Social work, as a profession, is critical for societies as it aims to promote social change and development, as well as social cohesion and the empowerment and liberation of people. Whereas the working conditions of social workers have been the focus of previous research, the topic of social workers’ personal safety challenges and the coping strategies employed during social work service delivery seems to be sparsely researched and documented in indigenous literature. In view of this, I designed a research project aimed at exploring the personal safety challenges that social workers encounter and the coping strategies they employ during social work service delivery from a qualitative research approach with a collective case study design, coupled with an explorative, descriptive, contextual and phenomenological research design, with a view to proffer suggestions for promoting social workers’ personal safety. From the conception of the research project, up until its finalisation which culminated in this research report, I observed the ethical principles of informed consent, anonymity, and confidentiality in the context of the management of information. I employed semi-structured interviews as a data collection method from a sample of 14 purposively selected social workers in the employ of one government Department and three non-profit organisations in the Tshwane region. Data was analysed using Tesch’s (1990) steps and data verification was done through Gibbs’ (2008) model. I utilised Schlossberg’s (1981) Transition Process Model as the theoretical lens in this study. Based on the findings presented in this research report, it is evident that social workers face various challenges in terms of their personal safety, ranging from being physically attacked and being at the receiving end of aggressive behaviour from distressed, frustrated, and hostile service users, to facing risks to their personal safety in the social work offices and whilst on the road during fieldwork or in the communities they serve. The various coping strategies that social workers employ as way of dealing with the incidents and situations in which their personal safety is compromised include speaking to a supervisor, colleagues, friends, or a therapist; using their personal faith; remaining calm and withdrawing from the unsafe situation; and enlisting the help of the police or ensuring that they are accompanied by colleagues when doing fieldwork. The research findings included the suggestions proffered by the research participants on how to promote the personal safety of social workers and these are directed at employer organisations and social workers themselves. In addition, recommendations are provided which are directed towards social work practice; social work education and training; and continuous professional development. There are also recommendations for areas of further research. / Social Work / M.A. (Social Work)

The researcher conducted a qualitative study to determine the relationship between Local Government and the welfare organizations in the Eersterust community. In the previous political dispensation Eersterust was a community that was disadvantaged in terms of services by Local Government. Although Local Government is now tasked with a social development responsibility, its role regarding welfare organizations still does not go beyond rendering basic services, such as making premises and recreational facilities available. The research findings indicated that there is no clarity on the relationship; welfare organizations are uncertain of what is expected of them by Local Government and what they can expect from Local Government. / Health Studies / M.A.(Social Science (Mental Health))

Finansiele bestuur word aile~ as die taak van finansiele bestuurskundiges beskou. By nie-winsgerigte organisasies raak dit egter dikwels die verantwoordelikheid van niefinansiE! Ie personeel of bestuurslede uit 'n ander opleidingsagtergrond. Maatskaplike werkers, een van die vemaamste diensprofessies betrokke by nie·w;nsgerigte welsynsorganisasies, beskik nie noodwendig oor hierdie bestuursvaardighede nie. Hierdie studie kan bydra tot maatskaplike werkers en ander nie-finansiele personeel se verbeterde kennis en insig van sleutelaspekte van finansiele bestuur. Dit kan terselfdertyd ook finansiele bestuurders sensitiseer vir die eiesoortig-gekompliseerde eise van finansiele bestuur op die terrein van nie-winsgerigtheid, waar die fokus op diensfewering eerder as finansiile gewin, val. Dit konseptualiseer algemene bestuursfunksies en finansiele risikofaktore binne die konteks en eiesoortigheid van nie-winsgerigte flnansiAie bestuur. Hierdie kennis kan moontlik die gaping tussen die. bestuursvaardighede van finansiele- en nie-finansiele bestuurders help oorbrug en die sukses en voortbestaan van nie-winsgerigte welsynsorganisasies bevorder deur die kwaliteit van bestuursinsette te verbeter. / Financial management is commonly regarded to be the field of financial managers. In the case of non-profit or voluntary organisations it often becomes the responsibility of non-financial personnel or members of management from other educational backgrounds. Social workers involved in non-profit organisations rendering welfare services do not necessarily have the required financial management skills. This study can provide social workers and other non-financial personnel with information to better their understanding on key issues concerning financial management. It can also sensitise financial managers towards the uniquely complicated demands on financial management in the non-profit environment, where the focus falls on service delivery rather than on financial gain. It conceptualises management principles as well as financial risk factors in the distinct context of non-profitable financial management. This knowledge could probably aid in bridging the gap between the management skills of financial and non-financial managers and thus promote the success and sustainabUity of non-profit organisations by improving the quality of input by management. / Social work / M.Diac. (Maatskaplike werk (Bestruur)

