Transracial foster care is a reality due to the ongoing social problems in South Africa, that leads to a high number of children found in need of care and protection and in need of foster homes. The Children’s Act (38 of 2005) encourages children to be placed in the care of a person with a similar background to their own, but simultaneously makes provision for children to be placed in the care of a person that does not have the same background as their own. The number of children found in need of a foster care placement, significantly surpasses the number of willing and able, same race, foster care parents. Transracial foster care has been a topic for research internationally for a couple of years, highlighting the influence of the transracial placement on the foster child. However, there continues to be limited research in South Africa on this growing phenomenon. Most research in South Africa focus on transracial adoptions and not specifically foster care placements. The aim of this qualitative research study was to broaden the knowledge base of transracial foster care in South Africa, in order to contribute to services provided to transracial foster care families. The research study was based in the northern and southern suburbs of Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa. Participants included foster parents of transracial foster care families and the social workers who supervise the foster care families participating in this study. Nine foster parents and three social workers participated in the study. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with each participant in order to explore their experiences of being involved in transracial foster care placements. The article in Section B of this document aims to highlight the important aspects of transracial foster care in order to create a better understanding of this phenomenon. / MSW (Child Protection), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Transracial foster care is a reality due to the ongoing social problems in South Africa, that leads to a high number of children found in need of care and protection and in need of foster homes. The Children’s Act (38 of 2005) encourages children to be placed in the care of a person with a similar background to their own, but simultaneously makes provision for children to be placed in the care of a person that does not have the same background as their own. The number of children found in need of a foster care placement, significantly surpasses the number of willing and able, same race, foster care parents. Transracial foster care has been a topic for research internationally for a couple of years, highlighting the influence of the transracial placement on the foster child. However, there continues to be limited research in South Africa on this growing phenomenon. Most research in South Africa focus on transracial adoptions and not specifically foster care placements. The aim of this qualitative research study was to broaden the knowledge base of transracial foster care in South Africa, in order to contribute to services provided to transracial foster care families. The research study was based in the northern and southern suburbs of Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa. Participants included foster parents of transracial foster care families and the social workers who supervise the foster care families participating in this study. Nine foster parents and three social workers participated in the study. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with each participant in order to explore their experiences of being involved in transracial foster care placements. The article in Section B of this document aims to highlight the important aspects of transracial foster care in order to create a better understanding of this phenomenon. / MSW (Child Protection), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

THE UTILISATION OF LIFE MAPS AS AN AID IN FOSTER CARE SERVICE DELIVERY. During the past few years there has been a significant increase in foster care service delivery, partially due to the HIV and AIDS pandemic. More children need to be placed in foster care, and family placements become an only option in many cases. Due to this shift in foster care placements permanency planning has become an important part of foster care services. Thus, this study has focused on the development of guidelines by using a concept model with the focus on life maps in order to facilitate and structure the foster care process. / Thesis (M.A. (MW))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

THE UTILISATION OF LIFE MAPS AS AN AID IN FOSTER CARE SERVICE DELIVERY. During the past few years there has been a significant increase in foster care service delivery, partially due to the HIV and AIDS pandemic. More children need to be placed in foster care, and family placements become an only option in many cases. Due to this shift in foster care placements permanency planning has become an important part of foster care services. Thus, this study has focused on the development of guidelines by using a concept model with the focus on life maps in order to facilitate and structure the foster care process. / Thesis (M.A. (MW))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

Die doel van die studie was om die aard van die betrokkenheid van pleegvaders by pleegkinders te verken binne Child Welfare Tshwane. Om hierdie doel te bereik is ʼn kwantitatiewe benadering gevolg om op ʼn objektiewe wyse die aard van dié betrokkenheid te bepaal. Die studie is volgens ʼn nie-eksperimentele navorsingsontwerp uitgevoer, synde die korrelasie-ontwerp wat die konsep vaderlike betrokkenheid eenmalig gemeet en korrelasies tussen veranderlikes ondersoek het. Data is ingesamel oor drie konstrukte van vaderlike betrokkenheid, naamlike interaksie, beskikbaarheid en verantwoordelikheid. Data is deur middel van 'n self-geadministreerde vraelys ingesamel. Die bevindinge van die studie het getoon pleegvaders oor die algemeen hoë vlakke van betrokkenheid by hul pleegkinders getoon het ten opsigte van al drie die konstrukte. Die pleegvaders het beide ‘n instrumentele rol, byvoorbeeld voorsiening in die kinders se basiese behoeftes, en ‘n ekpressiewe rol, byvoorbeeld emosionele steun en aanmoeding van die pleegkinders, vertolk. Temas wat in hul eie beskrywing van hul rol as pleegvaders na vore gekom het, was diè van emosionele ondersteuning, sosialisering van die pleegkinders, die bied van ekonomiese sekuriteit en interaksie met die pleegkind en dat hul dus ‘n aktiewe byrae tot die uitvoering van die gesinsfunksies gelewer het. Hoewel die meerderheid van die pleegvaders bejaard was en bedags tuis teenwoordig was, het dit nie betekenisvol verskil van die betrokkenheid van pleegvaders wat voltyds gewerk het nie. Daar is tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dat maatskaplikewerkdienste ook die pleegvader behoort in te sluit en daarop fokus om pleegvaders te motiveer om betrokke te wees by die versorging van pleegkinders. Pleegvaders kan ‘n belangrike bydrae lewer tot die stabliteit van pleegplasings en tot die algehele welsyn van die pleegkinders. / Dissertation (MSW)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / gm2014 / Social Work and Criminology / Unrestricted

