M.A. (Social Work) / This study serves to provide social workers in foster care practice in South Africa with a social technology innovation that is: Contextually appropriate Grounded in theory and User friendly. Social workers in South Africa do not have access to a set of standardised assessment criteria with which to assess prospective foster parents, and yet there are over half a million children in the foster care system in South Africa. Consequently, the research goal of this study is to design and develop a contextually appropriate protocol in social work for the assessment of prospective foster parents in South Africa. In order to achieve this, a number of objectives are linked to this goal: 1. To conduct a literature study for the identification of the dimensions (assessment) areas of the protocol. 2. To design a theoretically grounded model of the competencies of effective foster parents in South Africa. 3. To develop a professional social work protocol with which to assess the competencies of prospective foster parents. 4. To conduct focus groups and Delphi cycles to improve the face validity and content validity of the protocol. Developmental research methodologies were used to design the protocol. In the process of using the DR&U model (Thomas, 1984), a further outcome of the study is the development of a research method for the development of a contextually appropriate protocol in social work. The study comprises two stages: Stage 1 entails the design of a model of the competencies of effective foster families (determining “what” constitutes a good foster parent and developing a model of the ideal foster parents). The dimensions or assessment areas of the protocol are identified by means of a detailed literature study. Data obtained from the literature study is integrated with the outcomes of two Nominal Group Techniques and a Delphi Technique. This is to ensure user participation and to contextualise the model and protocol. Stage 2 entails the design and development (to a limited degree) of an assessment protocol with which to assess prospective foster families (specifying “how” one determines if foster parents meet the criteria of the ideal foster parents in the model designed in Stage 1). The conceptual framework of a model of the assessment of prospective parents is refined through a workshop and Delphi Technique with foster parents and social workers. This is to ensure a measure face validity and the adequacy of the protocol. This study concludes with an evaluation of the outcomes of the study, as well as the research method used to develop the model and the protocol. The model and the protocol are attached to this study.

Substitute care is a temporary or permanent placement of children under the supervision of an adult person due to the absence of their biological parents. The escalating divorce rate, increase in extramarital births, high incidence of family violence, the growing number of children orphaned by HIV/AIDS, and the increasing career-orientatedness of parents have led to the development of diverse family structures. Grandparents and other family members are increasingly becoming the primary caretakers for children. Whilst it is generally assumed by society that children’s well-being is better served when they are raised by their biological parents, the purpose of this study is to: • explore what influence substitute care has on learners’ motivation; • formulate guidelines and recommendations for educators to improve the current levels of motivation of learners in substitute care. The literature related to substitute care and motivation were reviewed, with the aim of providing a firm theoretical basis for the study. Concepts related to motivation discussed, included types of and sources of motivation. Concepts related to the second focus of this study included forms of substitute care. Motivational theories related to this study were briefly discussed, namely: the Attribution Theory, the Drive Theory, Goal Theory, and the Self-worth and Selfefficacy Theories. Factors that have a motivational influence on learners, such as acceptance versus rejection, praise versus criticism, success versus failure and positive self-concept versus negative self-concept, were also discussed. A link was then drawn between motivation and substitute care. ii The research design chosen for this study can be described as qualitative, interpretive and constructive in nature. The research study was conducted in two phases: Phase One provided an investigation of the research problem by means of the following open-ended question: What is the influence or impact of your status as a child in substitute care on your motivation? Data were collected by means of eleven unstructured, in-depth personal interviews. Purposeful sampling was undertaken, which included high school learners all in substitute care. Data were analysed, as proposed by the eight steps of Tesch. Discussions between the observer, moderator and an independent re-coder took place to determine the final results of the research through a consensus principle. Key and related concepts were clustered together to formulate themes, categories and sub-categories. The following three themes emerged, based on the results of the data analysis. I. Problems in the close family circle have profound effects on learner motivation. II. Certain motivating forces help learners in substitute care to cope. III. Substitute care does influence learner motivation. Phase Two offered recommendations, derived from the findings of Phase One, to empower teachers in effectively supporting and motivating learners in substitute care. The conclusion was reached that substitute care does have an influence on the motivation of learners. This motivation can either be positive, which means encouraging learners towards their goal, or negative, which implies that it moves learners away from their goal.

