The main focus of this dissertation was to evaluate the evidential value of crime scene investigation in child rape cases. There are two kinds of crime scenes that needed to be processed in sexual crimes. Firstly is the location of occurrence and secondly is the victim's body. The crime scene is in any crime the major source of information if correctly approach, but even more so in a child rape investigations. A few crimes rely so heavily upon physical evidence as does the crime of rape. It is therefore essential that all rape investigators have first-class knowledge of proper crime scene investigation methods and techniques. Since crime scenes not properly protected or process may fail the investigation in court and as a result see the suspect acquitted. The following physical evidence could link and assist the investigator to individualise the suspect during thorough crime scene investigation; body fluids such as semen, blood, saliva. Other evidence of physical nature commonly found at crime scenes includes fingerprints, footprints (impression evidence); soil evidence, hair evidence, and anything in general handled or left behind by the rapist at the crime scene. This dissertation strives to provide the Investigator with answers on, how, where, and when to process the crime scene. / Criminology and Security Science / M.Tech. (Forensic Investigation)

Text in Afrikaans / Hierdie studie het ten doel gehad om die effek van gesinsgeweld op die Suid-Afrikaanse kind te bepaal. Die Opvoedkundig-Sielkundige Relasieteorie is gebruik in die identifisering van die effek van gesinsgeweld op die kind. Die volgende is in die studie bevind: Die geweldsvraelys kan gebruik word om die effek van gesinsgeweld by die kind te identifiseer en ook as hulpmiddel dien vir die terapeut in die verband. Die Opvoedkundig-Sielkundige Relasieteorie kan gebruik word om die effek van gesinsgeweld by die kind te identifiseer. Kinders wat geaffekteer word deur gesinsgeweld toon sterker deursettingsvermoe en wilskrag ten einde 'n sukses te maak van hulle toekoms en om nie in dieselfde omstandighede te beland nie. Seuns en dogters se emosionele ervarings toon weinig verskille. Relasie met ouers in gesinsverband word negatief be"invloed, terwyl relasie buite gesinsverband positief voorkom. Kinders wat geaffekteer word deur gesinsgeweld kan gehelp word, al is dit om die kind te verwyder uit die omgewing asook met terapie, gesinsterapie, ensovoorts. / The study was conducted to determine the effect of family violence on South-African children. The Education-Psychological Relation theory was used to identify these effects. In the literature, the following was concentrated on: The questionnaire can determine the effects of family violence on a child and assist a psychologist in this regard. Education-Psychological Relation theory can determine the effects of family violence on a child. Children affected by family violence show a stronger determination and willpower to succeed in their future and not to stay in similar situations. The emotional experiences of boys and girls show little difference. Relationships with parents are negatively affected, but relationships outside the family circle tend to be positive, Finally, children affected by family violence can be helped, albeit to remove the child from the enviroment and to use psychological therapy, family therapy, ectera. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Guidance and Counselling)

The researcher identified in her work as a social worker that sexually abused adolescents experience difficulties with testifying in court. The goal of this research was directed at developing guidelines to assist adolescents who have to testify in court. The researcher utilised the qualitative research approach with an exploratory and descriptive nature. Semi-structured interviews were done with a sample of adolescents who have testified in court, a sample of parents or caregivers of adolescents who have testified in court and social workers working with adolescents who testify in court. These interviews were conducted to gain insight into how the research participants experienced the court process in order to formulate guidelines for adolescents who have to testify in court. The researcher concluded that adolescents experience testifying in court as negative. Guidelines were developed from the information obtained from the research participants to support adolescents who has to testify in court. / Social work / M.Diac. (Play therapy)

The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of children orphaned by HIV/AIDS and its impact on their identity development. The qualitative research paradigm was chosen for the purpose of this study. In depth interviews were held with three young adults who lost one or both parents to HIV/AIDS when they were young. Hermeneutics thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. The study’s results identified different psychosocial issues associated with HIV/AIDS which were considered to be an influence in the lives of participants and their identity development. The results indicate that HIV/AIDS still has a strong and negative connotation which influenced the participants’ attitude and behaviour, including the development of their sense of identity. / Psychology / M.A. (Clinical Psychology)

The scourge of HIV/AIDS is ravaging our communities; many children have lost their parents to this pandemic. The death of parents because of this pandemic has resulted in the emergence of a new phenomenon of child-headed households. This paper seeks to examine the rights of children in child-headed households as entrenched in section 28(1)(b) and (c) of the Constitution. Once the rights of children in child-headed households are ascertained, the state’s duty to give effect to these rights is investigated. In the analysis of the rights, the socio-economic rights jurisprudence of the Constitutional Court is considered. The paper further argues that the state gives effect to the rights of children in child-headed households through legislation and policy. As such, the paper takes a closer look at the legislation and policies that seek to give effect to the rights of children in child-headed households as enumerated in section 28(1)(b) and (c) and gaps in that legislation and policy are highlighted. In conclusion, proposals are made that will assist the state to give effect to the rights of children in child-headed households as set out in the Constitution. / Private Law / LL.M.

