The focus of this dissertation is on exploring the needs of and services provided to orphaned and vulnerable children (OVCs) in Richmond, KwaZulu-Natal. This research is based on the findings from in-depth face-to-face interviews, and the focus group discussion conducted with key informants and primary caregivers of OVCs, respectively. The findings underline that although the needs of OVCs are similar to those of all other children, OVCs face unique challenges. It further shows that the government of South Africa has been responsive in developing relevant legislation, policies, and programmes that attempt to address the needs of OVCs. The findings also revealed that the services provided are coordinated, to a limited extent, through the Flagship Project led by the office of the Premier and. that coordination and integration of activities rendered by various stakeholders is crucial to a positive impact, and in increasing the accessibility of these services. / Social Work / M. A. (Social Behaviour Studies in HIV/AIDS)

In the light of the child's self-esteem that is affected by traumatic events, the goal of the research was to explore and describe the self-esteem of children orphaned by HIV/AIDS. The researcher made use of a quantitative research method. 30 (N=30) respondents, both male (n=16) and female (n=14), between the ages of 11 to 15, were randomly sampled for inclusion in the study. Each participant completed a self-report measure of self-esteem, The Culture-free Self-esteem Inventory for Children, which yielded a score of Global Self-esteem, as well as in four sub-domains including: General, Social, Academic and Parent-related Self-esteem. The results of this study demonstrated that the participants experienced a lowered self-esteem. These findings were explored in light of a literature review, after which conclusions and recommendations were provided. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Play Therapy)

The purpose of the study was to investigate the services provided by the Bhambayi Drop-In Centre in Inanda, KwaZulu-Natal for orphans and vulnerable children (OVCs). Qualitative research design and in-depth interviews with key informants and foster parents of the OVCs were conducted. The study found that the services which are provided by the Centre enabled the orphans and vulnerable children to enjoy life as normally as possible and to experience life meaningfully. As beneficiaries of the Bhambayi Drop-In Centre the children had access to education and two meals per day. Beyond meeting such basic needs, the study also found that Centre instilled a sense of belonging and community in the children. Access to social grants enabled the children’s basic needs to be met. In addition foster parents played a crucial role in taking care of orphans and vulnerable children. / Health Studies / M.A. (Social Behaviour Studies in HIV/AIDS)

Even though the prevalence of HIV has declined, South Africa continues to have a large number of people who are infected with HIV. Most communities still have to deal with the effects of HIV and AIDS on orphans and vulnerable children. One way of mitigating the effects of HIV and AIDS is strengthening families and communities to provide stable care to orphans. However, most families do not have the capacity to provide sufficient care to orphans hence the need for external support from the community and civil society organisations, in this instance provided through the loveLife goGogetter programme. The findings proved that the goGogetters relied on the support they received through the relationships and networks established in the community to enable them to provide effective service to orphans. The study demonstrated the importance of community networks in providing for the basic needs of orphans. / Social Work / M.A. (Social Behaviour Studies in HIV/AIDS)

Text in English / Orphans and vulnerable children are increasingly forming a larger portion of the South African population. The escalating number of these children in communities is caused mainly by the loss of parents to HIV/AIDS. This poses a huge challenge for the government and organisations rendering social welfare services to these orphans and vulnerable children. This qualitative study sought to explore and describe the nature of collaboration between social workers and child and youth workers in rendering services to orphans and vulnerable children in the Free State province. The non-probability sampling technique of purposive sampling guided the data collection process using in-depth one on one semi structured interviews as a data collection method. Finally the data was analysed by means of Creswell’s data analysis spiral followed by the principles of Guba for data verification. The ethical considerations adhered to throughout this study were informed consent, right to privacy, avoidance of deception, debriefing of participants, management of information. The rationale was that overlapping boundaries exist when the two professions work together in addressing the needs of orphans and vulnerable children. The findings of the research confirmed that there are no clear guidelines on the collaboration of social workers and child and youth care workers, although personal efforts are made for a healthy working relationship. Recommendations were made in relation to the findings. / Social Work / M.A. (Social Work)

