounter. An exploratory qualitative design was employed and 15 individuals (aged 27-62), who were identified as caregivers for a child with cerebral palsy through purposive sampling were interviewed. Thematic analysis was used to analyse and generate themes from the semi-structured interviews that were conducted with participants. A number of barriers to caring emerged including the personal consequences of caregiving, difficulty adjusting to caregiving duties, environmental conditions, lack of access to healthcare services, lack of respite services, and negative perceptions towards disability. Various facilitators to caring were also identified, namely personal coping methods, personal transformation, social support, relationship with one’s child, community resources, child’s crèche, and financial assistance. The five levels of the Social Ecological Model were used to conceptualise the discussion of these findings and links were made to the existing literature on the caregiver experience in the developing context. In this process it was found that participants often encountered similar barriers and facilitators to caregivers for individuals with other types of conditions, such as HIV/AIDS, autism, mental illness, cancer, and neurological disorders. This could suggest that caregivers residing in developing countries share similar experiences, regardless of the condition of the care receiver. Although participants received support from a number of sources that aided them with their caregiving duties, it is evident that they still encountered gaps in the provision of a number of important services, including lack of information from healthcare professionals, lack of community programs to reduce stress and promote empowerment, and lack of disability-friendly facilities. It is vital that caregivers have access to these services to ensure their child’s well-being as well as their own. There is thus a need to explore how these services can be made more accessible to caregivers in rural communities. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING : Daar word voorgestel dat die komplekse behoeftes van kinders met neuro-ontwikkelingsversteurings die beste aangespreek word deur ‘n familie-gefokusde benadering. Aangesien hierdie benadering meer geredelik geïnkorporeer is in die gesondheidsorg sisteem oor die afgelope paar jaar is meeste kinders met gestremdhede nou in staat om by die huis te kan bly in plaas daarvan om in inrigtings of groepshuise te woon. Baie ouers is dus geforseer om die rol as primêre versorger aan te neem vir hulle kind wat gediagnoseer is met ‘n gestremdheid of kroniese toestand. Hierdie studie se doel was om die ervarings van versorgers van kinders met serebrale gestremdheid in landelike gemeenskappe van die Wes-Kaap, te ondersoek, met ‘n spesifieke fokus op die hindernisse en fasiliteerders wat hulle ondervind. ‘n Ondersoekende kwalitatiewe ontwerp is gebruik en onderhoude is gevoer met 15 individue (ouderdomme 27-62) wat deur doelgerigte steekproefneming geïdentifiseer is as versorgers van ‘n kind met serebrale gestremdheid. Tematiese analise is gebruik om die semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude wat met die deelnemers gevoer is te analiseer en temas te genereer. ‘n Aantal van die hindernisse tot versorging het na vore gekom en sluit die persoonlike gevolge van versorging, probleme om aan te pas by die versorgingspligte, omgewingstoestande, tekort aan toegang tot gesondheidsorg dienste, tekort aan verligting dienste en negatiewe persepsies teenoor gestremdhede in. Verskeie fasiliteerders tot versorging is ook geïdentifiseer, naamlik persoonlike hanteringsmetodes, persoonlike transformasie, sosiale ondersteuning, verhouding met hulle kind, gemeenskapsfasiliteerders, kind se speelskool en finansiële hulp. Die vyf vlakke van die Sosiale Ekologiese Model is gebruik om die bespreking van hierdie bevindinge te konseptualiseer en verbintenisse is gemaak met bestaande literatuur wat handel oor die versorger se ervaring in die ontwikkellende konteks. In hierdie proses is gevind dat deelnemers dikwels dieselfde hindernisse en fasiliteerders ondervind as versorgers van individue met ander tipe toestande, soos MIV/VIGS, outisme, geestesiektes, kanker en neurologiese versteurings. Dit kan moontlik beteken dat versorgers wat in ontwikkellende lande woord dieselfde ervarings deel, ten spyte van die toestand van die persoon wat die versorging ontvang. Alhoewel deelnemers ondersteuning van ʼn aantal bronne ontvang het wat hulle help met hulle versorgingspligte, is dit duidelik dat hulle steeds gapings ervaar in die voorsiening van ʼn aantal belangrike dienste, insluitende ʼn tekort aan inligting van gesondheidsorg werkers, ʼn tekort aan gemeenskapsprogramme om stres verligting en bemagtiging te bevorder en ʼn tekort aan gestremdheid-vriendelike fasiliteite. Dit is baie belangrik dat versorgers toegang het tot hierdie dienste om die welstand van hulle kind en hulself te verseker. Daar is dus ʼn behoefte om te ondersoek hoe hierdie dienste meer toegangklik gemaak kan word vir versorgers in landelike gemeenskappe.