Afrikaans text / Kreatiwiteit is die sentrale tema van hierdie navorsing. Die doel van die navorsing was om die relevansie en waarde van kreatiwiteit in spelterapie met seksueel-misbruikte kinders in die multi-kulturele konteks van Suid-Afrika, te ondersoek en te beskryf. Die navorsing is vanuit „n konstruktivistiese epistemologiese fundering en „n eksistensieel-fenomologiese paradigma gedoen, deur uitgebreide teoretiese en empiriese navorsing. Die teoretiese navorsingproses het eerstens op die holistiese impak van seksuele misbruik op kinders, te midde van hul spesifieke verhoudings- en omgewingskonteks gefokus. Dit het duidelik geword dat seksuele misbruik ernstige trauma by kinders veroorsaak, wat alle modaliteite van die kinders affekteer. Die voorkoms van komplekse posttraumtiese stresversteuring, vanweë langdurige seksuele misbruik, is teoreties beskryf en ook empiries bevestig. „n Sintese van gestalt-, persoonsgesentreerde en logoterapeutiese teorieë, is deur die navorser ontwikkel om die traumatiese nagevolge van die seksuele misbruik kreatief aan te spreek in spelterapie. Die verband tussen en vervlegting van kreatiwiteit en spelterapie is ondersoek en beskryf. Ook die bemagtigende waarde van kreatiwiteit om die kompleksiteit van hierdie kinders se trauma te hanteer is teoreties én empiries nagevors. Die oënskynlik teenstrydige prosesse van kreatiwiteit as „n intuïtiewe, artisitieke, én logiese, kognitiewe proses is ondersoek, om die waarde daarvan vir die navorsingsdoel te bepaal. Die aard en waarde van kreatiewe aktiwiteite en die uitdagings wat gestel word aan die terapeute om kreatief te werk te gaan om die komplekse proses van seksueel-misbruikte kinders aan te spreek, is verder teoreties en empiries nagevors en beskryf. Die noodsaaklikheid van die ondersteunende sisteme vir die kind en terapeut, in belang van „n suksesvolle afloop van terapie, is ook ondersoek, beskryf en beklemtoon.In die empiriese navorsingsproses is veelvuldige gevallestudies, met behulp van vyf deelnemende veldnavorsers gedoen, waar elkeen „n terapeutiese proses gevolg het, volgens riglyne en onder leiding van die navorser, met „n seksueel-misbruikte kind. Die benutting en waarde van kreatiwiteit is ondersoek, beskryf en geëvalueer in die samelopende proses van die navorser met elke deelnemende navorser en kind binne die diverse kulturele konteks in Suid-Afrika. Die teoretiese raamwerk van die navorser en die riglyn vir kreatiewe spelterapie met seksueel-misbruikte kinders is sodoende getoets, verfyn en afgerond as hulpmiddel in die breër Suid-Afrikaanse konteks. Die navorsingsbevinding was dat kreatiwiteit onontbeerlik is in spelterapie met kinders wat seksueel misbruik is in „n multi-kulturele konteks soos Suid-Afrika. / Creativity is the central concept of this research. The goal of the research was to explore the value of creativity in play therapy with sexually abused children in the multi-cultural South-African context. The research was done from a constructivistic epistemological foundation and existential-phenomological paradigms. Extensive theoretical research was supported and substantiated by empirical research. The theoretical research process focused on the holistic impact of sexual abuse on children in and as part of their specific context (field). It became clear that sexual abuse implies severe trauma for the child, and affects all of their modalities, and their functioning in their field. The impact of severe and ongoing sexual abuse on children, as complex post-traumatic stress disorder, was described to clarify their therapeutic needs. A synthesis of gestalt-, person-centred- and logotherapy to address the traumatic after-effects of sexually abused children creatively in play therapy, was developed and described and motivated in the research paper. The concept of creativity was defined and extensively explored an applied in the context of therapy with sexually abused children. Creativity as a cognitive process, a problem solving process, and an artistic process is explored and applied in this context. The value of creative activities, the challenges of being a creative therapist, the supportive role of the supervisor and the systems in society, was explored and described. The empirical research process was done in a participatory way in the form of a multiple case study. Five therapists followed a therapeutic process, according to the guideline, guidance and supervision of the researcher, with a child who had been severely sexually abused. The results from the research confirmed the value and necessity of creativity in dealing with the severe trauma of sexually abused children and bridging gaps in a multi-cultural setting. The theoretical framework of the researcher and a guideline for creative therapy with sexually abused children was tested in the empirical research process, and could be refined and finalised. It was concluded that the use of creativity is crucial in play therapy with sexually abused children in a multi-cultural context, such as South Africa. / Social Work / D. Diac. (Spelterapie)