Kinship care is increasingly supplementing the more traditional forms of out-of-home care. Because related foster care has potential great value, the possibility of placement with relatives needs to be explored first. At its best it provides the child love and security with known people and possibly in a familiar environment. Yet, important as it is, this area of practice is seriously underdeveloped - few publications especially in South Africa exist on how children fare in this arrangement. This situation exists in spite of the fact that many children find themselves in both legal as well as privately arranged related foster care placements. Equally of course no comprehensive study has been undertaken to study the black family's perception of formal foster care and their adjustment to formal foster care practice which for many is a new encounter in their lives. More clarity on these issues pertaining to kinship care will not only improve our understanding but can lead to a better service. Socio-political influences have weakened the mutual aid system in African families. This has resulted in needs· and problems which the African family find it difficult to deal with. This has prompted families to make use of non-family support particularly services from specialized and other welfare agencies. Formal foster care is a foreign practice to the black community as a result of their tradition and custom. It offers a new method of coping with child care problems and indicates a shift from the conventional patterns among South African blacks. As a result there is often confusion and a lack of understanding, making the community not to make proper use of this service. This study is exploratory-descriptive. The sample comprised thirty foster parents. The main objective of this study was to investigate the nature and practice of formal foster care in the black community with specific emphasis on related foster care and its perception. The study has raised a number of issues for practice and policy consideration. Notable findings were: the need to (1) promote much more active involvement of foster parents, foster child and their families (2) educate the community about foster care (3) prepare, train, support and supervise foster parents. The study revealed that these placements have become indistinguishable from natural parenthood and the foster children have become absorbed into the foster family. A need exists for permanency planning in foster care. It is hoped that the research findings will contribute to the existing body of knowledge and that more studies will be undertaken in future.

An exploratory study was undertaken of the implementation of permanency planning at a Departemental office. The purpose of the research was to determine the philosophy and the guidelines for permanency planning. A literature study with regard to the philosophy and the guidelines for the implementation of permanency planning was undertaken. Based on this a questionare was compiled and completed from data of the files of 25 children in foster care where permanecy planning have been implemented or is in the process of being implemented. Recommendations have been made for further research and for the institution where the research was done. The most important findings of the research are as follows: Permanency planning is not implimented as a purposeful strategy, but is a long drownout process. The social workers who are responsible for the implementation of permanency planning are unaware of its philosophy and general guidelines. Consequently it is implemented intuitively rather than scientifically. / 'n Eksplorerende studie is onderneem waarin die implementering van permanensiebeplanning by 'n Departementele kantoor geeksploreer is. Die doel van die navorsing was om te bepaal wat die filosofie en die riglyne vir die implimentering van permanensiebeplanning is. 'n Literatuurstudie insake die filosofie en die riglyne vir die implementering van permanensiebeplanning is onderneem. Na aanleiding hiervan is 'n vraelys opgestel en uit 25 leers van pleegkinders by wie permanensiebeplanning ge1mplimenteer is of word voltooi. Voorspruitend hieruit is aanbevelings vir verdere navorsing en vir die instansie waar die navorsing onderneem is, gemaak. Die belangrikste bevindinge van die empiriese ondersoek dui op die volgende: Permanensiebeplanning word nie doelgerig ge1mplimenteer nie, maar is 'n lang uitgerekte proses. Die maatskaplike werkers wat die permanensiebeplanning moet implimenteer is onbewus van die filosofie en algemene riglyne vir die implimentering van permanensiebeplanning en daaromword dit volgens intuisie eerder as 'n wetenskaplike proses geimplimenteer. / M.A.(Social Work)

