The aim of this study is to, from a child’s family relations, describe the usage of terms relating to factors of risk and safety in science and in investigations concerning children in need of protection. It is also of importance in what way the terms are used when the Social Services suggest that measures should be taken, and in which way the children have been heard in the investigations. The issues raised in this study are: (a) How is the current life situation and life quality of the children discussed? (b) The value of factors concerning risks and protection. (c) How is the children’s own descriptions taken in to consideration? (d) Is gender issues considered? (e) How is Lagerberg’s model (Lagerberg, 1998) useful in investigations? The method of analysis is mainly qualitative however it is combined with analysis of literature relevant to the study. The empirical material has been obtained from social files concerning recommendations of placing children in alternative homes. The study includes 13 cases when recommendations have been given according to the Social Services Act (SoL) or to the Care of Young Persons Act (LVU). The cases concern children between the age 7 and 12 years old in two communities in the middle of Sweden. The result of the study is given in terms of risks, safety and quality of life. When needed, it is also given in terms of gender. For instance, the study shows that the children are able to talk about their situation in 50% of the cases. Furthermore, it shows that girls tend to talk more about their concerns about their family situation than boys do. The ambition is that this study will be of assistance for the Social Services in cases concerning children in need. Keywords: Child perspective, attachment, ecology of human development, gender, factors of risk, protective factors, life quality and prognoses.

Thesis (MEdPsych)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / Includes bibliography / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: According to the results of the Annual National Assessment (ANA) of 2011 in South African schools, approximately 53% of learners in grade 3 and 70% of learners in grade 6 did not reach a partially achieved level of reading. As a result of the reading difficulties, these learners have varying degrees of learning and behavioural difficulties and also experience psychological and emotional challenges. This figure indicates that a high number of people are parenting a child identified as having reading difficulties. Bronfenbrenner’s theory of the ecology of human development indicated the importance of interconnections between school, home, and community settings in order to foster children’s learning. Parents may be better supported and empowered to assist their child by collaboration among teachers and families. This collaboration may be strengthened by utilising knowledge gained from parents’ lived experiences of parenting a child identified as having reading difficulties. The primary research question guiding this phenomenological study involved understanding the experiences of parents with children identified as having reading difficulties. The study’s research methodology can be described as basic qualitative research which is embedded within an interpretive paradigm. Purposive sampling was used to select three parents as research participants. Three methods of data collection were employed, namely written reflective notes, structured individual interviews and observations. Furthermore, qualitative content analysis was used to analyse the data. The analysis revealed that four interconnected contexts emerged concerning parents’ lived experiences, namely their relationship with their identified child, their relationships with other family members, their interactions with teachers and the child’s school, and their perception of social support in raising their child. The study found that parents experienced a variety of dismaying emotions regarding their child’s reading difficulties and that parents adopted roles such as caretaker, motivator and advocate in order to obtain the intervention and educational services needed for their child. The findings of this study inform and encourage educators and other support personnel to support parents and promote collaboration with parents of children identified as having reading difficulties, potentially enabling those parents to better support their identified child. