There are many challenges that face children in residential care. Among those challenges is the little or no interaction between the children in residential care and their biological family. This study investigated if biological family involvement in the lives of children in residential care had any effect on the children's development while they were in care. The study was a comparison between children with biological family involvement and children without any biological family involvement. The comparison focused on two main variables, namely, academic performance and behaviour characteristics. This was qualitative, multiple case study research where triangulation was used as a tool for collecting information. Ten children participated in this study i.e. five children with biological family involvement and five children without any biological family involvement. Data used in this study was collected from children, their housemothers and from children's files. Findings from this research indicated that there was a difference between children with biological family involvement and children without such family involvement in terms of academic performance and behaviour characteristics. Children with biological family involvement performed better academically and displayed fewer negative behaviour characteristic than children without biological family involvement. Findings also suggested there was a need for further research on this topic in order to find ways to assist children in residential care to develop optimally. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2009.

Text in Afrikaans / The adolescents touched by their parent's divorce often display certain behavioral problems, such as withdrawal, aggression, and deterioration in academic performance, total apathy and misconduct. These adolescents experience mixed feelings in their period of distress. When one gets behind the reasons for certain behavior, the adolescents usually confess that the parents' divorce affected them. Parents often do not think about the emotional implications their divorce has on their children. Authors differ about the age at which children are influenced the most by their parents getting divorced. This study confirms suspicions that although adolescents want to break ties with their parents, they still feel threatened when their parents split up. During serious conflict in the family, the divorce is sometimes perceived as positive. The study makes everybody involved with the adolescent aware of the emotional disruption and the influence a divorce could have on their daily functioning. / Die studie oor die belewinge van die adolessente in die enkelouergesing as gevolg van egskeiding, spruit voort uit waarnemings tydens die interaksie met adolessente wat deur die ouers se egskeiding geraak is. Sodanige adolessente toon dikwels sekere gedragspatrone, soos onttrekking, aggressie, verswakking van akademiese prestasie, algehele lusteloosheid en wangedrag. Wannneer hulle genader word, ontken hulle dikwels dat iets skort. Hulle wil nie anders beskou word as ander adolessente wat nie in dieselfde situasie verkeer nie. Die ondersoek toon dat adolessente gemengde gevoelens in hulle tyd van nood ondervind het. Wanneer wel agter die rede vir die teruggetrokkenheid of aggressie of verswakkende akademiese prestasie gekom word, erken adolessente gewoonlik dat die ouers se egskeiding hulle onderkry. Ouers dink dikwles nie aan die emosionele uirwerking wat hulle egskeiding op die kinders het nie. Skrywers verskil oor die ouderdom waarop kinders die meeste deur die ouers se egskeiding beinvloed word. Die respondente in hierdie studie bevestig vermoedens dat, alhoewel adolessente hulself wil losmaak van die ouers, hulle wel bedreig voel wanneer die ouers uitmekaargaan. Tydens ernstige konflik in die gesin word die egskeiding tog soms as positief ervaar. Dit beteken egter nie dat dit vir hulle maklik is nie. Wanneer daar voor die egskeiding min konflik is en die verblyfreelings daarna vir die aolessent aanvaarbaar is, is die aanpassingsproses gewoonlik makliker. Die studie maak alle betrokkenes by die adolessent bewus van die emosionele ontwrigting waaraan hy blootgestel word en die uitwerking wat dit op sy alledaagse funksionering kan he. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Voorligting)

The parenting style, level of acculturation and incidence of stress, were explored in order to identify the likelihood of intervention by child protective services to prevent child abuse. Additionally, concerns of whether reports of child abuse were related more to the lack of information about American parenting rules, rather than intentionally abusive behavior.

The present study explored the interaction between paediatric asthma and family functioning, within the context of family systems theory. Eight families, each with an asthmatic child between the ages of 8 and 15, were included in this study. In each case, the parents were interviewed and completed a quantitative measure, the Family Assessment Device, The results indicated that each family has a unique way of functioning and of integrating the child's asthma into its lifestyle. Factors found to be involved in the mutual impact of paediatric asthma and family functioning were the size of the family, the severity of the child's condition, the ways in which the family copes with the stress of asthma, communication patterns between parents, compliance with family rules and boundaries, and the affective responsiveness and involvement of family members. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

Text in Afrikaans / 'n Ondersoek is onderneem om vas te stel watter invloed skofwerk op ouerkindverhoudinge het. 'n Literatuurstudie is uitgevoer om die invloed van skofwerk op mense en gesinsfunksies te bepaal. Vraelyste ten opsigte van die ouer-kindverhouding en gesinskommunikasie is geïdentifiseer en aangepas. Uit die resultate van die empiriese ondersoek is geen beduidende verskil gevind in die globale verhouding tussen ouers en kinders by gesinne waar ouers skofte werk en gesinne waar ouers nie skofte werk nie. 'n Beduidende verski1 in die kenverhouding tussen ouers en kinders bet voorgekom. Daar is bevind dat ouer adolessente 'n swakker gesags- en vertrouensverhouding met bulle ouers het as jonger adolessente in gesinne waar die ouers skofte werk. Opvoedkundige implikasies van die bevindinge is bespreek. Riglyne vir die verbetering van die ken-, vertrouens- en gesagsverhouding tussen ouers en kinders is aan ouers en onderwysers gestel. Laastens is voorstelle vir verdere navorsing gemaak. An investigation was wtdertaken to detennine the intluence of shift work on parent~ child relationships. A literature study was done to detennine the influence of shift work on people and family functions. Questionnaires dealing with the parent-child relationship and family communication were identified and adapted. According to the results of the empirical investigation no significant differences were found in general parent-child relationships between families where parents work shifts and families where parents do not work shifts. A significant difference was found in the relationship of knowing between shift working parents and childnm. lt was foWld that older adolescents have a weaker relationship of authority and trust in families where parents work shifts. The educational implications of the findings are discussed. Guidelines for a better relationship of knowing, authority and trust between parent and child are given to parents and teachers. Lastly, suggestions for further research are made. / Educational Studies / M. Ed.(Guidance and Couselling)

