Thesis (M Social Work)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Social workers that render child protection services are, according to The White Paper for Social Welfare (Ministry of Welfare and Population Development, 1997) and the Integrated Service Delivery Model (Department of Social Development, 2006), required to render family preservation services through mainly preventive services and early intervention services. This implies that during the implementation of family preservation services, the social worker should focus on preventing the unnecessary alternative placement of children through immediate intervention that defuses the crisis situation, stabilizes the family, and teaches family members new problem-resolution skills, so they can avoid future crisis. A social work intervention method that could effectively enhance family preservation services is group work. Social workers rendering family preservation services, however make limited use of group work. Various studies done with regards to group work showed a definite decrease in the utilisation of group work by social workers at child and family welfare organisations, possible reasons for the decrease in the utilisation of group work were noted but no definite conclusions were drawn. Therefore a gap exists within research on the view of social workers with regards to the utilisation of group work during the rendering of family preservation services. The research study therefore investigated the perspective of social workers on the utilisation of group work during implementation of family preservation services. A combined quantitative and qualitative research methodology was used to involve social workers employed at non-governmental organizations in the Western Cape Metropole area in the study that was based on both an explorative and descriptive research design. For the aim of the research study, the researcher used purposeful non-probability sampling. Twenty social workers that met the inclusion criteria of the research study were selected according to their willingness to participate. A semi-structured interview schedule was used to collect the data during the empirical investigation and a pilot study was implemented to test the measuring instrument with two participants. A literature study aimed at describing the role and function of the social worker with regards the implementation of family preservation services as well the nature of group work when rendering family preservation services was completed. Thereafter an empirical investigation was done and the results from the empirical investigation were purposefully processed and analysed. Through processing and analysing the results the researcher was able to conclude with certain conclusions and recommendations with regards to the utilisation of group work during the implementation of family preservation services. The most important conclusion resulting from the research study indicate that child and family welfare organisations are struggling to effectively utilise the group work method during the implementation of family preservation services. The research study therefore recommends that social workers should receive thorough in-service training with regards to the possible ways of utilising the group work method more effectively during the delivery of family preservation services. Furthermore it is recommended that appropriate group work programmes be developed that are specifically aimed at family preservation services, in order to ensure that group work is effectively utilised by social workers when implementing family preservation services. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Maatskaplike werkers wat kinderbeskermingsdienste lewer word, volgens die Witskrif vir Maatskaplike Welsyn (Ministry of Welfare and Population Development, 1997) en die Geïntegreerde Diensleweringsmodel (Department of Social Development, 2006), vereis om gesinsinstandhoudingsdienste te lewer deur hoofsaaklik te fokus op voorkomende dienste en vroeë intervensie dienste. Dit beteken dat tydens die implementering van gesinsinstandhoudingsdienste moet die maatskaplike werker fokus op die voorkoming van die onnodige alternatiewe plasing van kinders deur middel van onmiddellike ingryping wat die krisis situasie ontlont, die familie stabiliseer, en familielede nuwe probleemoplossings vaardighede aanleer ten einde toekomstige krisisse te verhoed. ‘n Maatskaplike werk intervensie metode wat effektief kan bydra tot die bevordering van gesinsinstandhoudingsdienste is groepwerk. Maatskaplike werkers wat gesinsinstandhoudings-dienste lewer maak egter beperkte gebruik van groepwerk. Verskeie studies wat gedoen is met betrekking tot groepwerk in maatskaplike werk dui ‘n definitiewe afname in die benutting van groepwerk deur maatskaplike werkers by kinder- en gesinsorg welsynsorganisasies aan, moontlike redes vir die afname in die benutting van groepwerk is opgemerk, maar geen definitiewe gevolgtrekkings is gemaak nie. Dus bestaan daar ‘n definitiewe gaping in navorsing rondom die sienings van maatskaplike werkers rakende die benutting van groepwerk in die lewering van gesinsinstandhoudingsdienste. Daarom is die perspektief van maatskaplike werkers rakende die benutting van groepwerk tydens die implementering van gesinsinstandhoudingsdienste in die navorsingstudie ondersoek. ‘n Gesamentlike kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe navorsingsmetodologie is gebruik om maatskaplike werkers in diens by nie-regeringsorganisasies in die Wes-Kaap Metropool area in die navorsingsstudie, gebassseer op ‘n verkennende en beskrywende navorsingsontwerp, te betrek. Vir die doel van die navorsingstudie het die navorser gebruik gemaak van ‘n doelgerigte nie-waarskynlikheids steekproefneming. Twintig maatskaplike werkers wat aan die insluitingskriteria van die navorsingstudie voldoen het is dus volgens hul bereidwilligheid om deel te neem gekies. Tydens die empiriese ondersoek is ‘n semi-gestruktureerde onderhoudskedule gebruik om die data in te samel en ‘n loodsstudie is geïmplementeer om die meetinstrument met twee deelnemers te toets. ‘n Literatuurstudie wat daarop gemik was om die rol en funksie van die maatskaplike werker te beskryf met betrekking tot die implementering van gesinsinstandhoudingsdienste asook die aard van groep werk tydens die lewering van gesinsinstandhoudingsdienste is voltooi. Daarna is ‘n empiriese ondersoek gedoen en die resultate van die empiriese ondersoek is doelbewus verwerk en ontleed. Deur verwerking en ontleding van die resultate was die navorser daartoe in staat om sekere gevolgtrekkings en aanbevelings met betrekking tot die benutting van groepwerk tydens die implementering van gesinsinstandhoudingsdienste te maak. Die belangrikste gevolgtrekking uit die navorsingstudie dui daarop dat kinder en gesins welsynsorganisasies sukkel om effektief gebruik te maak van die groepwerk metode tydens die implementering van gesinsinstandhoudingsdienste. Die navorsingstudie beveel dus aan dat maatskaplike werkers deeglike in-diens opleiding ontvang met betrekking tot die moontlike maniere waarop die groepwerk metode meer effektief tydens die lewering van gesinsinstandhoudingsdienste benut kan word. Verder word daar aanbeveel dat toepaslike groepwerk programme spesifiek gemik op gesinsinstandhoudingsdienste ontwikkel word ten einde te verseker dat groepwerk effektief benut word deur maatskaplike werkers tydens die implementering van gesinsinstandhoudings-dienste.