The research posed two questions, namely (a) how much stress, if any, is experienced by house mothers in a childrens' home, and (b) which factors cause such stress. The methodology employed is descriptive research. It covered the total population of ten house mothers in a childres' home. Measuring instruments employed were; the Heimler scale for Social Functioning, the Glazer Stress Control Life Style Questionnaire, the Stress Questionnaire, and a self-formulated questionnaire. The results are as follows: 70% reported average to high stress, but are inclined to deny stress. 30% reported normal stress levels, Possible causes of stress are the work context of the childrens' home, age, period of service, and personality. / Die studie soek antwoorde op twee vrae, naamlik (a) hoeveel sires, indien enige, beleef huismoeders in 'n kinderhuis, en (b) wat veroorsaak sulke sires? Die metode wat gebruik was, is beskrywende navorsing. Die totale populasie van tien huismoeders in die spesifieke kinderhuis is betrek. Die klein omvang maak hierdie studie nie veralgemeenbaar nie. Die volgende meetinstrumente is benut ; die Heimlerskaal vir Maatskaplike Funksionering, die "Glazer Stress Control Life Style Questionnaire'', die "Stress Questionnaire", en 'n selfgeformuleerde vraelys. Die resultate is soos volg: 70% van die huismoeders in die studie vermeld gemiddelde tot hoe mates van stres, maar is geneig om stres te ontken. Dertig persent van die respondente vermeld normale hoeveelhede stres. Moontlike oorsake van sires is aangetoon as: die werkskonteks binne die kinderhuis, ouderdom, tydperk van diens, en persoonlikheid / Social Work / M.A. (Social Work: Mental Health)

Human Immunodeficiency Virus is the leading cause of death among women of reproductive age worldwide. It is also a major contributor to infant mortality. The effective application of prevention of mother-to-child transmission strategies effectively reduces the risk of mother-to-child transmission. The intent of this study was to determine the availability and accessibility of the PMTCT programme in one district of the North West Province of South Africa. A qualitative, explorative, descriptive and contextual design was utilised to gain better understanding of the experiences of both the HIV positive pregnant women and the Health Care Workers regarding the availability and access to the PMTCT programme. The study population consisted of HIV positive pregnant women between 18 and 49 years of age and Health Care Workers aged between 21 to 60 years of age. The non-probability purposive sampling technique was utilised to identify potential research participants. Data were collected by means of individual semi-structured interviews with HIV positive pregnant women and focus group discussions with the Health Care Workers. Adherence to Tesch’s eight descriptive methods was utilised as the primary form of data analysis, organisation and interpretation. The findings of the study revealed that availability and accessibility of PMTCT services are still problematic. Distance, waiting periods, and long queues were among the few mentioned as problematic. There were also few positives such as communication, counseling and health education. Strategies for facilitation of the availability and accessibility of the PMTCT programme were developed based on the findings. Themes emerged from the HIV positive pregnant women’s data included: acceptance of one’s sero positive status, maternal concerns, stressors about HIV status, as well as lack and shortage of resources and support by health care professionals and family; while emerging themes from the Health Care Workers included: fear of disclosure by HIV positive pregnant women, child feeding, formal trainings and workshops on PMTCT programme, as well as lack and shortage of resources and loss to follow-up activities / Health Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Health Studies)

After the dispensation of the White Paper 6 in schools, there were no detailed guidelines to accommodate the learners with invisible impairments like absence epilepsy, especially those who live in underprivileged communities. Affected learners are still struggling and not receiving proper instruction in ordinary schools because of the nature of absence epilepsy. It seems like it is unknown that they are suffering, because the symptoms are absent. These learners are performing poorly; they are having learning and behavioural problems. At home parents are ignorant of their plight, teachers are oblivious of their problems and at schools they are being discriminated against by other children. As a result, they repeat grades and some end up leaving school to join the unemployed. They have a low self-esteem and remain unsociable. This is because they suffer from absence epilepsy which is a medical problem. Absence epilepsy is unknown to both parents and teachers in these communities. Cultural beliefs and ignorance prevent parents from taking these children to clinics for identification, which results in them not being supported in schools. / Inclusive Education / M. Ed. (Inclusive Education)

Female-headed families have become a major component of society, globally and locally. South Africa has also witnessed an increase in the number of female-headed families. Children raised in female-headed families have been reported to be disadvantaged in several ways. Many are said to be performing poorly at school, having low self-esteem, experiencing early sexual activity, and displaying adverse behaviour. Hence, the views of adult children who grew up in female-headed families were explored to inform social work practice. A qualitative, explorative, descriptive, and contextual study was undertaken with 12 participants whose ages ranged from 25 to 35 years. The goal of this study was to gain insight into the experiences of adult children who grew up in female-headed families. Data was gathered through semi-structured interviews and analysed following Tesch’s (in Creswell, 2009) framework. Data was verified using Lincoln and Guba’s model of trustworthiness. The major findings highlighted first, a deep-seated need to understand reasons for being abandoned by their fathers. Second, the resources inherent within female-headed families, often overlooked, revealed the strengths that these families possess. Third, spirituality as the foundation of their resilience during difficult times dominated the participants’ accounts of being raised in female-headed families. Fourth, various support structures emerged as fundamental components, requisite for the optimal functioning of female-headed families. The implications for social work and recommendations for future research are presented. / Social Work / M.A. (Social Work)