In this qualitative study the focus lies on parents' experience of the influence of the cerebral palsy child on the marital relationship. This research aimed at determining the way in which parents experience the influence of the cerebral palsy child on the marital relationship. To reach the required goal, a number of objectives were set. This included setting up a theoretical framework by way of a literature study as well as consultation with experts in the field of cerebral palsy children, semi-structured interviews with parents of cerebral palsy children, analysing of data and conclusions and recommendations according to the parents' experiences. Five married couples participated as respondents during the study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with all the participants. Each of the interviews was video-recorded and transcribed. Main themes, sub-themes and categories were identified in the transcriptions and studied in relation to the existing literature. True to the qualitative nature of the study, the aim was not to generalise the findings, but to give each couple the opportunity to tell their story. / Social Work / Thesis (M. Diac. (Spelterapie))

The purpose of this study was to develop and test the efficacy of a short-term structured play therapy treatment program for latency-aged children of divorce between six and twelve years of age. Following parental divorce latency-aged children often manifest disturbed emotional and behavioural functioning in several areas of their lives including issues such as self-image problems and poor academic functioning. In many instances, problems are acute and necessitate effective help in a relatively short time. Several play therapy modalities exist for children with some focusing on problems stemming from divorce. However, due to their complex, unstructured and lengthy nature, most of the treatment programs reviewed were relatively ineffective for most social workers. Increasingly families have little time and/or limited financial resources to commit to long-term therapy. A literature review showed a clear need for a shorter, less complex treatment program to solve the problem of limited finances and time constraints of parents seeking help for their children. A seven-stage, short-term structured play therapy program was developed for this study, including a pre-and post-treatment assessment, which focused on the main areas of dysfunction prominent among latency-aged children of divorce. The program was implemented by treating a female latency-aged child from a divorced family. The findings showed that the short-term structured play therapy program developed for this study appears to be effective in dealing with necessary and important psychological tasks facing children of divorce. The treatment program worked effectively with a female latency-aged child and facilitated psychological and emotional movement in a relatively short period of time. For social workers specialising in child play therapy the treatment program will be easy to use since all activities are clearly structured and explained with materials utilised in the sessions easy to obtain. As such, it could be a necessary and effective addition to the social work profession. / Social Work / D. Phil. (Social Work)

Text in Afrikaans / This pastoral-narrative study pans the stories of multi disabled children's parents for story elements and account resources that lead to the development of alternative realities on the dominant reality of "disability". With a postmodern epistemology and postmodern theological background this study was performed with a qualitative narrative research approach. In this study the stories of eight multi "disabled children's parents are utilized. Story elements and account resources from social structures and existence are highlighted and discussed. Examples of this are family, circle of friends, hope and parental love. The account of this study underlines the value that alternative realities on the dominant reality of "disability" can add to the quality on how people experience life. It also services as prove of people's riches of inner power and resilience. / Practical Theology / M.Th.

In this qualitative study the focus lies on parents' experience of the influence of the cerebral palsy child on the marital relationship. This research aimed at determining the way in which parents experience the influence of the cerebral palsy child on the marital relationship. To reach the required goal, a number of objectives were set. This included setting up a theoretical framework by way of a literature study as well as consultation with experts in the field of cerebral palsy children, semi-structured interviews with parents of cerebral palsy children, analysing of data and conclusions and recommendations according to the parents' experiences. Five married couples participated as respondents during the study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with all the participants. Each of the interviews was video-recorded and transcribed. Main themes, sub-themes and categories were identified in the transcriptions and studied in relation to the existing literature. True to the qualitative nature of the study, the aim was not to generalise the findings, but to give each couple the opportunity to tell their story. / Social Work / Thesis (M. Diac. (Spelterapie))

The purpose of this study was to develop and test the efficacy of a short-term structured play therapy treatment program for latency-aged children of divorce between six and twelve years of age. Following parental divorce latency-aged children often manifest disturbed emotional and behavioural functioning in several areas of their lives including issues such as self-image problems and poor academic functioning. In many instances, problems are acute and necessitate effective help in a relatively short time. Several play therapy modalities exist for children with some focusing on problems stemming from divorce. However, due to their complex, unstructured and lengthy nature, most of the treatment programs reviewed were relatively ineffective for most social workers. Increasingly families have little time and/or limited financial resources to commit to long-term therapy. A literature review showed a clear need for a shorter, less complex treatment program to solve the problem of limited finances and time constraints of parents seeking help for their children. A seven-stage, short-term structured play therapy program was developed for this study, including a pre-and post-treatment assessment, which focused on the main areas of dysfunction prominent among latency-aged children of divorce. The program was implemented by treating a female latency-aged child from a divorced family. The findings showed that the short-term structured play therapy program developed for this study appears to be effective in dealing with necessary and important psychological tasks facing children of divorce. The treatment program worked effectively with a female latency-aged child and facilitated psychological and emotional movement in a relatively short period of time. For social workers specialising in child play therapy the treatment program will be easy to use since all activities are clearly structured and explained with materials utilised in the sessions easy to obtain. As such, it could be a necessary and effective addition to the social work profession. / Social Work / D. Phil. (Social Work)