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Na aanleiding van die uitslae van die Jaarlikse Nasionale Assessering (ANA) van 2011 in Suid- Afrikaanse skole, het ongeveer 53% van leerders in graad 3 en 70% van leerders in graad 6 nie ‘n gedeeltelik bereikte vlak van lees behaal nie. As gevolg van die struikelblokke met lees, ervaar hierdie leerders verskeie grade van leer- en gedragsuitdagings, asook sielkundige en emosionele uitdagings. Hierdie syfers dui aan dat ‘n beduidende hoeveelheid mense in die rol staan van die ouer van ‘n kind met leesstruikelblokke. Bronfenbrenner se teorie van die ekologie van menslike ontwikkeling dui op die belangrikheid van interkonneksies tussen die leerder se skool, tuiste en die konteks van sy gemeenskap vir die bevordering van leer. Ouers kan moontlik meer effektief ondersteun en bemagtig word om hul kind meer effektief te ondersteun, indien ‘n medewerking tussen ouers en onderwysers bewerkstellig kan word. Hierdie medewerking kan versterk word deur kennis aan te wend aangaande ouers se ervaringe in hul rol as die ouer van ‘n kind met leesstruikelblokke. Die navorsingsvraag wat hierdie fenomenologiese studie lei, handel oor ’n begrip van die ervaringe van ouers van kinders wat met leesstruikelblokke geïdentifiseer is. Die navorsingsmetodologie wat in hierdie studie gebruik is, kan beskryf word as basiese kwalitatiewe navorsing binne ’n interpretivistiese paradigma. ’n Doelgerigte steekproef is gebruik om drie ouers as deelnemers te identifiseer. Drie metodes van data insameling is gebruik, naamlik geskrewe, reflektiewe notas; gestruktureerde, individuele onderhoude en waarnemings. Verder is kwalitatiewe inhoudsanalise gebruik om die data te analiseer. Die data analise het aan die lig gebring dat vier kontekste wat telkens met mekaar verband hou, na vore gekom het rakende ouers se ervaringe as die ouer van ‘n kind met leesstruikelblokke, naamlik die ouers se verhouding met hul kind, die ouers se verhoudinge met ander lede van die gesin, die ouers se interaksies met die kind se onderwysers en skool asook die ouers se persepsie van die sosiale ondersteuning wat hulle ontvang in hul rol as ouers. Die bevindinge van hierdie studie het aangetoon dat ouers verskeie ontmoedigende emosies ervaar rakende hul kind se leesstruikelblokke en dat ouers in die rol van versorger, motiveerder en advokaat optree om sodoende die nodige intervensie en opvoedkundige dienste wat hul kind benodig, te bekom. Die bevindinge het ten doel om opvoeders en ander ondersteuningspersoneel in te lig en aan te moedig om ouers te ondersteun en medewerking tussen opvoeders en ouers van kinders met leesstruikelblokke te bevorder. Sodanige medewerking kan ouers in staat stel om hul kinders meer effektief te ondersteun.

The aim of this study was to use stories from three people who previously lived in homelessness to increase the knowledge of the social network's impact on the process of exiting homelessness. In order to answer our questions, whether the social network facilitated or hindered the way out of homelessness, we have used a narrative method to take advantage of these person's life stories. As a theoretical perspective, we used the ecology of human development, based on the idea that human development occurs in interaction with their environment at different levels. Results showed those interviewees' networks had a significant impact on their path out of homelessness and that these relationships both facilitated and hindered this process. At the same time, these relationships affected our interviewees in different ways and were found in various areas of life, which indicates that there is more than one way out of homelessness. However, common patterns emerged in these stories that said that the relationships facilitated consisted of those who have supported and encouraged our interviewees in their way out of homelessness. While hindering relations consisted of those who disbelieved in the interviewees abilities and not supported when needed most.

The purpose of this study was to investigate social workers professional experiences of social services statutory responsibilities to provide advice, support and other help to foster families. Furthermore, the purpose was to analyze what factors and conditions that affects social workers ability to provide adequate support. According to both inter-national and Swedish research foster parents are asking for more support. We became curious about how foster care secretaries in Sweden give support. To get this infor-mation we had three focusgroup interviews with a total of twelve social workers. Our three focusgroups were located in municipalities in southern Sweden. The interviews were transcribed and coded for our results. The theoretical perspective we used were Urie Bronfenbrenner's theory about the ecology of human development and the perspec-tive about risk- and protection factors. The study shows that they have quite few sup-port methods to offer the foster homes and the lack of resources (time, education and economy) and vague guidelines are two factors that affects the social workers ability to provide adequate support. Although social services becomes the deputy parent of the foster child and are one protection factor in the child's life, the social services does not receive much attention in forms of for example further education.

