In the service of child protection organisations, where services are focused on the protection of children within the preservation of families, social workers are exposed to the adverse conditions of children and families forming part of their caseload. Social workers must remain objective and make thoughtful decisions in the best interest of children and families, while they themselves might be traumatised by the circumstances of these children and families. Various studies have been done about occupational stress, secondary trauma, compassion fatigue and the role of supervision in this regard. Less is however known about support as a function of supervision for social workers employed by child protection organisations and the social workers’ experience(s) of this support. The aim of this study was to investigate and to descripe, by means of a descriptive qualitative design, social workers employed by child protection organizations' experience of support as function of supervision. For the purpose of this study, the researcher used a purposeful non-probability sampling. Ten social workers from seven child protection organisations within the specific field of child protection were selected according to their willingness to participate. Unstructured, in-depth, one-on-one interviews, with one question to initiate the interview, were conducted with social workers to investigate their experience of the support as function of supervision. During interviews with the individual social workers the researcher made use of observations and field notes as tools for data collection tools. A focus group with eight social workers was also utilised to verify initial findings and to allow for any additional data that would emerge. The first theme deals with participants’ view of support as a function of supervision, which includes receiving guidance and emotional support. Theme two is about participants’ experience of support as a function of supervision in terms of task-oriented as well as emotional support. The third theme that came up was alternative sources of emotional support, including colleagues, external counselors, family members and selfcare. These themes were divided into sub-themes and categories and discussed according to relevant quotations from interviews and literature reviews. Conclusions and recommendations were made according to these results. One of the most important recommendations arising from the findings of the study, is that the support function of supervision should be used more effectively. Social workers and supervisors must develop a greater awareness of the importance to discuss emotions and the dangers of suppressing emotions. Social workers that receive the opportunity to reflect on their emotions, develop a sense of self-worth, appreciation and experience job satisfaction and motivation, which leads to an increase in service quality. / MSW, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

In the service of child protection organisations, where services are focused on the protection of children within the preservation of families, social workers are exposed to the adverse conditions of children and families forming part of their caseload. Social workers must remain objective and make thoughtful decisions in the best interest of children and families, while they themselves might be traumatised by the circumstances of these children and families. Various studies have been done about occupational stress, secondary trauma, compassion fatigue and the role of supervision in this regard. Less is however known about support as a function of supervision for social workers employed by child protection organisations and the social workers’ experience(s) of this support. The aim of this study was to investigate and to descripe, by means of a descriptive qualitative design, social workers employed by child protection organizations' experience of support as function of supervision. For the purpose of this study, the researcher used a purposeful non-probability sampling. Ten social workers from seven child protection organisations within the specific field of child protection were selected according to their willingness to participate. Unstructured, in-depth, one-on-one interviews, with one question to initiate the interview, were conducted with social workers to investigate their experience of the support as function of supervision. During interviews with the individual social workers the researcher made use of observations and field notes as tools for data collection tools. A focus group with eight social workers was also utilised to verify initial findings and to allow for any additional data that would emerge. The first theme deals with participants’ view of support as a function of supervision, which includes receiving guidance and emotional support. Theme two is about participants’ experience of support as a function of supervision in terms of task-oriented as well as emotional support. The third theme that came up was alternative sources of emotional support, including colleagues, external counselors, family members and selfcare. These themes were divided into sub-themes and categories and discussed according to relevant quotations from interviews and literature reviews. Conclusions and recommendations were made according to these results. One of the most important recommendations arising from the findings of the study, is that the support function of supervision should be used more effectively. Social workers and supervisors must develop a greater awareness of the importance to discuss emotions and the dangers of suppressing emotions. Social workers that receive the opportunity to reflect on their emotions, develop a sense of self-worth, appreciation and experience job satisfaction and motivation, which leads to an increase in service quality. / MSW, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

