The aim of the research study was to explore resilience in refugee children, using a Gestalt approach to play therapy. The hypothesis, was that a Gestalt approach to play therapy could promote resilience in Refugee children. A literature review was conducted. This revealed that unaccompanied refugee children were unique because they need to deal with trauma, loss and change while having to adjust to living in a new country and many have to learn to speak a new language. The research method was a multiple case study and an intervention research model was used to implement the research. Schoeman's Working Model was used as the Gestalt play therapy approach. Attributes of resilient children were used to measure the results. The researcher concluded that play therapy with a Gestalt approach may promote resilience in refugee children because it increases the numbers of protective factors in a child's life. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Play Therapy)

Text in Afrikaans / The purpose of this study is to describe a gestalt technique for therapists who are involved with children who are experiencing loss. A play therepeutic approach is described and the underlying principles integrated and applied. In the first chapter the details of the the research methodology is described. In the second chapter the gestalt approach and how it relates to play therapeutic intervention is discussed. The third chapter is a literature study which describes the child's conceptualization of death. In the fourth chapter the technique which is developed is discusssed. This technique comprises six themes which are projected by way of instructions on a card. The child chooses a card during every session and it is therapeutically played out. There is a central theme of a treasure box, and a box is made to keep memorabilia of the deceased. The therapeutic intervention helps the child to make a treasure box of memories in their hearts. / Social work / M. Diac (Play Therapy)

Text in Afrikaans / The purpose of this study is to describe a gestalt technique for therapists who are involved with children who are experiencing loss. A play therepeutic approach is described and the underlying principles integrated and applied. In the first chapter the details of the the research methodology is described. In the second chapter the gestalt approach and how it relates to play therapeutic intervention is discussed. The third chapter is a literature study which describes the child's conceptualization of death. In the fourth chapter the technique which is developed is discusssed. This technique comprises six themes which are projected by way of instructions on a card. The child chooses a card during every session and it is therapeutically played out. There is a central theme of a treasure box, and a box is made to keep memorabilia of the deceased. The therapeutic intervention helps the child to make a treasure box of memories in their hearts. / Social work / M. Diac (Play Therapy)

The aim of the research study was to explore resilience in refugee children, using a Gestalt approach to play therapy. The hypothesis, was that a Gestalt approach to play therapy could promote resilience in Refugee children. A literature review was conducted. This revealed that unaccompanied refugee children were unique because they need to deal with trauma, loss and change while having to adjust to living in a new country and many have to learn to speak a new language. The research method was a multiple case study and an intervention research model was used to implement the research. Schoeman's Working Model was used as the Gestalt play therapy approach. Attributes of resilient children were used to measure the results. The researcher concluded that play therapy with a Gestalt approach may promote resilience in refugee children because it increases the numbers of protective factors in a child's life. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Play Therapy)

In Gestalplaytherapy there is a need for guidelines with a pastoral perspective for the child that is experiencing loss. This research is undertaken to set Gestaltplaytherapeutic guidelines with a pastoral perspective for the therapeutic intervention of the primary school child who is experiencing loss due to the death of a loved one. The study consulted relevant literature and compared the literature study with experience acquired in practice. The impact of the loss that the child is experiencing has an influence on the child as a whole. The researcher has found that the Christian child's experience of loss due to the death of a loved one is influenced greatly by the child's spiritual experience. For this reason it is necessary that Gestaltplaytherapy includes a pastoral approach within the therapeutic setting when working with a child experiencing loss due to the death of a loved one. / In Gestaltspelterapie is daar 'n leemte aan riglyne vanuit 'n pastorale perspektief wat die kind wat verlies ervaar kan begelei. Hierdie navorsing het ten doel om Gestalspelterapeutiese riglyne met 'n pastorale perspektief daar te stel vir die hantering van die laerskoolkind wat verlies ervaar as gevolg van die dood van 'n geliefde. Die studie ondersoek die kind se geestelike belewing van verlies deur middel van navorsing in relevante literatuur en vergelyk dit met praktiese ervaring wat opgedoen is in die praktyk. Die impak van die verlies wat die laerskoolkind ervaar as gevolg van die dood van 'n geliefde raak sy totale menswees. Die navorser het waargeneem dat die Christenkind se ervaring en verwerking van die dood van 'n geliefde ook deur sy geestelike belewing beinvloed word. Daarom is dit nodig dat die kind wat verlies ervaar ook op die pastorale vlak binne die Gestaltspelterapeutiese opset hanteer word. / Social work / M. Diac. (Play Therapy)