Thesis (M Social Work)--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: A combination of an exploratory and descriptive study together with an approach containing elements of both the quantitative and qualitative approach was chosen in order to obtain knowledge of and insight into the role of the social worker in the reunification of foster children with their biological parents. The motivation for this study arose from the awareness of the lack of South African literature on the role of the social worker in the reunification of foster children with their biological parents as well as the lack of accessible information about social workers’ use of reconstruction services in the reunification of foster children and biological parents in South Africa. The researcher became aware of this lack in South African literature about family reunification services and programmes delivered during a preliminary search done on the Nexus Data-Base (1999). The aim of the study is therefore to gain a better understanding of how social workers render reconstruction services to contribute to the reunification process of foster children with their biological parents in terms of the Child Care Act 74 of 1983. The literature study first focused on the process and procedures of statutory removal of children within the South African context of the Child Care Act 74 of 1983 to gain a better understanding of the circumstances where the removal of children is justifiable according to the Act. The literature study was also undertaken to gain insight into the decisions social workers make when placing children in foster care as well as the services social workers deliver to foster parents, biological parents and foster children during reconstruction service delivery. The role of the social worker in the delivery of foster care and reconstruction services was explored, where the social development and strengths perspectives have become the norm, guiding social workers to engage in a range of interventions as stipulated in the White Paper for Social Welfare (Ministry for Welfare and Population Development, 1997) and the Integrated Service Delivery Model (2004). he researcher involved 21 social workers in this study who render reconstruction services with both children and their parents in selected non-governmental organizations (NGOs) rendering child and family welfare services in the Strand, Stellenbosch, Somerset West, Kuils River and the Department of Social Services in Paarl. The results of the investigation largely confirmed the findings of the literature study namely that a large number of children are removed from parental care (the biological parents), and need reconstruction services from child welfare organizations in South Africa where social workers are the catalysts in rendering such services. Social workers however, due to the lack of sufficient resources such as time and sufficient numbers, do not have the ability to deliver reconstruction services to sustain and enhance the prompt return of children to their biological parents. The results therefore gave a good indication of social workers’ delivery of reconstruction services. Social workers should have their workload reduced, enabling them to provide more therapeutic services to foster children, biological parents and foster families in the foster care process; government should support welfare organizations financially, increasing the probability of welfare organizations to employ more social workers, and thereby increasing the number of social workers rendering reconstruction services; social workers should through cooperation with other welfare organizations deliver foster care services to increase resources such as knowledge and skills to assist foster children and their biological parents in their reunification. The recommendations were aimed at services relating to assessment, prevention and intervention with this vulnerable and marginalized group. The recommendations also included that future research be done in order to focus on the specific reconstruction services that could increase the probability of foster children returning to their biological parents. This may decrease the large number of foster children currently staying in foster care for longer than the restricted period of two years. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: ʼn Kombinasie van ʼn verkennende en beskrywende studie, tesame met ʼn benadering wat beginsels van sowel die kwantitatiewe as oor die kwalitatiewe benadering insluit was gekies in ʼn poging om kennis en insig te verkry van die rol van die maatskaplike werker in die hereniging van pleegkinders met hul biologiese ouers. Die motivering vir hierdie studie het na vore gekom na bewuswording van ʼn leemte in Suid-Afrikaanse literatuur oor die rol van die maatskaplike werker in die hereniging van pleegkinders met hul biologiese ouers, insluitende ʼn leemte aan toeganklike inligting aangaande maatskaplike werkers se gebruik van rekonstruksie dienslewering in die hereniging van pleegkinders met hul biologiese ouers. Die navorser het van hierdie leemte in die Suid- Afrikaanse literatuur ten opsigte van familiehereniging dienslewering en die lewering van programme bewus geword tydens ʼn voorondersoek van die Nexus- databasis (1999). Die doel van die studie was dus om inligting in te samel om ʼn beter begrip te ontwikkel van maatskaplike werkers se lewering van rekonstruksie dienste wanneer pleegkinders met hul biologiese ouers herenig word in terme van die Kinderwet, Wet 74 van 1983. Die literatuurstudie het eerstens gefokus op die proses en prosedure van statutêre verwydering van kinders binne die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks van die Kinderwet nr 74 van 1983. Statutêre verwydering is ondersoek om ʼn beter begrip te ontwikkel van die omstandighede waar statutere verwydering toelaatbaar is met verwysing na die Kinderwet, Wet 74 van 1983. Die literatuurstudie het ook die rol van die maatskaplike werkers in pleegsorg en rekonstruksie dienslewering ingesluit om ʼn beter begrip te verkry van die omstandighede waarin maatskaplike werkers besluite moet neem tydens die plasing van kinders in pleegsorg. Die literatuurstudie het ook gefokus op die rol van maatskaplike werkers tydens pleegsorg en rekonstruksie dienslewering ten einde ʼn beter begrip te ontwikkel van die dienste wat maatskaplike werkers bied aan pleegouers, biologiese ouers en pleegkinders tydens pleegsorg. Die literatuurstudie het ook die rol van die maatskaplike werker in die lewering van pleegsorg en rekonstrukise dienslewering vanuit n maatskaplike ontwikkeling en sterkte perspektief verken ten einde ʼn beter begrip te ontwikkel van die beginsels vir intervensie soos bepaal in die Witskrif vir Welsyn (Departement van Welsyn en Bevolkings ontwikkeling, 1997) en die Geïntegreerde Diensleweringsmodel (2004). Daar is besluit om 21 maatskaplike werkers wat rekonstruksie dienste tydens pleegsorg lewer aan sowel kinders as hul ouers wat van die Strand, Stellenbosch, Somerset-Wes, Kuilsrivier en die Departement van Maatskaplike Dienste in die Paarl afkomstig is, by die studie te betrek. Die resultate van hierdie ondersoek het tot ʼn groot mate die bevindinge van die literatuurstudie bevestig, naamlik dat ʼn hoë persentasie van kinders verwyder word van hulle ouers se sorg. Hierdie biologiese kinders benodig rekonstruksie dienste gelewer deur maatskaplike werkers werksaam in kinder-en gesinsorgorganisasies in Suid-Afrika. Maatskaplike werkers tans werksaam in Suid-Afrika het egter nie genoeg hulpbronne, tyd of die voldoende aantal maatskaplike werkers om effektiewe rekonstruksie dienste te lewer in ʼn poging om die terugkeer van kinders na hul biologiese ouers vol te hou en aan te moedig nie. Die resultate van die studie het dus ʼn aanduiding gegee van maatskaplike werkers se vermoë om rekonstruksie dienste vir pleegkinders en hul biologiese ouers te lewer: maatskaplike werkers se werklading moet verlig word om hulle in staat te stel om meer terapeutiese dienste te lewer in pleegsorg; die regering behoort maatskaplike werkorganisasies finansieël te ondersteun, wat die waarskynlikheid van welsynsorganisasies om meer maatskaplike werkers in diens te neem verhoog, en dus tot ʼn toename sal lei in die persentasie van maatskaplike werkers wat rekonstruksie dienste lewer; maatskaplike werkers behoort deur samewerking met ander welsynsorganisasies die beskikbaarheid en effektiwiteit van hulpbronne soos kennis en vaardighede tydens rekonstruksie-dienslewering aan kinders in pleegsorg en hul biolgiese ou Die aanbevelings het gefokus op dienste wat verband hou met assessering, voorkoming en intervensie met hierdie kwesbare kinders in pleegsorg en hul biologiese ouers. Die aanbevelings sluit in dat vêrdere navorsing gedoen word ten einde die fokus te plaas op spesifieke rekonstruksie- dienste wat die waarskynlikhied van pleegkinders se terugkeer na hul ouers sal verhoog. Dit hou die moontlikheid in dat die hoë persentasie pleegkinders wat vir langer as die beperkte tydperk van twee jaar in pleegsorg bly, verlaag sal word.

