Teenage pregnancies are currently a social problem in South Africa and in the rest of the world. Social workers are involved with teenage girls by providing guidance during their pregnancies and face many challenges by accepting this role. The objective of this qualitative study was to identify and describe the needs of social workers when guiding pregnant teenage girls. A conceptual framework with the Gestalt approach as the theoretical framework for the study was stated after which an empirical study took place. In-depth interviews took place with nine social workers. Results were then verified in a focus group discussion. From the empirical data themes and sub themes were identified and verified with relevant literature. These themes and sub themes were then interpreted through the Gestalt approach. Conclusions and recommendations were made to social workers and interdisciplinary teams, which form part of the network that are involved with pregnant teenage girls. / Thesis (M.Diac. (Spelterapie)

Summary in Afrikaans and English / Although the rights of children in South Africa are being regulated by legislation, statistics prove that statutory services on behalf of children annually increase. Scientific accountable information regarding the child can be obtained by the assessment of the child. The purpose of this investigation was to identify the gaps in the existing assessment guidelines, as well as the needs of social workers regarding assessments. The sequential exploratory strategy was utilized, as quantitative data supported qualitative findings. The investigation showed that minimal assessment literature is available in South Africa and internationally, although assessment is the basis evidence of the social worker. The biggest gap in assessment guidelines is that assessment does not carry weight in the court. There is a need for social workers to be trained in relevant assessment skills based on a specific frame of reference. Gestalt therapy can provide a suitable theoretical frame of reference for assessment, and can serve as scientific foundation for social workers during the statutory process. A framework for an assessment guideline was thus proposed. / Ten spyte daarvan dat die regte van kinders in Suid-Afrika deur wette gereguleer word, bewys statistiek dat statutere dienste aan kinders jaarliks toeneem. Wetenskaplik verantwoordbare inligting ten opsigte van die kind kan bekom word deur die kind te assesseer. Die doel van hierdie ondersoek was om leemtes wat in bestaande assesseringsriglyne is vas te stel, asook die behoeftes wat by maatskaplike werkers ten opsigte van assessering bestaan. Die opeenvolgende verkennende strategie is tydens hierdie ondersoek gevolg, aangesien kwantitatiewe data gebruik is om die kwalitatiewe bevindings te ondersteun. Die ondersoek het getoon dat min literatuur ten opsigte van assessering in Suid-Afrika en internasionaal beskikbaar is, ten spyte daarvan dat assessering die basis van die getuienis van die maatskaplike werker vorm. Die grootste leemte wat in assesseringsriglyne ge'identifiseer is, is die feit dat assessering nie gewig in die hof dra nie. 'n Behoefte ten opsigte van opleiding in toepaslike assesseringsvaardighede vanuit 'n spesifieke teoretiese verwysingsraamwerk bestaan. Gestaltterapie kan 'n teoretiese verwysingsraamwerk vir assessering bied en kan dien as wetenskaplike fundering vir optrede van maatskaplike werkers tydens die statutere proses. 'n Raamwerk vir 'n assesseringsriglyn is voorgestel. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Play Therapy)

Summary With the rise of the divorce rate and the decline of the nuclear family, boys are more frequently being deprived of a father-presence in their homes. The aim of this study was to qualitatively explore and describe boys' experiences of their relationships with their absent fathers. Three boys from different racial and cultural groups were chosen as case studies and worked with from a Gestalt Play Therapy Perspective. Data was gathered from the therapeutic sessions, as well as from semi structured interviews with the childcare workers of the boys. The findings of the study appear to concur with existing literature, namely that boys with absent fathers experience difficulties in the areas of emotional, social, cognitive and moral development. Recommendations are made as to how boys with absent fathers may best be supported. Opsomming Met die toename in egskeidings en die afname van nukleêre gesinne, word daar gevind dat seuns meer dikwels die teenwoordigheid van die vader in die huis ontneem word. Die doel van hierdie studie is `n kwalitatiewe ondersoek en beskrywing van seuns se ervaring van hulle verhouding met hulle afwesige vaders. Drie seuns van erskillende rasse- en kulturele groepe is gekies vir die gevallestudies en vanuit `n Gestalt Spelterapeutiese perspektief is met hulle gewerk. Data is versamel vanuit die terapeutiese sessies sowel as vanuit semigestruktureerde onderhoude met die seuns se kinderoppassers. Die bevindinge van die studie blyk ooreen te stem met bestaande literatuur, naamlik dat seuns met afwesige vaders probleme ondervind ten opsigte van emosionele, sosiale, kognitiewe en morele ontwikkeling. Aanbevelings word gemaak oor hoe om dié seuns ten beste te ondersteun. / SOCIAL WORK / MDIAC (PLAY THERAPY)