Text in Afrikaans / Die MIV/vigs-pandemie in Suid-Afiika- van die ergste in die wereld- toon geen tekens van afname nie. Miljoene kinders is reeds of wees gelaat of hewig geaffekteer deur die magdom impakte daarvan op gesinne en gemeenskappe. Die epidemie het voortdurend stygende sterftesyfers tot gevolg en die hewige las van die siekte rus swaar op MIV-positiewe sowel as MIV-negatiewe individue. Verder word tradisionele ondersteuningsnetwerke oorbelaai en/of gaan hulle tot niet. Gesinne en gemeenskappe verloor hul ekonomiese, sosiale en kulturele lewensvatbaarheid. Die pandemie hou, veral onder die armes, 'n geweldige bedreiging vir die gesondheid, welstand en regte van babas, kinders en jongmense in. 'n Groot gedeelte van die impak van MIV/vigs hou verband met die feit dat sommige kinders en hul gesinne beperkte toegang tot die elemente van 'n gesonde omgewing en goeie gesondheid het. Regerings, gemeenskappe en gesinne wat deur MIV/vigs geraak word, het minder tyd, energie en finansiële hulpbronne beskikbaar om op voorkomende gesondheidsorg te fokus. Benewens die impak op gesondheidstatus, word kinders se omstandighede ook as gevolg van MIV/vigsverwante probleme bemoeilik. Dit sluit verhoogde gesinsarmoede, 'n hoer risiko van verlating en weeslating, geforseerde migrasie, onterwing, sielkundige trauma, uitsluiting en diskriminasie, en fisiese en seksuele mishandeling in. Die derde vlaag van die epidemie, welke vlaag nou betree word, word gekenmerk deur 'n ontsettende hoe sterftesyfer, 'n ontploffing in die getal sorgbehoewende en weeskinders en 'n verhoging in menslike pyn en lyding. Die reg speel 'n baie belangrike rol in die beperking van hierdie impak van die MIV/vigs-pandemie op die lewens van alle kinders. MIV/vigs-reg is in die proses van evolusie of vorming en reeds bestaande teorieë kan aangewend word ten einde sekere vrae te beantwoord en probleme daaromtrent aan te spreek. Tog is daar 'n dringende behoefte aan MIV/vigs-spesifieke wetgewing en teorieë ten einde die impak van die pandemie op alle vlakke suksesvol te beheer. Verder het die Kinderreg so 'n mate van ontwikkeling bereik dat daar algemeen aanvaar word dat kinders 'n spesiale belangegroep binne die gemeenskap vorm. Die regsreëls met betrekking tot kinders verander gedurig en is ook nie geskik om volgens die tradisionele wyse, as privaat- of publiekreg, geklassifiseer te word nie. In die hieropvolgende proefskrif word die impak van MIV/vigs op sekere publiekregtelike, maar oorwegend privaatregtelike aspekte van die Suid-Afiikaanse kinderreg ondersoek, sowel as enkele metodes waarop die reg moontlik hierdie impak kan absorbeer en hanteer. Daar word ook in aparte hoofstukke na die impak van MIV/vigs op die lewens van kinders. sorgbehoewende kinders, egskeiding en die ouer-kind-verhouding verwys The HIV/aids pandemic in South Africa - one of the worst in the world - does not seem to be decreasing. Millions of children have already been either orphaned or heavily affected by the numerous impacts on families and communities associated with it. The epidemic brings on an ever-increasing mortality rate and the extreme burden thereof weighs down heavily on HIV-positive as well as HIV-negative individuals. Traditional support networks are further being heavily burdened or perish entirely. Families and communities lose their economical, social and cultural viability. The pandemic threatens, especially among the poorest, the health, wellbeing and rights of infants, children and young people. The impact of HIV/aids is to a great extent the result of the fact that some children and their families do not have sufficient access to a healthy environment and good health. Governments, communities and families affected by HIV/aids have less time, energy and financial resources available in order to enable them to focus on preventive healthcare. In addition to the impact on health status, children's circumstances are also being encumbered by HIV/aids-related problems, including family poverty, a higher risk of being abandoned or orphaned, forced migration, disinheritance, psychological trauma, ostracism and discrimination and physical and sexual abuse. The third wave of the epidemic, which wave is presently being experienced, is characterised by a high mortality rate, an increasing amount of children in need of care and orphaned children and an increase in human pain and suffering. The law plays an important role in the limitation of the impact of the HIV/aids pandemic on the lives of children. HIV/aids law is in the process of evolution or forming and existing theories can be used in order to answer certain questions and address certain issues relating to it. However, there is an urgent need for HIV/aids-specific legislation and theories in order to successfully manage the impact of the pandemic on all levels. Child law has also reached such an extent of development that children is now viewed as a special interest group within the community. The legal principles regarding children change constantly and cannot be classified in the traditional way, which is either as private or public law. In this thesis the impact of HIV/aids on certain aspects of the public and private law pertaining to children is examined. Ways in which the impact can be absorbed and managed by the law is also examined. The impact of HIV/aids on divorce, the parent-child relationship, children in need of care, and the impact of HIV/aids on the lives of children is examined in separate chapters. / Jurisprudence / LL. D.