Many people in South Africa are aware of the need for intervention and rehabilitation of disabled children. The lack of resources in the state healthcare system has necessitated a move towards capacity building and empowerment of community members to reduce the burden of responsibility on the healthcare system. Such engagement of community members in healthcare initiatives also has the potential of re-integrating disabled people back into society. The implementation of these strategies is undertaken largely by non-governmental organisations. One such NGO, the Child Development and Resource Centre (CORC) provides a service to children with multiple disabilities and their caregivers for whom no other resources are available. In attempting to increase the range of its impact on disabled people in Kwazulu-Natal, a training programme was developed to deal with the needs of the caregivers. The purpose of this study is to describe, evaluate and recommend changes of this nine module training course facilitated by the CDRC. The target population was the primary caregivers of disabled children living in peri-urban and rural areas and educare workers from non-profit organisations who were involved in service delivery to such families. The purpose of the training programme was to raise community awareness around disability, to sensitise and educate individuals to the needs of the disabled, and to empower caregivers in caring for disabled children in their communities. The CDRC training programme was subjected to on-going evaluation and monitoring throughout the entire process. Based on an action research model, programme evaluation was implemented and data was gathered from three sources: observation notes on each of the nine modules, evaluation forms completed by the participants, and focus group discussions with the participants. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2001.

Thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of PhD in Community Psychology in the Department of Psychology, University of Zululand, 2007. / This study evaluates two psychosocial support intervention programmes for vulnerable children. Psychosocial support intervention programmes are geared towards strengthening of participation, intergration and cooperation between members of the community. The present study follows upon recommendations by Killian (2003) that more research needed to be done on the effectiveness of psychosocial intervention programmes on vulnerable children. It falls within the framework of a person-centred approach towards primary prevention. This research thesis aimed to explore the community volunteers' experiences on the impact and effectiveness of the psychosocial intervention programmes on vulnerable children. Twenty four community volunteers were interviewed for this research. Qualitative measures were utilized for data collection purposes. A standardized interview schedule, comprising four open-ended questions was used to elicit in-depth responses from the research participants. To test the appropriateness of the research questions, a pilot study was conducted on eight participants who had been sensitized on this programme and also formed part of the bigger research process. Data was analyzed using qualitative measures to elicit in-depth responses from the research participants. Based on the themes that emerged from the analyzed data, the evaluation process of these two intervention programmes yielded positive results, in terms of effectiveness and impact on the lives of vulnerable children in the communities. The thematic analysis of the collected interview data showed significantly that all the research participants appreciated the skills offered and learned from participating in the programme. They reported increased confidence in dealing with various psychosocial challenges faced by vulnerable children in their communities. A common theme that emerged in the present study both in the individual and group interviews, was the community volunteer's renewed sense of community participation, belonging and empowerment. From the research participants' responses, this study has managed to meet the aims and objectives of the training programme, to make people rich in their understanding of children who face adversity and difficult circumstances in their lives. Providing community members with a sensitization programme offering psychosocial support to vulnerable children, then becomes a sustainable, empowering and ongoing process for children affected by HIV/AIDS, poverty and violence. The main findings suggest that the community intervention programme offering psychosocial support for vulnerable children is effective and has had a positive impact on the community volunteers. In terms of values of the community psychology model, this evaluation is meaningful since it shows that community volunteers benefited from participating in this programme in an empowering way, while gaining valuable skills and disseminating knowledge to vulnerable children in their communities. This thesis offers suggestions for future research on vulnerable children with more emphasis on community poverty alleviation strategies. Finally, it concludes that community oriented programmes offering psychosocial support to children affected by HIV/AIDS, poverty and violence are appropriate and ideal interventions to reduce vulnerability and increase resilience. / National Research Foundation

HIV/AIDS is a pandemic infecting and affecting millions of people worldwide. South Africa is also severely affected by this disease. Because hospitals cannot cope with patients admitted daily especially with the influx caused by HIV/AIDS patients, the government has introduced home-based care of people living with HIV/AIDS. Amongst those who practice home-based care are the volunteers. This study is aimed at exploring and describing the experiences of volunteers involved in home-based care of people living with HIV/AIDS in the Lusikisiki Magisterial district in the former Transkei area of the Province of the Eastern Cape. The researcher used a qualitative methodology with the aim of finding out what it is like to be a volunteer involved in home-based care in a rural area. The data was collected by means of semi-structured one-to-one interviews or guided interviews. A total sample of thirteen research participants was acquired through purposive as well as snowball sampling. The interviews were guided by a number of broad question themes. Data was analyzed using Tesch’s framework of data analysis as described in Creswell (1994). The researcher used Guba’s model as outlined in Krefting (1991) to ensure trustworthiness of the research findings. A literature control was undertaken to find out what other researchers and authors say about the issues raised by the study. There were five themes that came out of the data analysis process and these themes are: o The experiences of volunteers with home-based care. o Factors facilitating the work of volunteers. o Problems encountered by volunteers. o Possible solutions to problems encountered. o Views of volunteers regarding home-based care. These broad themes were further reduced into sub-themes and categories. Based on the discussion of themes, sub-themes, and categories, some research findings were presented. The discussion of the themes, sub-themes and categories was supported by verbatim quotations from the participants. On the basis of research findings, conclusions and recommendations were made.