Text in Afrikaans / Children in children’s homes often make use of specific behaviour - defined as contact boundary disturbances in Gestalt theory - as a result of their intense emotional needs, but also to protect themselves or to be assertive in their current environment. This qualitative, applied study aimed to determine and describe the way the child care workers of a rural child and youth care centre manage and experience the contact boundary disturbances of children in the children’s home. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight child care workers. In conducting the study, the researcher found that the child care workers had inadequate knowledge and insight regarding contact boundary disturbances and how to handle it. It was concluded that the management of children’s homes must ensure that training and support are provided to child care workers so that their needs are addressed in order to prevent burnout. Recommendations that will be valuable with respect to the handling skills and emotional experiences of child care workers were made. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Spelterapie)

Summary in Afrikaans and English / Although the rights of children in South Africa are being regulated by legislation, statistics prove that statutory services on behalf of children annually increase. Scientific accountable information regarding the child can be obtained by the assessment of the child. The purpose of this investigation was to identify the gaps in the existing assessment guidelines, as well as the needs of social workers regarding assessments. The sequential exploratory strategy was utilized, as quantitative data supported qualitative findings. The investigation showed that minimal assessment literature is available in South Africa and internationally, although assessment is the basis evidence of the social worker. The biggest gap in assessment guidelines is that assessment does not carry weight in the court. There is a need for social workers to be trained in relevant assessment skills based on a specific frame of reference. Gestalt therapy can provide a suitable theoretical frame of reference for assessment, and can serve as scientific foundation for social workers during the statutory process. A framework for an assessment guideline was thus proposed. / Ten spyte daarvan dat die regte van kinders in Suid-Afrika deur wette gereguleer word, bewys statistiek dat statutere dienste aan kinders jaarliks toeneem. Wetenskaplik verantwoordbare inligting ten opsigte van die kind kan bekom word deur die kind te assesseer. Die doel van hierdie ondersoek was om leemtes wat in bestaande assesseringsriglyne is vas te stel, asook die behoeftes wat by maatskaplike werkers ten opsigte van assessering bestaan. Die opeenvolgende verkennende strategie is tydens hierdie ondersoek gevolg, aangesien kwantitatiewe data gebruik is om die kwalitatiewe bevindings te ondersteun. Die ondersoek het getoon dat min literatuur ten opsigte van assessering in Suid-Afrika en internasionaal beskikbaar is, ten spyte daarvan dat assessering die basis van die getuienis van die maatskaplike werker vorm. Die grootste leemte wat in assesseringsriglyne ge'identifiseer is, is die feit dat assessering nie gewig in die hof dra nie. 'n Behoefte ten opsigte van opleiding in toepaslike assesseringsvaardighede vanuit 'n spesifieke teoretiese verwysingsraamwerk bestaan. Gestaltterapie kan 'n teoretiese verwysingsraamwerk vir assessering bied en kan dien as wetenskaplike fundering vir optrede van maatskaplike werkers tydens die statutere proses. 'n Raamwerk vir 'n assesseringsriglyn is voorgestel. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Play Therapy)

