This research is directed at mothers of toddlers in the Frankfort magisterial district. The objective of the study is to determine whether mothers with toddlers display a need for parental guidance. Data have been collected and a theoretical framework has been constructed by means of a literature study and communication with experts. An empirical study has been conducted by involving forty-five mothers (respondents) of toddlers in the Frankfort magisterial district. Scientific and technological knowledge have been acquired by means of applied research. A questionnaire, designed by the researcher, was used to collect data. The following research question was posed: Does a need for parental guidance exist amongst mothers with toddlers in the Frankfort magisterial district? The conclusions and recommendations of the study focus on achieving the objectives and aims. Once the data had been analysed and processed, it became very clear that a need for formal parental guidance does exist amongst mothers in the Frankfort magisterial district. Mothers have indicated a need for additional knowledge and information regarding the cognitive, emotional, social and physical development of their toddlers in order to selfpromote aspects of the development of toddlers. Parental guidance modi are under-utilized, and mothers have expressed that factors such as their geographical location, long distances and the inaccessibility of formal parental guidance, prevent them from utilizing parental guidance. / Dissertation (MSD (Play Therapy))--University of Pretoria, 2005. / Social Work and Criminology / Unrestricted

AFRIKAANS: Gesinne wat met ’n kleuter met ’n gesiggestremdheid gekonfronteer word, het meervoudige behoeftes wat ’n holistiese benadering vereis ten einde hierdie komplekse probleem effektief aan te spreek. Geen navorsing is egter nog gedoen waar daar na die Suid-Afrikaanse ouer wat ’n kleuter met ’n gesiggestremdheid het, se behoeftes gekyk is ten einde ’n gespesialiseerde, empiries gefundeerde ouerbegeleidingsprogram te ontwikkel nie. Hierdie studie het dus ten doel gehad om ’n begeleidingsprogram vir ouers van ’n kleuter met gesiggestremdheid te ontwikkel en die effektiwiteit daarvan te evalueer. Intervensienavorsing as toegepaste navorsing is hiervoor aangewend.<p[> ’n Tweefase-navorsingsbenadering is gebruik. Tydens fase een is van ’n kwalitatiewe benadering gebruik gemaak. Die volgende navorsingsvraag is tydens hierdie fase geformuleer: Watter behoeftes het die Suid-Afrikaanse ouer van ’n kleuter met gesiggestremdheid? : ’n Fokusgroepbespreking waar fokusgroepvrae benut is, is met 10 ouerpare deurloop ten einde die betekenis en interpretasie wat hulle aan hulle leefwêreld heg, te eksploreer. Hierdie data het, aanvullend tot die omvattende literatuurstudie wat onderneem is, inligting na vore gebring wat in die ouerbegeleidingsprogram gebruik is. Antwoorde op die navorsingsvraag kon dus gevind word. Die kwantitatiewe ontwerp wat tydens fase twee gevolg is, is die enkelstelselontwerp. Die volgende navorsingshipotese is tydens hierdie fase geformuleer: : Indien die ouers van ’n kleuter met gesiggestremdheid die ouerbegeleidingsprogram deurloop, sal hulle bemagtig word met kennis ten opsigte van hulle kind se spesifieke oogtoestand, die invloed daarvan op en hulle hantering van die betrokke kind, hulle huwelik en hulle gesin: . Die maatskaplikewerk-intervensieprogram wat ontwikkel is, bestaan uit ses groepwerksessies van ongeveer 60 minute elk wat met twee groepe van 10 ouers in totaal deurloop is. ’n Selfontwerpte vraelys is voor en na afloop van die program deur al 10 ouers voltooi. Hierdie meetinstrument het bostaande hipotese bevestig. Vergelykings is getref tussen die literatuur en die empiriese gegewens. Gevolgtrekkings en aanbevelings vir toekomstige navorsing is na aanleiding van die studie geformuleer. ENGLISH: Families that are confronted with a toddler with a visual impairment have multiple needs that require a holistic approach in order to address this complex problem effectively. However, no research has been done yet that looks at the needs of the South African parent with a toddler with a visual impairment in order to develop a specialized, empirically grounded parental guiding programme. This study thus aimed at developing a guiding programme for parents with a toddler with a visual impairment and evaluating its effectiveness. Interventional research as applied research was utilised for this purpose. A two-phase research approach was used. During phase one a qualitative approach was used. The following research question was formulated during this phase: What are the needs of the South African parent with a toddler with a visual impairment? A focus-group discussion where focus-group questions were used was held with 10 parents in order to explore the meaning and interpretation that they attach to their daily world. These data, in addition to the wide-ranging literature study that had been undertaken, brought information to the fore that was used in the parental guiding programme. Answers to the research question could thus be found. The quantitative design that was followed during phase two was the single-system design. The following research hypothesis was formulated during this phase: If the parents of a toddler with a visual impairment follow the