The purpose of this study was to explore and describe post-graduate students‟ reflections on relational qualities that may enhance relational well-being in South African school communities. The research formed part of a broader research project, entitled “Relational well-being in school communities”. The researcher applied the Gestalt paradigm and the theories of existential dialogue and the field theory to this study. A qualitative, interpretive, descriptive design was followed. Non-probability purposive sampling was used whereby 14 participants were purposively selected based on their involvement in a cohort workshop organised by the Centre for Child, Youth and Family Studies (CCYF) in Wellington in the Western Cape. Data was collected through a World Café session with the post-graduate students. Thematic data analysis was used to identify themes among the data. The findings indicated a distinction between relational qualities embedded in the self, relational qualities that are essential for social connection and relational qualities that are critical in leadership. The findings suggest that the presence of relational qualities in individuals, the school community as a social context and the leadership in the school can contribute to relational well-being in school communities. / MA (Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

The purpose of this study was to explore and describe post-graduate students‟ reflections on relational qualities that may enhance relational well-being in South African school communities. The research formed part of a broader research project, entitled “Relational well-being in school communities”. The researcher applied the Gestalt paradigm and the theories of existential dialogue and the field theory to this study. A qualitative, interpretive, descriptive design was followed. Non-probability purposive sampling was used whereby 14 participants were purposively selected based on their involvement in a cohort workshop organised by the Centre for Child, Youth and Family Studies (CCYF) in Wellington in the Western Cape. Data was collected through a World Café session with the post-graduate students. Thematic data analysis was used to identify themes among the data. The findings indicated a distinction between relational qualities embedded in the self, relational qualities that are essential for social connection and relational qualities that are critical in leadership. The findings suggest that the presence of relational qualities in individuals, the school community as a social context and the leadership in the school can contribute to relational well-being in school communities. / MA (Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Afrikaans text / The purpose of the research was to investigate the experiences of adolescents who identify with the Emo subculture in a specific high school in the northern suburbs of Cape Town. Qualitative, applied research of an exploring and descriptive nature was conducted. The literature study focused on human development, the concepts contra-culture and subculture, Gestalt development, Gestalt therapy theories and the ecological theory. This served as a framework for the findings, which was based on unstructured interviews with persons who identified with the Emo subculture. Data triangulation was of special interest in this study to ensure reliability and validity, especially in the light of the fact that limited specialised literature is available on the Emo subculture. Various findings are described and recommendations are made for further research. / Die doel van die navorsing was om die belewenisse van adolessente wat met die Emo-subkultuur identifiseer, in ’n spesifieke hoërskool in die noordelike voorstede van Kaapstad te ondersoek. Kwalitatiewe, toegepaste navorsing van verkennende en beskrywende aard is gedoen. Die literatuurstudie het gefokus op menslike ontwikkeling, die konsepte kontrakultuur en subkultuur, Gestalt-ontwikkeling, Gestaltterapie-teorieë en die ekologiese teorie. Dit het as raamwerk vir die bevindinge gedien, wat gegrond is op ongestruktureerde onderhoude met persone wat met die Emo-subkultuur identifiseer. Data-triangulering was van besondere belang in hierdie ondersoek om vertrouenswaardigheid en geldigheid te verseker, veral in die lig daarvan dat daar min vakkundige literatuur oor die Emo-subkultuur beskikbaar is. Verskeie bevindinge word beskryf en aanbevelings word gemaak vir verdere navorsing. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Spelterapie)

The aim of this study is to explore and describe children’s experiences of the repositioning of their psychological birth order in a reconstituted family. The aim of this study is also to contribute to a better understanding of this phenomenon to aid the parents of these children as well as professionals working with such families. The systems theory was used as the meta-theory of this study. Gestalt field theory formed the connection between the systems theory and Adlerian theory, to portray the interaction between the individual and the different subsystems of which they are part, and formed the lens through which the study was done. Adlerian theory was used to explain the subsystems function in the micro system, with the focus on children’s experiences of the repositioning of their birth order in a reconstituted family. A qualitative research method with Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis was used as research design. Eight children took part in this study. The researcher used semi-structured interviews to explore their experiences of the repositioning of their psychological birth order and the data was analysed thematically. The researcher had a discussion with the participants’ parents to determine the children’s psychological birth order and to obtain background information regarding the original and reconstituted families. The findings indicated that children’s experiences in relation to their parents and siblings had the most profound effect on how they experienced the repositioning of their psychological birth order in a reconstituted family. It seemed that participants preferred their parents treating them congruent to their psychological birth order within the reconstituted family and they experienced incongruent treatment to their psychological birth order, as negative. Participants enjoyed being favoured by their parents. If the sibling who caused the repositioning was favoured, or his or her parents unfairly blamed the relevant participant, it contributed to tension in the sibling and child-parent relationships. Participants seemed to associate less time spent with parents as well as less attention from parents with step- and half-siblings in the reconstituted family. Participants expressed less responsibility in the reconstituted family as a favourable aspect and more responsibilities in the reconstituted family as a unfavourable aspect of being repositioned. In the participants’ experiences, which related to their siblings, the children seemed to defend their psychological positions in their renegotiation for new positions and roles in the reconstituted family often resulting in power struggles and sibling rivalry. Age and gender differences played a role in this process. When participants were ineffective in their negotiation of a new position within the new sibling subsystem, feelings of isolation were reported. Participants experienced frustration when they were unsuccessful in their negotiations regarding former roles associated with their psychological birth order in the new family system. Participants expressed companionship with a step- or half-sibling of the same gender as a favourable experience in their repositioning. The time elapsed since the reconstitution of the family, seemed to play an important role in how children experienced the repositioning of their psychological birth order. / Thesis (MA (Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