There is a discrepancy between national school guidelines towards inclusive education, and the current political trend towards economic efficacy, that may be problematic for teachers. The aim of this contextual study is to formulate a contextual understanding of the participating teachers’ perceptions of their effort to help all their students achieve the goals set forth by school curricula, and use this understanding for the purpose of suggesting points of entry for special needs educators´ guidance of teachers’ practices towards more inclusive education. Information was gathered by sending an extensive web questionnaire to all teachers within a given headmaster´s administration, sending web questionnaires to a majority of third grade students taught by those teachers, conducting interviews with a few of the participating teachers as well as with the special needs educators, carrying out a classroom observation, and gathering additional information concerning working conditions and social interactions. The data gathered in this case study has been subjected to an analytical process comprising of an assessment of the degree of inclusive approach, using the Inclusive Approach through Participation as well as the Framework of Participation, technical triangulation of all data post the inclusive assessment, and analysis of context by the Ecology of Human Development/the Bioecological Theory. The analytical process has resulted in a contextual description that has enabled me to suggest possible points of entry to be used in special needs educators’ guidance of teachers’ practices towards inclusive education. The degree to which there exists a collegial sense of security, varied forms of teacher-student interactions, collegial cooperation, pedagogical discussions, a dialogue in search of mutual understanding, and consequent follow-ups appears, in the light of the limited selection of participants, as relevant to these teachers ability to help their students. Further research is needed to identify valid points of entry for special needs educators’ guidance of teachers’ practices towards inclusive education. This contextual study will hopefully inspire further research into teachers´ perceptions of their work to facilitate implementation of inclusive education and thereby improve every student´s ability to achieve the set goals.

Dans les premières années de leur vie, les enfants peuvent être exposés à divers évènements potentiellement traumatiques pouvant compromettre leur adaptation scolaire et sociale. Parmi ces évènements figurent par exemple le décès, le placement en milieu substitut, la séparation conjugale, l’hospitalisation ou encore la migration. Ces évènements peuvent être considérés comme potentiellement traumatiques en raison du fait qu’ils occasionnent, temporairement ou définitivement, la perte d’une figure d’attachement, aussi appelé « traumatisme de la perte » (Bowlby, 1996). Les études antérieures sur les traumas ayant mis en évidence le rôle protecteur de la figure d’attachement face à l’adversité (Rutter, 1985), nous nous sommes questionnée sur l’impact d’une telle perte sur l’adaptation scolaire et sociale des jeunes concernés, ainsi que sur le rôle que peut jouer l’école face à cet évènement. Cette thèse cherche ainsi à mieux comprendre comment les jeunes affectés par une perte objective ou symbolique s’adaptent sur le plan scolaire et social, et comment l’environnement scolaire peut soutenir cette adaptation. Notre étude s’appuie sur deux théories, la théorie écologique du développement humain et la théorie de l’attachement, et sollicite trois concepts, soit l’attachement, le traumatisme de la perte, et l’adaptation scolaire et sociale. Par ailleurs, le concept de deuil est utilisé pour étudier conjointement les pertes objectives et les pertes symboliques, ce qui nous amène à considérer les jeunes touchés par la perte d’une figure d’attachement comme des jeunes endeuillés. De plus, le modèle de Barrois (1988) mettant en avant les ruptures liées aux traumatismes psychiques, et le modèle de Skinner et de ses collaborateurs (2003) identifiant des stratégies d’adaptation, sont mobilisés dans l’analyse des données. Par ailleurs, le modèle Processus-Personne-Contexte-Temps (PPCT) de Bronfenbrenner et Morris (2006) permettant de refléter la nature dynamique du processus d’adaptation scolaire et sociale est utilisé. Cette thèse présente les résultats d’une étude qualitative menée au Québec auprès de six jeunes ayant perdu, objectivement ou symboliquement, une figure d’attachement pendant l’enfance, et de cinq personnes enseignantes ayant eu à composer avec ce phénomène. D’une part, les résultats, traités à l’aide du logiciel NVivo, soulignent les expériences individuelles, scolaires et sociales de chacun des jeunes, ainsi que les stratégies d’adaptation qu’ils ont utilisées pour faire face à la perte. Les éléments ayant