Thesis (MSocialWork)--Stellenbosch University, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This exploratory and applied study was undertaken to compile a generalized profile, understand the target group's needs and to formulate a set of directives for an intervention program for adolescent children of alcoholics. The Christian Action for Dependence (CAD) views alcoholism as a factor that affects every member of the household and adopts a systemic approach for solving this problem. An earlier study proofed that the organization does not provide sufficiently for the intervention of adolescent children whose parents are members of the self-help groups. In order to address this shortcoming, the Teencads (Teenage Christian Action for Dependence) was established in 1997. It functioned as a penfriend's club. The current study was prompted by the need for greater clarity in planning programs for a group like Teencads. A literature study was undertaken to assess the effect of parental alcoholism on adolescents. The research focused on the developmental tasks of adolescence; looked into the child's emotional reaction to parental alcoholism; highlighted the child's reaction in respect of different relationships and determined the effect of parental alcoholism on the academic performance of the child as well as the connection between parental alcoholism and pathological behavior of the child. Classical adaptive behavior by the children of alcoholics was studied by focusing on the contrast between observed behavior and the adolescent's underlying emotional reaction to parental alcoholism. The purpose of the literature study was to look for effective methods of intervention and intervention strategies, and to examine the aims and objectives of international programs that are currently being implemented. The empirical study focused on the CAD in the Western- and Southern-Cape. Twenty seven adolescents were selected by cluster sampling and the snowball technique. They completed a questionnaire that was compiled from the studied literature. The results of the empirical study strengthened the hypothesis that parental alcoholism has a negative effect on the development of adolescents and that social work intervention is a matter of urgency. Based on the results of the study, the researcher proposed policy guidelines for intervention programs for adolescents in the CAD. Guidelines and suggestions for such programs have been formulated. The recommendations of this study are applicable to adolescent children of all alcoholics. Organizations other than the CAD, as well as other social workers, will be able to use these recommendations in the formulation of intervention programs for adolescent children of alcoholics. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: 'n Verkennende en beskrywende studie is onderneem om 'n veralgemeenbare profiel van die adolessente kinders van alkoholiste vas te stel, asook om te bepaal wat die behoeftes van hierdie teikengroep ten opsigte van 'n intervensieprogram is. Die uiteindelike doel van die ondersoek was om riglyne vir 'n intervensieprogram ten opsigte van adolessente kinders van alkoholiste te formuleer. Die Christelike Afhanklikheidsdiens (CAD) werk vanuit 'n sistemiese benadering en beskou alkoholisme as 'n probleem wat elke lid van die gesin beïnvloed. 'n Voorafondersoek het bewys dat die organisasie nie voldoende voorsiening maak vir intervensie van adolessente kinders wie se ouers lede van die selfhelpgroepe is nie. In 'n poging om hierdie leemte aan te spreek, is die Teencads (Tiener Christelike Afhanklikheidsdiens) in 1997 gestig en funksioneer dit onder leiding van die ondersoeker as 'n penvriendeklub vir hierdie teikengroep. 'n Behoefte aan meer rigting en duidelikheid ten opsigte van programinhoud, het hierdie ondersoek genoop. 