The aim of this study is to explore and describe children’s experiences of the repositioning of their psychological birth order in a reconstituted family. The aim of this study is also to contribute to a better understanding of this phenomenon to aid the parents of these children as well as professionals working with such families. The systems theory was used as the meta-theory of this study. Gestalt field theory formed the connection between the systems theory and Adlerian theory, to portray the interaction between the individual and the different subsystems of which they are part, and formed the lens through which the study was done. Adlerian theory was used to explain the subsystems function in the micro system, with the focus on children’s experiences of the repositioning of their birth order in a reconstituted family. A qualitative research method with Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis was used as research design. Eight children took part in this study. The researcher used semi-structured interviews to explore their experiences of the repositioning of their psychological birth order and the data was analysed thematically. The researcher had a discussion with the participants’ parents to determine the children’s psychological birth order and to obtain background information regarding the original and reconstituted families. The findings indicated that children’s experiences in relation to their parents and siblings had the most profound effect on how they experienced the repositioning of their psychological birth order in a reconstituted family. It seemed that participants preferred their parents treating them congruent to their psychological birth order within the reconstituted family and they experienced incongruent treatment to their psychological birth order, as negative. Participants enjoyed being favoured by their parents. If the sibling who caused the repositioning was favoured, or his or her parents unfairly blamed the relevant participant, it contributed to tension in the sibling and child-parent relationships. Participants seemed to associate less time spent with parents as well as less attention from parents with step- and half-siblings in the reconstituted family. Participants expressed less responsibility in the reconstituted family as a favourable aspect and more responsibilities in the reconstituted family as a unfavourable aspect of being repositioned. In the participants’ experiences, which related to their siblings, the children seemed to defend their psychological positions in their renegotiation for new positions and roles in the reconstituted family often resulting in power struggles and sibling rivalry. Age and gender differences played a role in this process. When participants were ineffective in their negotiation of a new position within the new sibling subsystem, feelings of isolation were reported. Participants experienced frustration when they were unsuccessful in their negotiations regarding former roles associated with their psychological birth order in the new family system. Participants expressed companionship with a step- or half-sibling of the same gender as a favourable experience in their repositioning. The time elapsed since the reconstitution of the family, seemed to play an important role in how children experienced the repositioning of their psychological birth order. / Thesis (MA (Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

Afrikaans text / The purpose of the research was to investigate the experiences of adolescents who identify with the Emo subculture in a specific high school in the northern suburbs of Cape Town. Qualitative, applied research of an exploring and descriptive nature was conducted. The literature study focused on human development, the concepts contra-culture and subculture, Gestalt development, Gestalt therapy theories and the ecological theory. This served as a framework for the findings, which was based on unstructured interviews with persons who identified with the Emo subculture. Data triangulation was of special interest in this study to ensure reliability and validity, especially in the light of the fact that limited specialised literature is available on the Emo subculture. Various findings are described and recommendations are made for further research. / Die doel van die navorsing was om die belewenisse van adolessente wat met die Emo-subkultuur identifiseer, in ’n spesifieke hoërskool in die noordelike voorstede van Kaapstad te ondersoek. Kwalitatiewe, toegepaste navorsing van verkennende en beskrywende aard is gedoen. Die literatuurstudie het gefokus op menslike ontwikkeling, die konsepte kontrakultuur en subkultuur, Gestalt-ontwikkeling, Gestaltterapie-teorieë en die ekologiese teorie. Dit het as raamwerk vir die bevindinge gedien, wat gegrond is op ongestruktureerde onderhoude met persone wat met die Emo-subkultuur identifiseer. Data-triangulering was van besondere belang in hierdie ondersoek om vertrouenswaardigheid en geldigheid te verseker, veral in die lig daarvan dat daar min vakkundige literatuur oor die Emo-subkultuur beskikbaar is. Verskeie bevindinge word beskryf en aanbevelings word gemaak vir verdere navorsing. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Spelterapie)