favorisé leur adaptation au sein du microsystème sont également identifiés. D’autre part, les résultats examinent les expériences de personnes enseignantes du primaire relativement à ce type de perte chez un élève, et soulignent les besoins particuliers de ces derniers. De même, les personnes enseignantes relèvent les défis auxquels elles ont été confrontées dans l’accompagnement des élèves concernés par la perte d’une figure d’attachement. Finalement, nous mettons en lumière des attitudes favorables et des pratiques éducatives soutenantes issues des récits des jeunes endeuillés et des personnes enseignantes, ainsi que certaines conditions essentielles au soutien des jeunes endeuillés dans la sphère scolaire. Dans la discussion, nous suggérons certains ajouts théoriques en ce qui concerne les ruptures vécues par les jeunes endeuillés, ainsi que les stratégies d’adaptation qu’ils sollicitent, afin d’illustrer plus fidèlement le phénomène d’adaptation scolaire et sociale à la perte d’une figure d’attachement. De surcroît, nous évoquons les risques de négligence circonstancielle à considérer dans la mise en œuvre de pratiques éducatives favorables à l’adaptation scolaire et sociale des jeunes endeuillés. Cette thèse a donc pour ambition de susciter des changements tangibles dans les milieux scolaires en ce qui concerne l’accompagnement des jeunes confrontés à la perte objective ou symbolique d’une figure d’attachement. Le caractère novateur de cette thèse réside d’une part dans le fait que les stratégies d’adaptation scolaires et sociales ont été peu documentées dans la littérature sur les deuils, et d’autre part dans la prise en considération des pertes symboliques qui ont rarement été étudiées sous l’angle du deuil, et qui au regard des résultats de cette thèse présentent des ressemblances avec les pertes objectives. / In the first years of their life, children can be exposed to various potentially traumatic events that can harm their educational and social adjustment. Among these events are for instance death, placement in a substitute environment, marital separation, hospitalization or even migration. These events can be potentially traumatic due to the fact that they cause, temporarily or permanently, the loss of an attachment figure, also called “trauma of loss” (Bowlby, 1996). Previous studies on trauma have highlighted the protective role of the attachment figure in the face of adversity (Rutter, 1985). In this dissertation we consider both the impact of such a loss on youth’s educational and social adjustment and the role that the school can play in this event. This thesis thus seeks to better understand how affected youth by an objective or symbolic loss adapt educationally and socially, and how the school environment can support this adjustment. This study is based on two theories, the ecological theory of human development and the theory of attachment, and mobilizes three concepts: attachment, trauma of loss, and educational and social adjustment. Furthermore, the concept of grief is used to jointly study objective losses and symbolic losses, which leads us to consider young people affected by the loss of an attachment figure as bereaved youth. Moreover, the models of Barrois (1988) highlighting ruptures linked to psychological trauma, and the model of Skinner and his colleagues (2003) identifying adjustment strategies, are used in the data analysis. Furthermore, the Process-Person-Context-Time (PPCT) model of Bronfenbrenner and Morris (2006) is used to reflect the dynamic nature of the educational and social adjustment process. This thesis presents the results of a qualitative study conducted in Quebec with six young people who experienced this type of loss, objectively or symbolically, during childhood, and five teachers who had to deal with this phenomenon. The results, processed using NVivo software, highlight the individual, educational and social experiences of each of the young bereaved people, as well as the adjustment strategies they used to cope with the loss. In addition to this, we identify the elements that favored their adaptation within the microsystem. The results showcase the experiences of primary school teachers whose student has been affected by the objective or symbolic loss of an attachment figure. These highlight the particular needs of bereaved students identified by the teachers, as well as the challenges encountered by the latter in supporting students affected by such a loss. Finally, favorable attitudes and supportive educational practices are identified from the stories of bereaved youth and teachers, as well as the essential conditions for supporting bereaved youth at the school. In the discussion, we suggest theoretical additions with regard to the ruptures experienced by bereaved youth, as well as the adjustment strategies that they seek, in order to more faithfully illustrate the phenomenon