'n Literatuurstudie is onderneem om die invloed van ouer-alkoholisme op adolessente te bepaal. Tydens die ondersoek is die ontwikkelingstake van die adolessente lewensfase in ag geneem; die kind se emosionele reaksie op oueralkoholisme ondersoek; die kind se reaksie in verskillende verhoudings waargeneem; die invloed van ouer-alkoholisme op akademiese prestasie en die verband tussen ouer-alkoholisme en patalogiese gedrag by adolessente vasgestel. Die klassieke aanpassingsrolle wat kinders van alkoholiste vertolk is ondersoek deurdat die navorser spesifiek op die kontras tussen waargenome gedrag en onderliggende emosies by die adolessent klem gelê het. In aansluiting by die doel van die navorsing is daar tydens die literatuurondersoek gefokus op die doelwitte vir 'n effektiewe intervensieprogram; metodes van intervensie; intervensiestrategieë, asook op die inhoud en intervensiemetodes van bestaande internasionale programme. Die empiriese ondersoek was op die CAD in die Wes- en Suid-Kaap gerig. Daar is 27 adolessente deur trossteekproeftrekking en 'n sneeubaltegniek geselekteer om 'n vraelys, gebasseer op die literatuurondersoek, te voltooi. Die resultate van die empiriese ondersoek bevestig die navorser se hipotese dat ouer-alkoholisme 'n negatiewe invloed op die ontwikkeling van adolessente het en dat maatskaplikewerk-intervensie noodsaaklik is. Op grond van die ondersoek en resultate, is 'n beleidsraamwerk ten opsigte van 'n intervensieprogram met kinders van alkoholiste, spesifiek vir die CAD geformuleer en volledige en omvattende riglyne en voorstelle vir sodanige program neergelê. Die aanbevelings van hierdie ondersoek is van toepassing op adolessente kinders van alle alkoholiste en kan dus met vrug deur ander organisasies en maatskaplike werkers gebruik word.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This is an in-depth investigation of human rights in education as reflected in school discipline in the Northern Province. In this research, three different schools were selected as the settings for my study. This selection of the setting was influenced by the diversity of the schools such as: -the community school, -the township school and the urban school. The three schools are not the representative of the schools in the Northern Province, but they illustrate or reveal if there were patterns in terms of the data collected. The methods used for collecting data are the following: Observation, Interview and Documents. A period of time was spent at the three settings for the purpose of observing the real school environment, interviewing the research participants (principal, educators, learners/LRC and the parentcomponent of the SGB) and to consult documents especially policies of the school. The departmental policies were also consulted. The results of the study indicate that most stakeholders (especially in rural and township schools) are not yet conversant with human rights in education. Educators and parents regard some human rights provisions in education as erosion of their 'status' in education. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie is 'n diepgaande ondersoek van menseregte in die onderwys soos dit in dissipline in the Noordelike Provinisie se skole weerspieel word. In hierdie navorsing is drie skole gekies om as die milieu vir die studie te dien. Die keuse van hierdie skole is ingelig deur die verskille wat tussen hulle bestaan soos die gemeenskap skool, die woonbuurt skool en die stedelike skool. Die drie skole is nie noodwendig verteenwoordigend vandie skole in die Noordelike Provinsie nie, maar hulle illustreer of bewys indien daar 'n model bestaan in gevolge van die data wat versamel is. Die volgende metodes is toegepas om data in te samel: waarneming, onderhoud en die bestudering van dokumente. Om die egte skool milieu waar te neem, is sekere tyd by elkeen gespandeer. Onderhoude is met die deelnemers in die navorsing gevoer, t.w., skoolhoofde, onderwysers, leerlinge, leerlingverteenwoordigers en die ouers wat deel van die skoolraad is. Dokumente soos die skoolbeleid en relevante departementele beleidsdokumente is ook bestudeer. Die resultate van die navorsing dui aan dat die meeste belanghebbendes (veral die platteland - en woorbuurtskole) is nog nie bekend met mense regte in die onderwysers nie. Onderwysers en ouers beskou sekere mense regte voorsienings in the onderwys as wegvreting van hul 'status'.