parental guiding programme, they will be empowered with knowledge with regard to their child’s specific eye condition, its influence on and their management of the child concerned, their marriage and their family. The social-work interventional programme that was developed consists of six group-work sessions of approximately 60 minutes each that were held for two groups of 10 parents in total. A self-designed questionnaire was completed by these 10 parents before and after the programme. This measuring instrument confirmed the above-mentioned hypothesis. Comparisons were made between literature and the empirical data. Conclusions and recommendations for future research were formulated following on this study. / Thesis (DPhil)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Social Work and Criminology / unrestricted

Summaries in English and Afrikaans / Die hersaamgestelde gesin word in hierdie navorsingstudie ondersoek as in komplekse alternatiewe gesinstruktuur met eiesoortige strukturele kenmerke, probleemareas en rituele wat nie aan die norm van die kerngesin ontleen kan word nie. In die literatuuroorsig word hierdie aspekte van nader beskou en tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dot die belangrike rol van die eie ouer in die hersaamgestelde gesin grootliks misgekyk word. Die verbondenheid van die eie ouer aan beide die ouer-kind- en die nuwe egpaarsisteme maak dit vir hom/haar moontlik om 'n sleutelrol te vervul tydens gesinsinteraksies, eenheidsvorming en die opvoedingsgebeure in die hersaamgestelde gesin. Dit is moontlik vir die eie ouer om vanuit in unieke posisie as 'n buffer te dien in die problematiese stiefouer-stiefkindverhoudinge. Hierdie moontlikheid bestaan egter slegs indien die eie ouer oor voldoende kennis, insig en vaardighede beskik. 'n Uitgebreide kwalitatiewe ondersoek aan die hand van semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude met die lede van ses hersaamgestelde gesinne het die volgende tendense aan die lig gebring Eie ouers verwag van nuwe egliede om kinders in die hersaamgestelde gesin uit die staanspoor te aanvaar en lief te he. Eie ouers koester konflikterende gevoelens ten opsigte van die dissiplinering van hul kinders deur die stiefouer. Eie ouers, stiefouers en kinders in hersaamgestelde gesinne gaan dikwels gebuk onder die las van onverwerkte gevoelens van verdriet en verlies. Die hantering van finansies ten opsigte van inwonende eie en stiefkinders, asook nie-inwonende kinders en vorige egliede skep spanning en bemoeilik goeie verhoudinge. Eie ouers is dikwels so verdeeld tussen die belange van hul kinders en die van hul nuwe maats dat hulle dit moeilik vind om in 'n tweede huwelik 'n betekenisvolle verhouding met hul nuwe lewensmaat op te bou. Genoemde tendense het 'n bepalende rol gespeel in die ontwikkeling van 'n begeleidingsprogram vir eie ouers. Agt sessies met doelwitte gebaseer op hierdie probleemareas is gestruktureer om die eie ouer met noodsaaklike kennis en vaardighede toe te rus ten opsigte van harmoniese verhoudingstigting en -onderhouding in hersaamgestelde gesinne. Die begeleidingsprogram is deur middel van 'n fokusgroeponderhoud aan die evaluering van vier ouerpare in hersaamgestelde gesinne onderwerp en is aan die hand van hul aanbevelings verfyn en gefinaliseer. / In this research study the reconstituted family is investigated as a complex alternative family structure with distinctive structural characteristics, problem areas and rituals which cannot be adopted from the norm of the nuclear family. In the literature survey these aspects are examined closely and the conclusion is drawn that the important role of the biological parent in the reconstituted family is ignored to a large extent. The biological parent's commitment to both the parent-child and new couple systems allows him/her to play a key role in family interactions, unit formation and educational events in the reconstituted family. It is possible for the biological parent to act as a buffer in the problematic stepparent-stepchild relationships from a unique perspective. However, this possibility only exists if the biological parent possesses sufficient knowledge, insight and skills. An extensive qualitative investigation on the basis of semi-structured interviews with members of six reconstituted families revealed the following tendencies: Biological parents expect their new spouses to accept and love children in the reconstituted family from the onset. Biological parents harbour conflicting feelings regarding the disciplining of children by the stepparent. Biological parents, stepparents and children in reconstituted families often still carry the burden of unresolved feelings of sadness and loss. The handling of finances with regard to resident own and stepchildren, as well as non-resident children and former spouses creates tension and compromises good relationships. Biological parents are often so divided between the interests of their own children and those of their new spouses that they find it difficult to build a meaningful relationship with their new spouse in a second marriage. The tendencies mentioned played a decisive role in the development of a guidance programme for biological parents. Eight sessions with aims based on these problem areas were structured to equip biological parents with the necessary knowledge and skills in respect of the development and maintenance of harmonious relationships in reconstituted families. The guidance programme was subjected to the evaluation of four sets of parents in reconstituted families by means of a focus group interview and was refined and finalised on the basis of their recommendations. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Sielkundige Opvoedkunde)