of adaptation to the loss of an attachment figure. In addition, we discuss the risks of circumstantial neglect to be considered in the implementation of educational practices favorable to the academic and social adaptation of bereaved youth. This thesis thus aims to foster tangible changes in school environments supporting bereaved youth by the objective or symbolic loss of an attachment figure. The innovative nature of this thesis lies on the one hand in the fact that educational and social adjustment strategies have been little documented in the literature on bereavement, and on the other hand, in the consideration of symbolic losses which have rarely been studied from the angle of mourning and which, in view of the results of this thesis, present similarities with objective losses. / En los primeros años de vida, los niños pueden estar expuestos a diversos eventos potencialmente traumáticos que pueden comprometer su adaptación escolar y social. Entre estos eventos, la muerte, la reubicación en ambientes sustitutos, la separación matrimonial, la hospitalización o incluso la migración, pueden ser considerados potencialmente traumáticos por causar de manera temporal o permanente la pérdida de una figura de apego, también denominada “trauma de pérdida” (Bowlby, 1996). Estudios anteriores sobre el trauma han destacado el papel protector de la figura de apego frente a la adversidad (Rutter, 1985). En este estudio, analizamos el impacto de tal pérdida en la adaptación escolar y social de los jóvenes afectados, así como en el papel que la escuela puede jugar durante este evento. Esta tesis busca de este modo comprender mejor cómo los jóvenes afligidos por una pérdida objetiva o simbólica se adaptan escolarmente y socialmente, y cómo el entorno escolar puede apoyar esta adaptación. Este estudio se basa en dos teorías, la teoría ecológica del desarrollo humano y la teoría del apego, y moviliza tres conceptos: apego, trauma de pérdida y adaptación escolar y social. Además, el concepto de duelo se utiliza para estudiar conjuntamente las pérdidas objetivas y las pérdidas simbólicas, lo que nos lleva a considerar a los jóvenes afectados por la pérdida de una figura de apego como jóvenes en duelo. Más aún, en el análisis de los datos se utilizan los modelos de Barrois (1988), que destacan las rupturas vinculadas al trauma psicológico, y el modelo de Skinner y sus colegas (2003), que identifican estrategias de adaptación. Igualmente, se utiliza el modelo Proceso-Persona-Contexto-Tiempo (PPCT) de Bronfenbrenner y Morris (2006) para reflejar la naturaleza dinámica del proceso de adaptación escolar y social. Esta tesis presenta los resultados de un estudio cualitativo realizado en Quebec con seis jóvenes que vivieron este tipo de pérdida, objetiva o simbólica, durante la infancia y cinco profesores que tuvieron que lidiar con este fenómeno. Los resultados, procesados con el software NVivo, resaltan las experiencias individuales, escolares y sociales de cada uno de los jóvenes en duelo, así como las estrategias de adaptación que utilizaron para afrontar la pérdida. Además, se identifican los elementos que favorecieron su adaptación dentro del microsistema. Los resultados también permiten abordar las experiencias de maestros de educación primaria cuyos alumnos se han visto afectados por una pérdida, temporal o permanente, de una figura de apego. Estos resaltan las necesidades particulares de los estudiantes en duelo identificadas por los maestros, así como los desafíos encontrados por estos últimos al apoyar a los estudiantes afectados por la pérdida de una figura de apego. Finalmente, se identifican actitudes favorables y prácticas educativas solidarias a partir de los relatos de jóvenes en duelo y maestros, así como las condiciones esenciales para el apoyo a jóvenes en duelo en el ámbito escolar. En la discusión, se sugieren ciertas adiciones teóricas en relación con las rupturas vividas por los jóvenes en duelo, así como las estrategias de adaptación que ellos buscan para ilustrar más fielmente el fenómeno de la adaptación a la pérdida de una figura de apego. Además, discutimos los riesgos de negligencia circunstancial que deben considerarse en la implementación de prácticas educativas favorables a la adaptación escolar y social de los jóvenes en duelo. Por lo tanto, esta tesis tiene como objetivo generar cambios tangibles en los entornos escolares con respecto al apoyo a los jóvenes en duelo por la pérdida objetiva o simbólica de una figura de apego. El carácter innovador de esta tesis radica, por un lado, en el hecho de que las estrategias de adaptación escolar y social han sido poco documentadas en la literatura sobre el duelo, y por otro, en la consideración de pérdidas simbólicas que rara vez han sido estudiadas desde el ángulo del duelo y que, a la vista de los resultados de esta tesis, presentan similitudes con pérdidas objetivas.