Fetale alkoholsindroom (FAS) is ‘n voortgaande probleem in Suid–Afrika, veral in die Wes–Kaap. Baie kinders met FAS word in pleegsorg geplaas vanweë hul ouers se drankmisbruik en onvermoë om die kinders te versorg. Daar is reeds baie navorsing gedoen in akademiese en sosiale omgewings oor die voorkoms en simptome van FAS. Minder is bekend oor die hanteringsbehoeftes by pleegouers van pleegkinders met FAS en derhalwe is dit die navorser se doelwit om navorsing te doen in hierdie veld. Die doel van hierdie studie was om die behoeftes wat pleegouers ondervind in die hantering van hul voorskoolse pleegkinders met FAS te verken en te beskryf. Die navorsingsvraag vir die studie lui soos volg: “Wat is pleegouers se hanteringsbehoeftes ten opsigte van hul voorskoolse pleegkinders met FAS?” Hierdie navorsingsvraag is aangespreek deur kwalitatiewe navorsing, en die studie kan geklassifiseer word as verkennende en beskrywende navorsing. Die navorser het vir die doel van hierdie studie gebruik maak van ‘n niewaarskynlikheidsteekproef deur middel van doelbewuste steekproefneming. Die navorser het 17 pleegouers, van twee gesinsorgorganisasies gewerf. Fokusgroeponderhoude binne twee fokusgroepe is benut om die hanteringsbehoeftes by pleegouers van voorskoolse pleegkinders met FAS te identifiseer. Die onderhoude is getranskribeer vir die doeleindes van dataanalisering en aan die hand van Creswell (2007) se stappe ontleed. Sewe temas is geïdentifiseer, naamlik (1) Dissiplinering van voorskoolse pleegkinders met FAS; (2) Hantering van gedrag van die voorskoolse pleegkind met FAS; (3) Ondersteuningsdienste aan pleegouers of pleegkinders; (4) Inligting of ondersteuning rondom FAS; (5) Verwerping van die voorskoolse pleegkind met FAS; (6) Emosionele impak van die voorskoolse pleegkind met FAS op die pleegouer; en laastens (7) Rol van die biologiese ouers van die voorskoolse pleegkind met FAS. Hierdie temas is in subtemas verdeel en aan die hand van toepaslike narratiewe uit die fokusgroepe bespreek en met literatuur gekontroleer. Gevolgtrekkings en aanbevelings is na aanleiding daarvan gemaak. / Thesis (M.A. (MW))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

Fetale alkoholsindroom (FAS) is ‘n voortgaande probleem in Suid–Afrika, veral in die Wes–Kaap. Baie kinders met FAS word in pleegsorg geplaas vanweë hul ouers se drankmisbruik en onvermoë om die kinders te versorg. Daar is reeds baie navorsing gedoen in akademiese en sosiale omgewings oor die voorkoms en simptome van FAS. Minder is bekend oor die hanteringsbehoeftes by pleegouers van pleegkinders met FAS en derhalwe is dit die navorser se doelwit om navorsing te doen in hierdie veld. Die doel van hierdie studie was om die behoeftes wat pleegouers ondervind in die hantering van hul voorskoolse pleegkinders met FAS te verken en te beskryf. Die navorsingsvraag vir die studie lui soos volg: “Wat is pleegouers se hanteringsbehoeftes ten opsigte van hul voorskoolse pleegkinders met FAS?” Hierdie navorsingsvraag is aangespreek deur kwalitatiewe navorsing, en die studie kan geklassifiseer word as verkennende en beskrywende navorsing. Die navorser het vir die doel van hierdie studie gebruik maak van ‘n niewaarskynlikheidsteekproef deur middel van doelbewuste steekproefneming. Die navorser het 17 pleegouers, van twee gesinsorgorganisasies gewerf. Fokusgroeponderhoude binne twee fokusgroepe is benut om die hanteringsbehoeftes by pleegouers van voorskoolse pleegkinders met FAS te identifiseer. Die onderhoude is getranskribeer vir die doeleindes van dataanalisering en aan die hand van Creswell (2007) se stappe ontleed. Sewe temas is geïdentifiseer, naamlik (1) Dissiplinering van voorskoolse pleegkinders met FAS; (2) Hantering van gedrag van die voorskoolse pleegkind met FAS; (3) Ondersteuningsdienste aan pleegouers of pleegkinders; (4) Inligting of ondersteuning rondom FAS; (5) Verwerping van die voorskoolse pleegkind met FAS; (6) Emosionele impak van die voorskoolse pleegkind met FAS op die pleegouer; en laastens (7) Rol van die biologiese ouers van die voorskoolse pleegkind met FAS. Hierdie temas is in subtemas verdeel en aan die hand van toepaslike narratiewe uit die fokusgroepe bespreek en met literatuur gekontroleer. Gevolgtrekkings en aanbevelings is na aanleiding daarvan gemaak. / Thesis (M.A. (MW))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