Text in Afrikaans / The purpose of this research study is to determine how Police Social Workers experience the supportive function in supervision, and how they can be empowered through the strenghts perspective. The respondents were fifteen (15) Police Social Workers in the Western Cape. The findings of the empirical study proved that Police Social Workers also experience the profession to be stressful in nature. The respondents do have inherent strenghts, that can be utilised optimally during supervision, to enhance service delivery to their different client systems. It is recommended that all SAPS social workers be exposed to supervision / consultation, as a stress management mechanism. SAPS supervisors must be empowered, eg. Inservice training, to develop an effective supervion programme. / Die doel van die navorsing is om vas te stel hoe Polisie Maatskaplike Werkers die ondersteuningsfunksie in supervisie ervaar, en hoe hulle bemagtig kan word deur die sterkteperspektief. Die respondente was vyftien (15) maatskaplike werkers indiens van die SAPD in die Wes Kaap. Die empiriese studie het getoon dat Polisie Maatskaplike Werkers ook die professie as stresvol ervaar. Die respondente beskik almal oor inherente sterkpunte en vaardighede, wat optimaal benut kan word tydens supervisie om sodoende 'n effektiewe diens aan hul onderskeie klientsisteme te lewer. Daar word aanbeveel dat alle SAPD maatskaplike werkers aan supervisie / konsultasie blootgestel word, en dat supervisie / konsultasie as 'n streshanteringsmeganisme benut moet word. SAPD supervisors moet ook bemagtig word, deur byvoorbeeld indiensopleiding, om 'n effektiewe supervisie program te ontwikel. / Social work / M.Diac. (Social Work)

Evaluation determines the impact of social services as well as job performance and assures communities that social workers render effective services. Post audits are done as part of performance management at the Christian Social Councils in the Highveld Synodal Region. The purpose of this research is to look at the experiences of social workers that had a post audit to determine whether adjustments to improve the audit system are needed. A qualitative approach with an exploratory, descriptive and contextual research design was followed. Participants were identified according to the purposive sampling method. Data was collected during semi-structured interviews. The data was analysed and verified according to the models of Tesch (in Creswell, 2003) and Guba (in Krefting, 1991), respectively, and processed in the research report. / Social Work / M. A. (Social Science)

Afrikaans text / Besorgdheid het in die gemeenskap bestaan oar die toenemende getalle kinders wat binne die stedelike konteks van Pretoria op straat leef en werk. Hierdie navorsing is onderneem om die behoeftes van die kinders aan te spreek en om alternatiewe wyses te vind om met hulle te werk. 'n Konteks is geskep sodat na hulle stemme geluister kon word. nag 'n alternatief tot "tradisionele" vorme van gesinsterapie bruikbaar is, op sekere voorwaardes, soos aangedui in hoofstuk vier. Sleutelwoorde: reflekterende span; "straatkinders"; ekosistemiese benadering; ekologie; epistemologie; konstruktivisme; objektivisme; kubernetika; sisteemteorie; mikro-, meso- en makrosisteme; sirkulere en liniere punktuasie Ekosistemiese beginsels is aanvanklik benut, maar was nie vir die span wat saamgewerk het, betekenisvol nie. 'n Gevallestudie-ontwerp was nuttig om die ontwikkeling en "opleiding" van die span wat sou saamwerk, te beskryf, asook die benutting van ekosistemiese beginsels tydens dienste aan die "straatkinders" en hulle gesinne by ltumeleng. Die navorsing het aangedui dat 'n ekosistemiese benadering tot gesinsterapie as / The community showed concern about the increasing number of children living and working on the streets within the urban context of Pretoria. This researchwas undertaken to address the needs of these children and to find alternative ways of working with them. A context was created so that their voices could be heard. Ecosystemic principles were initially used, but were not meaningful to the team who worked together. A case study design proved useful in developing and "training" of the team who would be working together, as well as applying ecosystemic principles while making services available to the "street children" and their families in ltumeleng. The research indicated that an ecosystemic approach to family therapy could be used as an alternative to "traditional" forms of family therapy, subject to certain conditions, as stipulated in Chapter Four. / Social Work / M.A. (Sosiale Wetenskappe (Geestesgesondheid))