Text in Afrikaans / Die MIV/vigs-pandemie in Suid-Afiika- van die ergste in die wereld- toon geen tekens van afname nie. Miljoene kinders is reeds of wees gelaat of hewig geaffekteer deur die magdom impakte daarvan op gesinne en gemeenskappe. Die epidemie het voortdurend stygende sterftesyfers tot gevolg en die hewige las van die siekte rus swaar op MIV-positiewe sowel as MIV-negatiewe individue. Verder word tradisionele ondersteuningsnetwerke oorbelaai en/of gaan hulle tot niet. Gesinne en gemeenskappe verloor hul ekonomiese, sosiale en kulturele lewensvatbaarheid. Die pandemie hou, veral onder die armes, 'n geweldige bedreiging vir die gesondheid, welstand en regte van babas, kinders en jongmense in. 'n Groot gedeelte van die impak van MIV/vigs hou verband met die feit dat sommige kinders en hul gesinne beperkte toegang tot die elemente van 'n gesonde omgewing en goeie gesondheid het. Regerings, gemeenskappe en gesinne wat deur MIV/vigs geraak word, het minder tyd, energie en finansiële hulpbronne beskikbaar om op voorkomende gesondheidsorg te fokus. Benewens die impak op gesondheidstatus, word kinders se omstandighede ook as gevolg van MIV/vigsverwante probleme bemoeilik. Dit sluit verhoogde gesinsarmoede, 'n hoer risiko van verlating en weeslating, geforseerde migrasie, onterwing, sielkundige trauma, uitsluiting en diskriminasie, en fisiese en seksuele mishandeling in. Die derde vlaag van die epidemie, welke vlaag nou betree word, word gekenmerk deur 'n ontsettende hoe sterftesyfer, 'n ontploffing in die getal sorgbehoewende en weeskinders en 'n verhoging in menslike pyn en lyding. Die reg speel 'n baie belangrike rol in die beperking van hierdie impak van die MIV/vigs-pandemie op die lewens van alle kinders. MIV/vigs-reg is in die proses van evolusie of vorming en reeds bestaande teorieë kan aangewend word ten einde sekere vrae te beantwoord en probleme daaromtrent aan te spreek. Tog is daar 'n dringende behoefte aan MIV/vigs-spesifieke wetgewing en teorieë ten einde die impak van die pandemie op alle vlakke suksesvol te beheer. Verder het die Kinderreg so 'n mate van ontwikkeling bereik dat daar algemeen aanvaar word dat kinders 'n spesiale belangegroep binne die gemeenskap vorm. Die regsreëls met betrekking tot kinders verander gedurig en is ook nie geskik om volgens die tradisionele wyse, as privaat- of publiekreg, geklassifiseer te word nie. In die hieropvolgende proefskrif word die impak van MIV/vigs op sekere publiekregtelike, maar oorwegend privaatregtelike aspekte van die Suid-Afiikaanse kinderreg ondersoek, sowel as enkele metodes waarop die reg moontlik hierdie impak kan absorbeer en hanteer. Daar word ook in aparte hoofstukke na die impak van MIV/vigs op die lewens van kinders. sorgbehoewende kinders, egskeiding en die ouer-kind-verhouding verwys The HIV/aids pandemic in South Africa - one of the worst in the world - does not seem to be decreasing. Millions of children have already been either orphaned or heavily affected by the numerous impacts on families and communities associated with it. The epidemic brings on an ever-increasing mortality rate and the extreme burden thereof weighs down heavily on HIV-positive as well as HIV-negative individuals. Traditional support networks are further being heavily burdened or perish entirely. Families and communities lose their economical, social and cultural viability. The pandemic threatens, especially among the poorest, the health, wellbeing and rights of infants, children and young people. The impact of HIV/aids is to a great extent the result of the fact that some children and their families do not have sufficient access to a healthy environment and good health. Governments, communities and families affected by HIV/aids have less time, energy and financial resources available in order to enable them to focus on preventive healthcare. In addition to the impact on health status, children's circumstances are also being encumbered by HIV/aids-related problems, including family poverty, a higher risk of being abandoned or orphaned, forced migration, disinheritance, psychological trauma, ostracism and discrimination and physical and sexual abuse. The third wave of the epidemic, which wave is presently being experienced, is characterised by a high mortality rate, an increasing amount of children in need of care and orphaned children and an increase in human pain and suffering. The law plays an important role in the limitation of the impact of the HIV/aids pandemic on the lives of children. HIV/aids law is in the process of evolution or forming and existing theories can be used in order to answer certain questions and address certain issues relating to it. However, there is an urgent need for HIV/aids-specific legislation and theories in order to successfully manage the impact of the pandemic on all levels. Child law has also reached such an extent of development that children is now viewed as a special interest group within the community. The legal principles regarding children change constantly and cannot be classified in the traditional way, which is either as private or public law. In this thesis the impact of HIV/aids on certain aspects of the public and private law pertaining to children is examined. Ways in which the impact can be absorbed and managed by the law is also examined. The impact of HIV/aids on divorce, the parent-child relationship, children in need of care, and the impact of HIV/aids on the lives of children is examined in separate chapters. / Jurisprudence / LL. D.