The presence of poverty, unemployment and children been infected or affected by HIV/Aids contributed to a high level of children in need of care and protection (Patel, 2005:165) and forced communities to came up with a ways of addressing this increasing need of alternative care. Cluster foster care schemes were one of the initiatives that were started spontaneously by community members to address need for more alternative care options (Colby-Newton, 2006:18). This form of alternative care was also included with the proclamation of the Children’s Act, 38 of 2005 and the Children’s Amendment Act, Act 41 of 2007 (Matthias, 2010:172-176). Although cluster foster care schemes are acknowledge and practice as a form of alternative care for children in need of care and protection the operationalising thereof remain a grey area. In an unpublished study by Taback and Associates, it was suggested that further research should be conducted regarding elements that need to be included in the operationalising of cluster foster care schemes (Taback and Associates, 2010:4). The above form the motivation for this study and also provide the basis for the formulation of the research question namely: “What are the operational elements necessary for the operationalising of cluster foster care schemes?” Following from the research problem and research question, the goal for this research was to explore and describe the present functioning of cluster foster care schemes in order to identify operational elements to be documented in a guideline for service providers and social workers. The researcher made use of qualitative research approach to explore and describe the participants’ perception on the research problem. This research endeavour firstly falls in the ambit of the phenomenology research design, which aimed to describe the conscious experience of the everyday life of the participants, which were in this study the managers of cluster foster care schemes as well as foster parents that provide foster care as part of a cluster foster care scheme. In addition to this the researcher also opted to include the exploratory, descriptive and contextual research design, which guided the exploration, description and contextualising of the views of the participants on elements needed to operationalise cluster foster care schemes. In order to achieve the above the researcher the researcher decided to make use of an intervention research model by Rothman and Thomas (1994:3-51), namely the “Intervention Develop and Design” framework (IDD framework). In this study the researcher only used phases one to phase four and certain steps of the IDD framework to develop the operational guidelines for the operationalising of cluster foster care schemes. In concluding the report of the study, the researcher provided summaries of and conclusions related to the background rational; research questions; goals and task objective of the study; the research methodology implemented; the empirical findings and literature consulted; and the developed operational guidelines. He concluded the document with recommendation related to the research process and methodology employed; research findings; and recommendation for further research on the research topic. / Social Work / D. Soc.Sc. (Social Work)

Thesis (M Social Work (Social Work))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: „n Beskrywende studie met „n verkennende inslag is in die studie gebruik om meer kennis en begrip oor die bydrae van maatskaplike werkers tot die aanpassing van „n pleegkind in middelkinderjare in „n pleegsorgplasing, te verkry. Die navorser het bewus geraak van die toename in die gebruik van pleegsorg vir „n sorgbehoewende kind in middelkinderjare, sowel as die tekort aan literatuur in Suid-Afrika oor die bydrae wat die maatskaplike werker lewer tot sodanige aanpassing binne „n pleegsorgplasing. Die genoemde aspekte het gedien as motivering vir die studie. Die bydrae wat maatskaplike werkers het tot die aanpassing van „n pleegkind in middelkinderjare in „n pleegsorgplasing is ondersoek. Die doel van die studie is om ʼn beter begrip te ontwikkel vir die bydrae wat maatskaplike werkers tydens pleegsorgplasing tot die aanpassing van ʼn middeljare pleegkind kan maak. Die literatuurstudie het die aard van pleegsorg ten opsigte van die pleegkind in middelkinderjare weergegee, waarna pleegsorg as „n proses beskryf is: van voorkomende dienste tot permanensieplasing. Spesifieke aandag is gegee aan die pleegkind in middelkinderjare se ontwikkelingsproses asook die bydrae wat die maatskaplike werker maak tot die aanpassing van die pleegkind in middelkinderjare in „n pleegsorgplasing. Aangesien die literatuur meestal konsentreer op die maatskaplike werker betrokke by „n pleegsorgplasing van „n pleegkind in middelkinderjare, het die steekproef bestaan uit 22 maatskaplike werkers wat by twee nie-regeringsinstansies in die Wes-Kaap en Suid-Kaap werksaam is. Die deelnemers is ten minste „n jaar reeds as geregistreerde maatskaplike werkers werksaam en het ook ondervinding in pleegsorgplasings. In die studie is daar gebuik gemaak van die kombinasie van ‟n kwalitatiewe en kwantitatiewe navorsingsbenadering, te wete „n geskeduleerde, semi-gestruktureerde vraelys wat beide oop en geslote vrae inhou wat uiteengesit is op inligting wat verkry is uit die literatuurstudie. Die ondersoek het „n bygedra gelewer tot die uitbreiding van kennis en inligting in die maatskaplikewerkpraktyk ten opsigte van die bydrae wat maatksaplike werkers lewer tot die aanpassing van „n pleegkind in middelkinderjare binne „n pleegsorgplasing. Die resultate het grotendeels die literatuurstudie bevestig, te wete dat maatskaplike werkers „n breë spektrum van dienslewering tydens die pleegsorgproses implementer, asook die ouderdom en ontwikkelingsvlak van „n pleegkind in ag neem tydens „n pleegsorgplasing. Eersgenoemde dienste word gerig tot die pleegouers, biologiese ouers, asook