The transformation of child and youth care ran concurrently with the political transformation in South Afriola. One of the projects aimed at establishing the transformation of child and youth care, was Project Go. This project placed a moratorium on the transfer of children 'deeper' into the child care system. It aimed at reunifying children ln residential care wtth their families. Furthermore, the projed assessed the children in the system with the aim of accommodating them in the least restrictive, most empowering child care facility. This narrative action research study focused on the effects of Project Go and the transformations on the children at the Children's Haven M T R Smit This study can also be described as emanciipatory action research. This qualitative study is positioned within a social construction discourse. Knowledge was socially constructed through multiple reflexive conversations. I researched the background to the transformation of the child and youth care system and investigated the implications of the transformation for the children at t.he Children's Haven M T R Smit,as well as for the child care workers and management of the haven. A narrative approach was employed. I relied on the Foucauldian discourse to come to some understanding of issues of power and resistance. Following Foucauldian thought, I investigated discourses constituting the care that the children at the Children's Haven M T R Smit received. This investigatlon led me to formulate some understanding of the history of the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) the body responsible for the management of the haven since it was founded in the earty 1920s. 0nce I reached an understanding of some of the historical developments of the DRC (which l learned was closely linked lo Afrikaner politics), I explored some implications of the transformation for the DRC's future involvement with the children in its care. This exploration led me to a comparison of the theology of the DRC and black liberation theology, focusing on prophetic practice. Although not an initial aim of this study, I learned that the transfornation of child and youth care held implications not only for the pastoral practice of the DRC, but also for the helping professions such as psychology, social work and child care. l focused briefly on the ethics and some limitations of care provided by the profession of psychology. I reflected on the implications of the transformation of child and youth care for the helping professions. / Philosophy, Practical & Systematic Theology / D. Th. (Practical Theology (Pastoral Therapy))

The dissertation presents a participatory research process in organisational change with social work supervision. The study was conducted with a group of social work supervisors employed by the Department of Health and Welfare in the Central region of the Northern Province from September 1997 to November 1998. The participatory research process engaged the participants in a consciousness-raising and educational process. They were enabled to identify problems which rendered them ineffective, brought about by the socio-political transformation process in South Africa since 1994, and were strengthened as a collaborative group to work together to bring about change in their situation. Going through the process of dialogue as a group, the participants became empowered and more confident to do participatory supervision, which in tum would empower the supervisees as direct service providers. / Health Studies / M.A. (Social Science (Mental Health))

Text in Afrikaans / The purpose of this research study is to determine how Police Social Workers experience the supportive function in supervision, and how they can be empowered through the strenghts perspective. The respondents were fifteen (15) Police Social Workers in the Western Cape. The findings of the empirical study proved that Police Social Workers also experience the profession to be stressful in nature. The respondents do have inherent strenghts, that can be utilised optimally during supervision, to enhance service delivery to their different client systems. It is recommended that all SAPS social workers be exposed to supervision / consultation, as a stress management mechanism. SAPS supervisors must be empowered, eg. Inservice training, to develop an effective supervion programme. / Die doel van die navorsing is om vas te stel hoe Polisie Maatskaplike Werkers die ondersteuningsfunksie in supervisie ervaar, en hoe hulle bemagtig kan word deur die sterkteperspektief. Die respondente was vyftien (15) maatskaplike werkers indiens van die SAPD in die Wes Kaap. Die empiriese studie het getoon dat Polisie Maatskaplike Werkers ook die professie as stresvol ervaar. Die respondente beskik almal oor inherente sterkpunte en vaardighede, wat optimaal benut kan word tydens supervisie om sodoende 'n effektiewe diens aan hul onderskeie klientsisteme te lewer. Daar word aanbeveel dat alle SAPD maatskaplike werkers aan supervisie / konsultasie blootgestel word, en dat supervisie / konsultasie as 'n streshanteringsmeganisme benut moet word. SAPD supervisors moet ook bemagtig word, deur byvoorbeeld indiensopleiding, om 'n effektiewe supervisie program te ontwikel. / Social work / M.Diac. (Social Work)

The researcher conducted a qualitative study to determine the relationship between Local Government and the welfare organizations in the Eersterust community. In the previous political dispensation Eersterust was a community that was disadvantaged in terms of services by Local Government. Although Local Government is now tasked with a social development responsibility, its role regarding welfare organizations still does not go beyond rendering basic services, such as making premises and recreational facilities available. The research findings indicated that there is no clarity on the relationship; welfare organizations are uncertain of what is expected of them by Local Government and what they can expect from Local Government. / Health Studies / M.A.(Social Science (Mental Health))