The research deals with the losses the 7-11 year old child in die single parent family may experience. The research has been conducted from a practical theological (pastoral) perspective. The goal of the study was to investigate and elaborate upon the various losses the child may experience on a physical, cognitive, social, spiritual and an emotional level. In order to complement and verify the literature study, empirical methods of research were utilised. Focus groups were conducted within the framework of Gestalt Play Therapy. Parent interviews were used as an additional method of research. It became apparent, as a result of the literature and empirical studies, that the loss of a parent (whether by divorce/ abandonment/unmarried status/ death) affects the child on all levels of his/her development. Guidelines for the support of such a child are suggested. / Die navorsing handel oor die verlies(e) wat die 7-11 jarige kind in die enkelouergesin mag beleef. Die navorsing geskied vanuit 'n prakties-teologiese (pastorale) perspektief. Die doel van die studie was om die verliese wat die kind op fisiese, kognitiewe, emosionele, sosiale en geestelike vlak mag ervaar, te ondersoek en omskryf. Om die literatuurstudie aan te vul en te verifieer, al dan nie, is daar van empiriese navorsing gebruik gemaak. Fokusgroepe het plaasgevind binne 'n gestalt spelterapeutiese raamwerk. Oueronderhoude was as nog 'n wyse van ondersoek gebruik. Vanuit die literatuurstudie en empiriese navorsing het dit duidelik geword dat die verlies aan 'n ouer (vanwee egskeiding/ verlating/ongetroude status/ sterfte) die kind op al die vlakke van sy/haar ontwikkeling beinvloed. Riglyne tot ondersteuning aan hierdie kind is voorgestel. / Social work / M.Diac. (Youth Work)

Parental alienation is described as a child’s unreasonable rejection of one parent due to the influence of the other parent combined with the child’s own contributions. This phenomenon arises mainly in families of divorce where elevated levels of parental conflict, and care and contact disputes lead to increased tension and antagonism between the parties. The perspectives of family counsellors, who conduct assessments of children from families of divorce to make best-interest assessments for contact and care arrangements or to formulate and implement interventions, on parental alienation, were explored in this qualitative study. A literature study was undertaken to define parental alienation and to place the phenomenon in a South African context, specifically with reference to children’s legislature, and care and contact issues. From this, a theoretical framework for the study was constructed. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight family counsellors in the Western Cape to explore their experience of the problem. Seven themes were identified, by which the perspectives of family counsellors regarding parental alienation were described in detail. The themes are: Theme 1: Parental alienation during divorce Theme 2: Characteristic properties of parental alienation Theme 3: False accusations during parental alienation Theme 4: Assessing for parental alienation Theme 5: Interventions for parental alienation Theme 6: Parental alienation in the judicial context Theme 7: Needs of family counsellors regarding parental alienation / Psychology / M. Diac. (Spelterapie)

