Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Social Work degree Social Development the department of Social Work School of Human and Community Development Faculty of Humanities at the University of Witwatersrand 2017 / The phenomenon of absent fathers is not uniquely a South African problem but it is a global issue affecting numerous countries such as Norway, the United States of America as well as other African countries such as Nigeria, Swaziland Botswana to mention a few. Levels of paternal absence in South Africa seem particularly high in comparison to estimates for many other African countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. The absence of fathers in their children’s lives leave children vulnerable after their biological mothers pass on and are subsequently placed in foster care as a measure of protecting and securing the child. The primary aim of this study was to explore the experiences of foster parents raising African foster care children with absent fathers in the Mpumalanga Province in Gert Sibande region, Msukaligwa sub-district. This study used a qualitative approach with an exploratory design. The research instrument that was used was an interview schedule and the data collection method that was employed was face-to-face semi structured interview. Data were analysed through thematic content analysis. The participants in the study comprised of 20 foster care parents aged from 25 years old and above. The main findings of this study were that foster parents seemed to perceive fathers as economic providers and most of them expressed that their absence seemed to be felt especially when it comes to the lack of financial provision. In addition to financial hardships, emotional and cultural hardships were also identified. The study recommends that more studies of this nature need to be done in order to come up with intervention strategies that governments need to use in order to release some of the strains faced by foster parents who are raising African children in foster care. The conclusion of the study is that South African families require attention, considering that father absence has taken a toll. The ripple effect of father’s failure to be present in their children’s lives and support their children will increase the number of children depending on state interventions such as foster care placements. / MT 2018

Most research studies focus on foster children or foster parents, there is dearth of research on the impact of fostering on biological children. This aim of this study was to fill the gap in the literature regarding the experiences of biological children sharing a home with foster children. It also investigated how biological children perceive foster care and challenges encountered by children under foster care. This was achieved through a qualitative research approach. The study was conducted at Zwelitsha Township in King Williams Town. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews with thirty biological children of foster parents and ten social workers in practice. Two focus group discussions were held with twenty foster parents. A focus group discussion guide was used in collecting information during the discussions. Purposive sampling was used in the study and data was analysed according to themes. The major findings revealed that fostering has both positive and negative impacts on biological children and the foster family. Biological children find foster care placement as helpful to children whose parents cannot provide care and protection for children. They gain and learn new knowledge through fostering and are happy about their new siblings in the family since they have companionship. On the other hand, minority of biological children were ambivalent about foster care as they were uncertain between altruistic feelings of making a difference in the lives of needy children against the negative outcomes of fostering. One biological child was negative about foster care. This participant did not like the idea of fostering and did not describe any personal positive outcomes resulting from his fostering experiences. The findings revealed that biological children are unable to voice out their views and ideas regarding foster care placement. The findings also revealed that biological children are not passive observers on how fostering influences their daily lives. Instead, they use strategies to influence fostering processes, especially to protect their foster siblings for the fostering process to be successful, while also having feelings of responsibility for their foster siblings. The findings further suggest that despite the complex nature of the fostering task, professionals should recognise and acknowledge the input of biological children to fostering. It is, therefore, suggested more training should be provided to foster parents to continually include the opinions of their own children in fostering decisions.

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.

As a social worker at the Desmond Tutu Child and Youth Care Centre in Gauteng province, the researcher noticed an increase in the number of applications for adolescents’ admission to the Centre due to a breakdown in their foster care placements. This raised a question regarding the factors contributing to this breakdown. The aim of the study was to develop an in-depth understanding of factors contributing to the breakdown of foster care placements from the perspectives of the adolescents who were fostered and from those of their foster parents. The qualitative research approach was used applying an explorative, descriptive and contextual design. Purposive sampling was used to select the participants. Data was collected using semi-structured interviews and was analysed according to the framework provided by Tesch (in Creswell, 2009:186). For data verification, Guba’s model (in Krefting (1990:214-220) was applied. Conclusions are drawn and recommendations made about foster care involving adolescents. / Social Work / M.A. (Social Work)

As a social worker at the Desmond Tutu Child and Youth Care Centre in Gauteng province, the researcher noticed an increase in the number of applications for adolescents’ admission to the Centre due to a breakdown in their foster care placements. This raised a question regarding the factors contributing to this breakdown. The aim of the study was to develop an in-depth understanding of factors contributing to the breakdown of foster care placements from the perspectives of the adolescents who were fostered and from those of their foster parents. The qualitative research approach was used applying an explorative, descriptive and contextual design. Purposive sampling was used to select the participants. Data was collected using semi-structured interviews and was analysed according to the framework provided by Tesch (in Creswell, 2009:186). For data verification, Guba’s model (in Krefting (1990:214-220) was applied. Conclusions are drawn and recommendations made about foster care involving adolescents. / Social Work / M.A. (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)

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)

The US Bureau of the Census (1999) projected that by 2004, 14 million people in sub-Saharan Africa will develop full blown AIDS, making this region by far the largest disease burden in the world (World Health Organization, 2002). The United Nations AIDS Programme judged South Africa to have the leading number of people living with HIV/AIDS worldwide (World Health Organisation, 2002). To date there has been extensive research conducted on the socio-economic impacts of HIV/AIDS on families in Africa. However an area of investigation that has remained largely underreported is the inquiry into the psychological impacts of HIV/AIDS on elderly caregivers. In African families older women increasingly have to provide care to their adult children with AIDS and their orphaned grandchildren. However few research studies have assessed the experience of parental caregiving and its psychological impacts on these women. This qualitative research study hypothesised that the role of primary parental caregiver in fact causes a range of psychologically distressing states, which serve to compromise the psychological well-being of these caregivers. To investigate this hypothesis three Xhosa speaking women living in informal settlements in Grahamstown, in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa were selected for the study. The women were interviewed by means of semi-structured interviews, which consisted of questions related to their caregiving experiences, their experiences of loss, their choice of coping strategies, the role of support networks and their experiences of foster care responsibilities. The interviews were transcribed and analysed using a grounded hermeneutic approach. The research results confirmed the working hypothesis. The research revealed that although it was considered culturally appropriate for older women to care for their children and grandchildren, their caregiver roles caused significant psychological distress. Their distress was related to: emotional and physical exhaustion, complicated grief reactions and ongoing emotional and physical upheaval related to foster care responsibilities. Based on the results, the research recommendations emphasised the need for continual awareness of the psychological implications of caregiving for older African women with the aim to preserve their capacity to function as the primary caring resource to families struck by HIV/AIDS.

The child protection system includes foster care. Yet some foster children are neglected, physically or emotionally abused and are used to obtain Foster Care Grants. The essence of this study is to develop a thorough and comprehensive understanding from the frame of reference of social workers on the factors that contribute to the neglect and abuse of foster children as well as their suggestions about possible interventions. The qualitative research approach was applied. The researcher utilised purposive sampling to select social workers. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to gather information and data was analysed. It is clear from the findings that the foster care system needs to be reviewed to minimise or stop neglect and abuse of foster children. / Social Work / M.A. (Social Work)

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.