die betrokke pleegkinders ten einde dienslewering in die verband te bevorder. Maatskaplike werkers se aandeel in die aanpassingsproses van „n pleegkind in middelkinderjare blyk wisselend te wees. Beperkte tyd en „n groot werkslading verhoed maatskaplike werkers om op „n kontinue basis ondersteuning vir die aanpassing van „n pleegkind in middelkinderjare, sowel as vir die pleegouers in „n pleegsorgplasing te bied. In die aanbevelings is daar gefokus op drie areas insluitende, die bydrae van „n maatskaplike werker, pleegkinders en pleegsouers. Die behoefte aan meer opleiding in die gebied van pleegsorg en ondersteuning in „n pleegsorgplasing, aan maatskaplike werkers, pleegouers en pleegkinders is geïdentifiseer as die sentrale temas. As aanbeveling vir verdere navorsing kan gefokus word op verskeie faktore wat bydraend is tot onsuksesvolle aanpassing binne „n pleesorgplasing met die oog op „n in-diepte beskrywing van hierdie fenomeen, asook die daarstelling van riglyne aan die hand waarvan die aanpassingsproses van pleegkinders en pleegouers tot groter effektiwiteit bevorder kan word. Dit beteken ook dat die rol van die maatskaplike werker met betrekking tot die tersaaklike onderwerp aangepas kan word ten einde sodanige aanpassing meer effektief aan te spreek. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: A descriptive study with an exploratory design has been used in order to obtain more information and insight on the contribution that social workers make with regards to foster children in their mid-childhood years‟ adjustment within foster care placements. The researcher became aware of the increase in the use of foster care for vulnerable children in their mid-childhood years, as well as the shortage of literature in South Africa with regards to the contribution that social workers make towards these children adjusting to a foster care placement. The abovementioned aspects lead to the motivation for this study. The contribution that social workers make towards foster children in their mid-childhood years‟ adjustment within foster care placement was studied. The aim of this study is to gain insight into the contribution that social workers make towards foster children in mid-childhood years, adjusting within foster care placements. The literature study gave a description of the nature of foster care with regards to a foster child in his/her mid-childhood years. Foster care was described as a process: from preventative services to permanency placement. Specific attention was given to the foster child in mid-childhood years‟ development process as well as the contribution that social workers make towards a foster child in mid-childhood years‟ adjustment within a foster care placement. As the literature focused mainly on the social worker‟s contribution to the foster child in mid-childhood years‟ adjustment within a foster care placement, the sample consisted of twenty-two social workers working at two non-government organisations in the Western- and Southern- Cape regions. The participants have been registered as social work practitioners for at least one year and have had at least one year of experience in the process of foster care. A combination of both a qualitative and quantitative research methodology design was used in this study that consisted of a scheduled, semi-structured questionnaire which held both open- and closed ended questions. These questions were based on information retrieved from the literature study. The study made a contribution to the expansion of insight and knowledge in the social work practice with regards to the social workers‟ contribution to foster children in mid-childhood year‟s adjustment within foster care. The results of the literature study relatively confirmed the results of the study with regards to social workers‟ broad scale of service delivery during a foster care placement, as well as the consideration for the age and developmental phase of a foster child during the process of a foster care placement. First mentioned services are focused on the foster parents, biological parents as well as the foster children in order to enhance service delivery. Social workers‟ contribution to the adjustment of a foster child in mid-childhood years within a foster care placement seems to vary. Limited time and work overload prevent social workers to continuously support foster children in mid-childhood years as well as their foster parents. The recommendations focused on three areas including the contribution of a social worker, foster children and foster parents. The need for more training in the field of- and support in the area of foster care with regards to social workers, foster parents and foster children was identified as the fundamental themes. It is recommended that future research should focus on several contributing factors to ineffective adjustment within foster care placements with the aim of in-depth description of this phenomenon. Furthermore, the creation of guidelines concerning the enhancement of the adjustment process of foster children and foster parents that will lead to successful foster care placement is also recommended. This means that the role of the social worker with regards to the subject matter should adapt accordingly in order to enhance the adjustment within foster care placements.