In Gestalplaytherapy there is a need for guidelines with a pastoral perspective for the child that is experiencing loss. This research is undertaken to set Gestaltplaytherapeutic guidelines with a pastoral perspective for the therapeutic intervention of the primary school child who is experiencing loss due to the death of a loved one. The study consulted relevant literature and compared the literature study with experience acquired in practice. The impact of the loss that the child is experiencing has an influence on the child as a whole. The researcher has found that the Christian child's experience of loss due to the death of a loved one is influenced greatly by the child's spiritual experience. For this reason it is necessary that Gestaltplaytherapy includes a pastoral approach within the therapeutic setting when working with a child experiencing loss due to the death of a loved one. / In Gestaltspelterapie is daar 'n leemte aan riglyne vanuit 'n pastorale perspektief wat die kind wat verlies ervaar kan begelei. Hierdie navorsing het ten doel om Gestalspelterapeutiese riglyne met 'n pastorale perspektief daar te stel vir die hantering van die laerskoolkind wat verlies ervaar as gevolg van die dood van 'n geliefde. Die studie ondersoek die kind se geestelike belewing van verlies deur middel van navorsing in relevante literatuur en vergelyk dit met praktiese ervaring wat opgedoen is in die praktyk. Die impak van die verlies wat die laerskoolkind ervaar as gevolg van die dood van 'n geliefde raak sy totale menswees. Die navorser het waargeneem dat die Christenkind se ervaring en verwerking van die dood van 'n geliefde ook deur sy geestelike belewing beinvloed word. Daarom is dit nodig dat die kind wat verlies ervaar ook op die pastorale vlak binne die Gestaltspelterapeutiese opset hanteer word. / Social work / M. Diac. (Play Therapy)

The research deals with the losses the 7-11 year old child in die single parent family may experience. The research has been conducted from a practical theological (pastoral) perspective. The goal of the study was to investigate and elaborate upon the various losses the child may experience on a physical, cognitive, social, spiritual and an emotional level. In order to complement and verify the literature study, empirical methods of research were utilised. Focus groups were conducted within the framework of Gestalt Play Therapy. Parent interviews were used as an additional method of research. It became apparent, as a result of the literature and empirical studies, that the loss of a parent (whether by divorce/ abandonment/unmarried status/ death) affects the child on all levels of his/her development. Guidelines for the support of such a child are suggested. / Die navorsing handel oor die verlies(e) wat die 7-11 jarige kind in die enkelouergesin mag beleef. Die navorsing geskied vanuit 'n prakties-teologiese (pastorale) perspektief. Die doel van die studie was om die verliese wat die kind op fisiese, kognitiewe, emosionele, sosiale en geestelike vlak mag ervaar, te ondersoek en omskryf. Om die literatuurstudie aan te vul en te verifieer, al dan nie, is daar van empiriese navorsing gebruik gemaak. Fokusgroepe het plaasgevind binne 'n gestalt spelterapeutiese raamwerk. Oueronderhoude was as nog 'n wyse van ondersoek gebruik. Vanuit die literatuurstudie en empiriese navorsing het dit duidelik geword dat die verlies aan 'n ouer (vanwee egskeiding/ verlating/ongetroude status/ sterfte) die kind op al die vlakke van sy/haar ontwikkeling beinvloed. Riglyne tot ondersteuning aan hierdie kind is voorgestel. / Social work / M.Diac. (Youth Work)

Parental alienation is described as a child’s unreasonable rejection of one parent due to the influence of the other parent combined with the child’s own contributions. This phenomenon arises mainly in families of divorce where elevated levels of parental conflict, and care and contact disputes lead to increased tension and antagonism between the parties. The perspectives of family counsellors, who conduct assessments of children from families of divorce to make best-interest assessments for contact and care arrangements or to formulate and implement interventions, on parental alienation, were explored in this qualitative study. A literature study was undertaken to define parental alienation and to place the phenomenon in a South African context, specifically with reference to children’s legislature, and care and contact issues. From this, a theoretical framework for the study was constructed. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight family counsellors in the Western Cape to explore their experience of the problem. Seven themes were identified, by which the perspectives of family counsellors regarding parental alienation were described in detail. The themes are: Theme 1: Parental alienation during divorce Theme 2: Characteristic properties of parental alienation Theme 3: False accusations during parental alienation Theme 4: Assessing for parental alienation Theme 5: Interventions for parental alienation Theme 6: Parental alienation in the judicial context Theme 7: Needs of family counsellors regarding parental alienation / Psychology / M. Diac. (Spelterapie)