Afrikaans text / Die doel van die studie is om buffer- en risikofaktore te verken wat ‟n rol in die ontwikkeling van gehoorgestremde kleuters kan speel. Gehoorgestremde kleuters presenteer met ‟n gehoorverlies, wat hul van normaalhorende kleuters onderskei. Tog beskik alle kleuters oor primêre behoeftes. Lewenskwaliteit word verbeter deur behoeftevervulling, wat die ontwikkelingsproses beïnvloed. Hierdie behoeftes word vervul deur die kleuter, asook faktore vanuit die omgewing. ‟n Literatuurstudie is onderneem as teoretiese raamwerk, wat teorieë omtrent die omgewing en behoeftes, buffer- en risikofaktore en kleuterontwikkeling insluit. Data is vanuit ‟n kwalitatiewe benadering ingesamel deur semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude en ekokaarte saamgestel deur ouers van gehoorgestremde kleuters. Kontrolering en integrering van data het deur triangulering geskied. Buffer- en risikofaktore binne kleuters self, die gesin en die breër gemeenskap is verken. Die studie is verkennend en beskrywend, en toegepaste navorsing is gebruik. So is gevolgtrekkinge en aanbevelings gemaak om toepaslike ondersteuning aan ouers van gehoorgestremde kleuters te bewerkstellig. / The aim of the study is to explore the protective and risk factors that may contribute to the development of hearing-impaired toddlers. Hearing impaired toddlers present with a hearing loss, which distinguish them from toddlers with normal hearing. However, all toddlers have primary needs. Quality of life is improved by the fulfilment of needs, which influences the developmental process. These needs are fulfilled by the toddler, as well as by factors from the environment. A literature study was conducted as theoretical framework. This included theories regarding the environment and needs, protective and risk factors, and toddler development. In this qualitative study, data collection was conducted by semi-structured interviews and the compilation of ecomaps by parents of hearing impaired toddlers. Triangulation was used to verify and integrate data. Protective and risk factors were explored within the toddler, the family and the wider community. This study is exploratory and descriptive and applied research was used. In this way conclusions and recommendations were made to provide appropriate support to parents of hearing impaired toddlers. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Spelterapie)

In South Africa there are great polarities in terms of needs in resource–poor communities versus communities with available resources. This is evident during visits to Sir Lowry's Pass Village and when available statistics on trends in the community are taken into account. A potentially valuable resource in resource–poor communities is outreach programmes by a faith–based organisation (FBO) such as Jabulani Africa Ministries (JAM). JAM is a Christian FBO with a strong community focus. This study focuses on the resource–poor community of Sir Lowry's Pass Village, situated in the Helderberg Basin in the Western Cape. Sir Lowry's Pass Village is just one of a few resource–poor communities to whom JAM reaches out on a weekly basis since through their outreach programme aimed at middle–childhood children. The aim of this study was to explore and describe the content of this outreach programme of JAM in Sir Lowry's Pass Village aimed at middle–childhood children in order to provide guidelines to more specifically target the needs of the particular group of children. Data were collected from various sources according to principles of participatory action research. Data were organised through thematic data analysis to identify themes. Two core themes emerged; one theme is a mutual lack of understanding of the broader field by JAM members and the target of their interventions, middle–childhood children. The other theme centred on the moral value system of the particular group of children. The central theoretical argument of this study is that outreach programmes by faith–based organisations (such as JAM) in resource–poor communities should be directed as effectively as possible to meet the needs of middle–childhood children. / http://hdl.handle.net//10394/7006 / Thesis (M.A. (Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.