Please read the abstract in the section, 00front, of this document / Dissertation (MA(MW))--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Social Work and Criminology / unrestricted

The aim of this study was to develop, implement and evaluate a social work empowerment programme for foster parents of sexually abused children. This thesis consists of five sections: SECTION A: Contains the problem statement, objectives and research methodology, the limitations of the study and definitions of key words. The problem statement was formulated as follows: There is no existing scientifically developed and implemented social work empowerment programme for foster parents of sexually abused children available in South Africa. This problem statement resulted in the development of four research objectives. The intervention research model was utilised and implemented within a mixed methodology paradigm. Focus group discussions and the single system design generated quantitative and qualitative data. SECTION B: Consists of four articles combined together, form the research report on the achievement of the objectives. The four articles are: Article 1: The implication of sexual abuse for foster care. The aim of this article is to establish the implications of sexual abuse for foster care by means of a literature study. The impact of child sexual abuse depends on various factors like the age of the child, the amount of force used, the relationship between the child and the perpetrator, and the period over which the abuse took place. The impact of sexual abuse on the child also varies depending on the individual child. In order for the foster parent to assist the foster child to heal from the trauma of child sexual abuse, it is necessary for the foster parent to have knowledge of and insight into such impact on the foster child. Article 2: The empowerment needs of foster parents of sexually abused children. The aim of this article is to establish the empowerment needs of foster parents of sexually abused children. A focus group discussion was used as a method to collect relevant qualitative data. Five (N=5) foster parents with foster children that have been sexually abused, identified from the caseload of a Child Welfare Society in White River and formed part of the discussion group. From the discussion group two categories, namely feelings, experiences and challenges of foster parents of sexually abused foster children and the needs of foster parents of sexually abused foster children were identified. Ten themes and sub-themes were derived and identified. Article 3: The development and implementation of a social work empowerment programme for foster parents of sexually abused children. The aim of this article is to develop and implement a social work empowerment programme for foster parents of sexually abused children. A nine session programme was developed according to the needs identified in the previous article, and implemented over three days to seven (N=7) foster parents, selected according to a non-probability sampling method. It was presented through psychosocial group work as method. Article 4: The evaluation of a social work empowerment programme for foster parents of sexually abused children. The aim of this article was to evaluate the social work empowerment programme and the effect of the programme on the psychosocial functioning of the foster parents of sexually abused children. A single system design was followed to collect data. Three standardised instruments were utilised during pre- and post-test. A self- developed questionnaire was used to gather qualitative data. SECTION C: Summative findings, conclusions and recommendations and contribution of the study. SECTION D: Addendums. SECTION E: Compound list of references. / Thesis (PhD (Social Work))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013

A large number of children find themselves in foster care situations in South Africa with placements that have to be monitored by social workers. This is a demanding task, given the nature of foster placements and the high caseloads of social workers responsible for monitoring of foster placements. Although a wealth of information on resource management is to be found in the prevailing literature, no comparative volume of information is to be found on foster care resources in child welfare in particular. A model for resource management in this field must still be developed. In view of this and considering the role occupied by the researcher in the Kerklike Maatskaplike Diens: Bloemfontein, Free State, South Africa, it was decided to embark on a research project investigating the use of resources in the field of child welfare, specifically with foster care social workers. The aim of the study is to assess whether adequate resources are available. The availability and utilisation of resources in the field of child welfare is under-researched and a resource management system for this purpose should still be developed. The research results indicated that social workers monitoring foster care placements have high caseloads and that resources, even though they are utilised to a certain extent, are not always accessible or effective. The most important learning needs were related to organisational, community and professional resources that could be considered unrealistic, ineffective, inaccessible and not feasible in most circumstances. Further main challenges are a lack of resources and time, a lack of co-operation from the foster parents and the biological parents respectively and the shortage of foster care social workers in South Africa. / Thesis (MSW)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.