Abstract in English, Sepedi and Zulu / The people with the greatest stake in Orphan and Vulnerable Children (OVC) interventions are the children and their parents/guardians. Unfortunately, most OVC programmes are predesigned and implemented without considering beneficiaries’ perceptions when developing solutions (ALI 2007:15). The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the perceptions of orphans and vulnerable children’s parents/guardians about the effectiveness of Future Families’ children programme in Olievenhoutbosch. This study used a qualitative, explorative and descriptive design. Thirteen parents/guardians of children registered with the Future Families were interviewed on the effectiveness of the Future Families programme using a semi-structure interview guide. The study results suggested that parents/guardians were happy with Future Families’ services and believed the programme is effective in responding to their families’ needs / Abantu abathinteka kakhulu ekungeneleni kokuphathelene nezintandane kanye nabantwana abasengcupheni (ama-OVC) ngabantwana kanye nabazali noma abaqaphi. Ngeshwa, izinhlelo eziningi zama-OVC zenziwe futhi ziqala ukusetshenziswa ngaphandle kokucabangela imibono yalabo okumele bahlomule kwizisombululo zokuthuthukisa (ALI 2007: 15). Inhloso yalolu cwaningo kwakuwukuhlola nokuchaza imibono yabazali nabaqaphi bama-OVC mayelana nokusebenza kohlelo lwabantwana olunikezwa yiFuture Families e-Olievenhoutbosch. Kwasetshenziswa uhlelo oluhlolayo noluchazayo kulolu cwaningo. Abazali abayishumi nesishiyagalolunye noma abaqaphi babantwana ababhalisiwe kwaFuture Families, okuyinhlangano engenzi nzuzo ehlinzeka izinsizakalo kuma-OVC nakubantu abaneHIV/AIDS noma abahlukumezekayo ngenxa yalokho, babuzwa imibuzo kusetshenziwa umhlahlandela wemibuzo ehlelekile kwezinye izindawo ukuze baveze imibono yabo maqondana nokusebenza ngempumelelo kohlelo lweFuture Families. Imiphumela yalolu cwaningo iphakamise ukuthi abazali nabaqaphi bagculisekile ngemisebenzi ehlinzekwa yiFuture Families, futhi bakholwa ukuthi lolu hlelo lusebenza ngempumelelo ukubhekana nezidingo zemindeni yabo. / Batho ba ba nago le setseka se segolo go ditseno ka bogare tša Bana ba Ditšhiwana le bao ba lego Kotsing (OVC) ke bana le batswadi/bahlokomedi ba bona. Ka bomadimabe, mananeo a mantši a OVC a akanyetšwa pele le go phethagatšwa ntle le go tšeela šedi maikutlo a batho ba ba tlago holega ge go naganišišwa ditharollo (ALI 2007:15). Morero wa thuto ye e be e le go hlohlomiša le go hlaloša maikutlo a ditšhiwana le batswadi/bahlokomedi ba bana ba ba lego kotsing mabapi le go šoma gabotse ga lenaneo la bana la Malapa a ka Moso (FF) kua Olievenhoutbosch. Thuto ye e šomišitše moakanyetšo wa khwalitheithifi, wa go hlohlomiša le wa go hlaloša. Batswadi/bahlokomedi ba 13 ba bana ba ba ingwadišitšego le Malapa a ka Moso ba ile ba botšišwa dipotšišo mabapi le go šoma gabotse ga lenaneo la Malapa a ka Moso ka go šomiša mokgwa wa dinyakišišo wa go botšiša dipotšišo. Dipoelo tša thuto di šišintše gore batswadi/bahlokomedi ba be ba thabile ka ditirelo tša FF le go dumela gore lenaneo le šoma gabotse ka go iphetolela go dinyakwa tša malapa a bona. / Health Studies / M.P.H.

Family foster care is the main resource of alternative care for children in South Africa. The researcher is of the opinion, and is supported in this by literature, that very little is known about the dynamics within the foster family and its effects on the different family members. Of special interest to the researcher is to understand what happens in the lives of birth children of foster parents when they have to share their “world” with a foster child. Up till now little attention has been given to the children who are directly involved in the fostering process. The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the experiences of birth children in the foster care system within the context of the family systems theory. The qualitative method implemented in the research made it possible to come to an understanding of the effects of fostering on these children and to give a true description to their voices. / Social Work / M.A. (Social Work)