Thesis (M Social WOrk (Social Work)--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / This research provides an overview of foster care and investigates the support and training of foster parents as well as the issues foster parents need to manage on a regular basis. The basic premise for this research is the importance of social workers becoming aware of the issues foster parents manage on a regular basis as well as the support and training needs of foster parents. It is important for foster parents to receive support as well as social workers and family care organisations to develop and implement appropriate training programmes for foster parents on an ongoing basis. Fostering affects and requires the involvement of the entire foster family as well as relevant role players and professionals. It is therefore necessary to consider the foster parents and foster family as part of the larger fostering arena, and not to be supported and trained in isolation. The nature of the foster placement will inevitably influence the development of the foster child, meeting the needs of the foster child as well as the effect that the placement has on the foster family. The purpose of this research is to broaden the theoretical knowledge of professionals working with foster parents, and specifically social workers and family care organisations, in identifying foster parent’s training and support needs. This research report includes an investigation of the issues foster parents and foster families manage on a regular basis as well as the nature of and benefits of support and training for foster parents. Knowledge of these issues foster parents manage while fostering will increase the awareness and the ability of the social worker or other professionals to provide training and support to the relevant foster parents.

Thesis (MSocialWork)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: According to the South African Constitution, every child has the right to parental care, family care or an approriate form of alternative care. In 2005 in South Africa over 3.4 million orphans did not have access to this right. This was as a result of a shortage of alternative care options. The motivation for this study emerged because foster care is the first placement option for family-based care in South Africa. However there is still a gap in South African literature on the recruitment of foster parents, especially the recruitment of non-relative foster parents and foster parents for cluster foster care homes. Without the knowledge of how to recruit and train foster parents effectively, many children in need of care would stay void of their constitutional rights in this regard. To explore the methods of recruitment, selection and training of foster parents, a combination of quantitative and qualitative research approaches were utilised. Together with that approach an exploratory design, was used. This was done to explore the research topic in literature and examine the views of social workers on the recruitment, selection and training of foster parents. In the literature study the nature and structure of foster care was examined in the context of the South African legislation, followed by an outline of the criteria of children in need of care according to the Children's Act (38/2005). The different phases of the foster care process were discussed according to the tasks and responsibilities of the social worker during this process. Then the different methods of recruitment, selection and training of foster parents were discussed individually on the basis of national and international literature. The exploratory research design was used for the purpose of the empirical study to investigate and analyse the views of social workers regarding the recruitment, selection and training of foster parents. Finally conclusions and recommendations were made based on the findings of the empirical study in order to recommend ways for social workers to be more effective in recruitment, selection and training of foster parents for the large number of children in need of alternative care. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Elke kind in Suid-Afrika het die reg volgens die Grondwet (1996:1255) tot ouerlike sorg, familiesorg, of andersins tot gepaste alternatiewe sorg. In 2005 het 3.4 miljoen weeskinders in Suid-Afrika nie toegang gehad tot hierdie reg nie, as gevolg van `n tekort aan alternatiewe sorg opsies. Die motivering vir hierdie studie is omdat pleegsorg die eerste plasingsopsie as gesinsgebaseerde-sorg in Suid-Afrika is terwyl daar ʼn leemte in Suid-Afrikaanse literatuur bestaan oor die werwing van pleegouers, spesifiek die werwing van nie-familie lede as pleegouers en pleegouers vir groep pleegsorg skemas. Indien nie genoeg pleegouers gewerf en opgelei word as versorgers van sorgbehoewende kinders nie, word die reg van ouerlike sorg steeds van vele sorgebehoewende kinders weerhou. Om metodes van werwing, keuring en opleiding van pleegouers te ondersoek is ʼn kombinasie van kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe navorsingsbenaderings gebruik, tesame met `n verkennende ontwerp om eers die navorsingskwessie in die literatuur te verken en dan te ondersoek wat die sienings van maatskaplike werkers is oor die werwing, keuring en opleiding van pleegouers. Eerstens word die aard en struktuur van pleegsorg in die konteks van die Suid-Afrikaanse wetgewing ondersoek, gepaardgaande met `n definieering van die kriteria van sorgbehoewendendheid van kinders volgens die Kinderwet (38/2005). Die verskillende fases van die pleegsorg proses is volgens die take en verantwoordelikhede van die maatskaplike werker bespreek. Tweedens is die verskillende metodes van werwing, keuring en opleiding van pleegouers afsonderlik bespreek aan die hand van nasionale en internasionale literatuur. Die verkennende navorsingsontwerp is vir die doel van die empiriese studie gebruik om die sienings van maatskaplike werkers oor die werwing, keuring en opleiding van pleegouers te ondersoek en te ontleed. Laastens word daar gevolgtrekkings en aanbevelings geformuleer wat gebaseer is op die bevindinge van die studie ten einde maatskaplike werkers te lei om meer effektief pleegouers te werf, keur en op te lei vir die groot aantal sorgbehoewende kinders wat volgens die Grondwet(1996:1255) die reg het op ouerlike sorg.