Summary With the rise of the divorce rate and the decline of the nuclear family, boys are more frequently being deprived of a father-presence in their homes. The aim of this study was to qualitatively explore and describe boys' experiences of their relationships with their absent fathers. Three boys from different racial and cultural groups were chosen as case studies and worked with from a Gestalt Play Therapy Perspective. Data was gathered from the therapeutic sessions, as well as from semi structured interviews with the childcare workers of the boys. The findings of the study appear to concur with existing literature, namely that boys with absent fathers experience difficulties in the areas of emotional, social, cognitive and moral development. Recommendations are made as to how boys with absent fathers may best be supported. Opsomming Met die toename in egskeidings en die afname van nukleêre gesinne, word daar gevind dat seuns meer dikwels die teenwoordigheid van die vader in die huis ontneem word. Die doel van hierdie studie is `n kwalitatiewe ondersoek en beskrywing van seuns se ervaring van hulle verhouding met hulle afwesige vaders. Drie seuns van erskillende rasse- en kulturele groepe is gekies vir die gevallestudies en vanuit `n Gestalt Spelterapeutiese perspektief is met hulle gewerk. Data is versamel vanuit die terapeutiese sessies sowel as vanuit semigestruktureerde onderhoude met die seuns se kinderoppassers. Die bevindinge van die studie blyk ooreen te stem met bestaande literatuur, naamlik dat seuns met afwesige vaders probleme ondervind ten opsigte van emosionele, sosiale, kognitiewe en morele ontwikkeling. Aanbevelings word gemaak oor hoe om dié seuns ten beste te ondersteun. / SOCIAL WORK / MDIAC (PLAY THERAPY)

Text in Afrikaans / Children in children’s homes often make use of specific behaviour - defined as contact boundary disturbances in Gestalt theory - as a result of their intense emotional needs, but also to protect themselves or to be assertive in their current environment. This qualitative, applied study aimed to determine and describe the way the child care workers of a rural child and youth care centre manage and experience the contact boundary disturbances of children in the children’s home. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight child care workers. In conducting the study, the researcher found that the child care workers had inadequate knowledge and insight regarding contact boundary disturbances and how to handle it. It was concluded that the management of children’s homes must ensure that training and support are provided to child care workers so that their needs are addressed in order to prevent burnout. Recommendations that will be valuable with respect to the handling skills and emotional experiences of child care workers were made. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Spelterapie)

Text in Afrikaans / The aim of this study was to compile a programme to prepare the child in a children's home for family re-unification. An extensive study of relevant literature was conducted and included works on subjects such as the middle childhood years, the child in the children's home, family re-unification, the Gestalt approach and Gestalt play techniques. An empirical study was undertaken with semi structured interviews with social workers and family re-unification workers. From these resources some themes were identified to be included in the programme. Conclusions and suggestions were made in the interest of the implementation of the programme. / Social Work / M.Diac.(Rigting: Spelterapie)

The South African Justice System is a broader system that brings law and order to society. This law and order also includes the constitutional rights of the sexually abused children. A special court dealing with cases of children who are sexually abused is functioning throughout the country. The purpose of this study is to develop a framework for social workers working with children in these special courts. The problem identified is that in these courts no framework exists for social workers focusing on the guidance of the child through the processes of the Justice System. This includes the therapeutic guidance by means of brief or directive therapy. The research methodology for this study focused on developmental research by using the Intervention research model of Rothman and Thomas (1994). The phases implemented in the study were Problem analysis and project planning, information gathering and synthesis and design. Qualitative data was gathered by means of semi-structured interviews and integrated in phase two of the research report. A proto-type guideline was developed and needs to be evaluated in future research. / Social Work / M.Diac. (Play Therapy)

Human Immuno-Deficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) have many devastating impacts, including the growing number of AIDS-orphans left without care. In the study, semi-structured interviews, incomplete sentences and Kinetic family drawings were used to explore the life-experiences and perceptions of AIDS-orphans living in kinship foster care, from a Gestalt perspective. The study revealed that the majority of the AIDS-orphans included were making good contact at the contact boundary and all the respondents were not familiar with the term 'foster care'. The researcher therefore recommended that children are educated about foster care at school, thus possibly increasing the awareness of foster care in South Africa, thus possibly increasing the provision of homes for the vastly growing numbers of AIDS-orphans in our country and perhaps make a difference in society. / Sociology / M. Diac. (Play therapy)