Many South African families are beset by social, psychological and economic challenges placing children at risk. Family preservation services, capitalising on families’ strengths to resolve their problems, are crucial to avoid the removal of children from their homes. Using a qualitative approach, this study reveals the experiences and perceptions of twelve social workers providing family preservation services in the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan of Gauteng Province. These social workers articulate their understanding of and experiences with the Children’s Act (Act No. 38) of 2005. They are generally optimistic that family preservation services can offer a helping process with the potential to improve family functioning. Nevertheless, there are stumbling blocks to effective service delivery, such as the kinds of social problems experienced by families, lack of funding, high caseloads, lack of resources and little co-operation from other disciplines and agencies. Based on these findings, recommendations are made for practice, policy and further research. / Social Work / MA (Social Work)

Children are being removed unnecessarily from their families and placed into substitute care because service programmes lack resources to keep families intact. There are overseas programmes, which provide home services to families, with children at risk of out of home placement. Although there has been an IFPS project there is no established intensive short-term programme in South Africa that deals with families at the brink of dissolution.The objective of the research is to investigate whether an Intensive Family Preservation Programme is feasible in South Africa. The researcher received training in the United States and met with leaders in the field, to discuss the development and implementation of the programme in South Africa. Surveys obtained the attitudes and opinions of the local social workers and commissioners of Child Welfare in Durban towards the programme. The results from opinion surveys indicate that an Intensive Family Preservation Programme is feasible in South Africa. / Social Science / M.A.(Social Work)

Although the White Paper on Families (2013) stipulates that family resilience should be strengthened in family preservation services, no guidelines exist for social workers in the South African context to do so. A need for practice guidelines for social workers in rendering services to families to strengthen family resilience was identified. The following central research question was formulated: How and by doing what, can social workers foster and sustain family resilience? The Intervention Design and Development (IDD) model of Rothman and Thomas (1994) was adapted for the study which included qualitative research to explore and describe the understanding, experiences and suggestions of social workers on family resilience for informing the family resilience intervention guidelines. Data was collected through focus- group and face-to-face semi-structured interviews with social workers employed by the Department of Social Development, and the NGOs from Gauteng, North West and Limpopo province. Tesch’s steps (cited in Creswell 2009:186) were used to analyse the data systematically and data was verified by Guba’s model (cited in Krefting 1991:214–222). Implementing steps 1–5 of phase 1, steps 1–3 of phase 2, step 2 of phase 3 and steps 1–3 of phase 4 of the IDD model, “Practice Guidelines for Social Workers to foster and sustain Family Resilience” (“The Guidelines”) were developed by translating the family resilience theory into practice to guide social workers to be able to develop and implement a family resilience intervention. The content of “The Guidelines” include an introduction containing the social work service delivery principles, the theoretical approaches of service delivery to families and the legislative and policy framework for services to families that would underpin a family resilience intervention. Section 1 of “The Guidelines” was developed and structured around the understanding of the family resilience construct and the family resilience process model on how family resilience operates. Section 2 of “The Guidelines” is presented in a question and answer format. This section provides practical guidelines on how to identify the target group for family resilience interventions, the reciprocal relationship between individual resilience and family resilience, family resilience interventions following the social work intervention process (i.e. intake, developmental assessment, a family developmental plan, and intervention strategies in accordance with the basket of services for families and monitoring and evaluation), how to integrate the domains of family resilience into the family resilience intervention, the need for education of both the social worker and client family on family resilience, the multi-dimensional aspects of the family requiring a multi-disciplinary approach and the role that the safety of family members play when rendering a family resilience intervention. / Social Work / D. Phil. (Social Work)

Family foster care is the main resource of alternative care for children in South Africa. The researcher is of the opinion, and is supported in this by literature, that very little is known about the dynamics within the foster family and its effects on the different family members. Of special interest to the researcher is to understand what happens in the lives of birth children of foster parents when they have to share their “world” with a foster child. Up till now little attention has been given to the children who are directly involved in the fostering process. The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the experiences of birth children in the foster care system within the context of the family systems theory. The qualitative method implemented in the research made it possible to come to an understanding of the effects of fostering on these children and to give a true description to their voices. / Social Work / M.A. (Social Work)