The presence of poverty, unemployment and children been infected or affected by HIV/Aids contributed to a high level of children in need of care and protection (Patel, 2005:165) and forced communities to came up with a ways of addressing this increasing need of alternative care. Cluster foster care schemes were one of the initiatives that were started spontaneously by community members to address need for more alternative care options (Colby-Newton, 2006:18). This form of alternative care was also included with the proclamation of the Children’s Act, 38 of 2005 and the Children’s Amendment Act, Act 41 of 2007 (Matthias, 2010:172-176). Although cluster foster care schemes are acknowledge and practice as a form of alternative care for children in need of care and protection the operationalising thereof remain a grey area. In an unpublished study by Taback and Associates, it was suggested that further research should be conducted regarding elements that need to be included in the operationalising of cluster foster care schemes (Taback and Associates, 2010:4). The above form the motivation for this study and also provide the basis for the formulation of the research question namely: “What are the operational elements necessary for the operationalising of cluster foster care schemes?” Following from the research problem and research question, the goal for this research was to explore and describe the present functioning of cluster foster care schemes in order to identify operational elements to be documented in a guideline for service providers and social workers. The researcher made use of qualitative research approach to explore and describe the participants’ perception on the research problem. This research endeavour firstly falls in the ambit of the phenomenology research design, which aimed to describe the conscious experience of the everyday life of the participants, which were in this study the managers of cluster foster care schemes as well as foster parents that provide foster care as part of a cluster foster care scheme. In addition to this the researcher also opted to include the exploratory, descriptive and contextual research design, which guided the exploration, description and contextualising of the views of the participants on elements needed to operationalise cluster foster care schemes. In order to achieve the above the researcher the researcher decided to make use of an intervention research model by Rothman and Thomas (1994:3-51), namely the “Intervention Develop and Design” framework (IDD framework). In this study the researcher only used phases one to phase four and certain steps of the IDD framework to develop the operational guidelines for the operationalising of cluster foster care schemes. In concluding the report of the study, the researcher provided summaries of and conclusions related to the background rational; research questions; goals and task objective of the study; the research methodology implemented; the empirical findings and literature consulted; and the developed operational guidelines. He concluded the document with recommendation related to the research process and methodology employed; research findings; and recommendation for further research on the research topic. / Social Work / D. Soc.Sc. (Social Work)

An exploratory study was undertaken of the implementation of permanency planning at a Departemental office. The purpose of the research was to determine the philosophy and the guidelines for permanency planning. A literature study with regard to the philosophy and the guidelines for the implementation of permanency planning was undertaken. Based on this a questionare was compiled and completed from data of the files of 25 children in foster care where permanecy planning have been implemented or is in the process of being implemented. Recommendations have been made for further research and for the institution where the research was done. The most important findings of the research are as follows: Permanency planning is not implimented as a purposeful strategy, but is a long drownout process. The social workers who are responsible for the implementation of permanency planning are unaware of its philosophy and general guidelines. Consequently it is implemented intuitively rather than scientifically. / 'n Eksplorerende studie is onderneem waarin die implementering van permanensiebeplanning by 'n Departementele kantoor geeksploreer is. Die doel van die navorsing was om te bepaal wat die filosofie en die riglyne vir die implimentering van permanensiebeplanning is. 'n Literatuurstudie insake die filosofie en die riglyne vir die implementering van permanensiebeplanning is onderneem. Na aanleiding hiervan is 'n vraelys opgestel en uit 25 leers van pleegkinders by wie permanensiebeplanning ge1mplimenteer is of word voltooi. Voorspruitend hieruit is aanbevelings vir verdere navorsing en vir die instansie waar die navorsing onderneem is, gemaak. Die belangrikste bevindinge van die empiriese ondersoek dui op die volgende: Permanensiebeplanning word nie doelgerig ge1mplimenteer nie, maar is 'n lang uitgerekte proses. Die maatskaplike werkers wat die permanensiebeplanning moet implimenteer is onbewus van die filosofie en algemene riglyne vir die implimentering van permanensiebeplanning en daaromword dit volgens intuisie eerder as 'n wetenskaplike proses geimplimenteer. / M.A.(Social Work)