Summaries in English and Afrikaans / Die hersaamgestelde gesin word in hierdie navorsingstudie ondersoek as in komplekse alternatiewe gesinstruktuur met eiesoortige strukturele kenmerke, probleemareas en rituele wat nie aan die norm van die kerngesin ontleen kan word nie. In die literatuuroorsig word hierdie aspekte van nader beskou en tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dot die belangrike rol van die eie ouer in die hersaamgestelde gesin grootliks misgekyk word. Die verbondenheid van die eie ouer aan beide die ouer-kind- en die nuwe egpaarsisteme maak dit vir hom/haar moontlik om 'n sleutelrol te vervul tydens gesinsinteraksies, eenheidsvorming en die opvoedingsgebeure in die hersaamgestelde gesin. Dit is moontlik vir die eie ouer om vanuit in unieke posisie as 'n buffer te dien in die problematiese stiefouer-stiefkindverhoudinge. Hierdie moontlikheid bestaan egter slegs indien die eie ouer oor voldoende kennis, insig en vaardighede beskik. 'n Uitgebreide kwalitatiewe ondersoek aan die hand van semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude met die lede van ses hersaamgestelde gesinne het die volgende tendense aan die lig gebring Eie ouers verwag van nuwe egliede om kinders in die hersaamgestelde gesin uit die staanspoor te aanvaar en lief te he. Eie ouers koester konflikterende gevoelens ten opsigte van die dissiplinering van hul kinders deur die stiefouer. Eie ouers, stiefouers en kinders in hersaamgestelde gesinne gaan dikwels gebuk onder die las van onverwerkte gevoelens van verdriet en verlies. Die hantering van finansies ten opsigte van inwonende eie en stiefkinders, asook nie-inwonende kinders en vorige egliede skep spanning en bemoeilik goeie verhoudinge. Eie ouers is dikwels so verdeeld tussen die belange van hul kinders en die van hul nuwe maats dat hulle dit moeilik vind om in 'n tweede huwelik 'n betekenisvolle verhouding met hul nuwe lewensmaat op te bou. Genoemde tendense het 'n bepalende rol gespeel in die ontwikkeling van 'n begeleidingsprogram vir eie ouers. Agt sessies met doelwitte gebaseer op hierdie probleemareas is gestruktureer om die eie ouer met noodsaaklike kennis en vaardighede toe te rus ten opsigte van harmoniese verhoudingstigting en -onderhouding in hersaamgestelde gesinne. Die begeleidingsprogram is deur middel van 'n fokusgroeponderhoud aan die evaluering van vier ouerpare in hersaamgestelde gesinne onderwerp en is aan die hand van hul aanbevelings verfyn en gefinaliseer. / In this research study the reconstituted family is investigated as a complex alternative family structure with distinctive structural characteristics, problem areas and rituals which cannot be adopted from the norm of the nuclear family. In the literature survey these aspects are examined closely and the conclusion is drawn that the important role of the biological parent in the reconstituted family is ignored to a large extent. The biological parent's commitment to both the parent-child and new couple systems allows him/her to play a key role in family interactions, unit formation and educational events in the reconstituted family. It is possible for the biological parent to act as a buffer in the problematic stepparent-stepchild relationships from a unique perspective. However, this possibility only exists if the biological parent possesses sufficient knowledge, insight and skills. An extensive qualitative investigation on the basis of semi-structured interviews with members of six reconstituted families revealed the following tendencies: Biological parents expect their new spouses to accept and love children in the reconstituted family from the onset. Biological parents harbour conflicting feelings regarding the disciplining of children by the stepparent. Biological parents, stepparents and children in reconstituted families often still carry the burden of unresolved feelings of sadness and loss. The handling of finances with regard to resident own and stepchildren, as well as non-resident children and former spouses creates tension and compromises good relationships. Biological parents are often so divided between the interests of their own children and those of their new spouses that they find it difficult to build a meaningful relationship with their new spouse in a second marriage. The tendencies mentioned played a decisive role in the development of a guidance programme for biological parents. Eight sessions with aims based on these problem areas were structured to equip biological parents with the necessary knowledge and skills in respect of the development and maintenance of harmonious relationships in reconstituted families. The guidance programme was subjected to the evaluation of four sets of parents in reconstituted families by means of a focus group interview and was refined and finalised on the basis of their recommendations. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Sielkundige Opvoedkunde)