Ph.D. (Social Work) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.A. (Social Work) / The important role that social workers, in relation to the assessment of emotional abuse play, necessitated an investigation of the essence of all forms of child abuse, namely emotional abuse. The aim of this study was to set certain guidelines for the assessment of emotional child abuse which could be used by the social workers in service of the "Sinodale Kommissie vir die Diens van Barmhartigheid van Noord-Transvaal". During this investigation a qualitative as well as a quantitative approach was followed, thus, this study could be described as exploring/ descriptive. A literature review, where the indicators of emotional abuse was defined, was firstly undertaken. Secondly, a questionnaire was drawn up and completed by twenty five selected social workers. The aim of this questionnaire was to ascertain what the perception of, the family care worker in relation to the assessment of emotional abuse, was. Furthermore, one focus group materialised and four interviews with concerned parties were conducted. These parties included a social consultant from a state department, a social worker in private practise whom is concerned with the training of people involved in assessment of child abuse and two Commissionaries of Child Welfare. The purpose of these interviews was to determine their perception of factors involved in emotional abuse as well as their interpretation of the definition of emotional abuse in the Act on Child Care. A short, structured interview schedule was used to obtain certain general information that could be of value when interpreting the data. It was concluded that the perceptions of social workers and other concerned parties corresponded with concepts gained from the literature. Recommendations concerning the assessment of emotional child abuse, was also disclosed. Guidelines for the assessment of certain factors of emotional abuse were also expressed.

M.A. (Social Work) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

The Department of Social Work, School of Human and Community Development, Faculty of Humanities, the University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Master of Arts in the field of Social Development / The social work profession has long regarded professional supervision as central to the maintenance of best practices and has taken a leadership role in asserting the significance of supervision in human service settings. The goal of the study was to explore the experiences of child protection social workers with regards to supervision. The study utilized a qualitative research approach. Through a case study design, the researcher explored the experiences of a purposively sampled group of child protection social workers in Johannesburg on supervision. The researcher gathered qualitative data by carrying out face to face interviews with a total sample of twelve participants drawn from two child protection organizations based in the Johannesburg area. The study established that group supervision, individual supervision and peer supervision are the three main types of supervision utilised by child protection organisations, with group supervision being the most commonly used method. Furthermore, the study discovered that supervision plays three main functions in the work of child protection social workers, namely educational, supportive and administrative functions. The study also exposed numerous challenges faced by child protection social workers in their supervision of their daily work. In view of the study’s findings and conclusions in relation to the experiences of child protection social workers in supervision, the researcher proposes that child protection organisations need to utilise the most effective types of supervision which are beneficial to both the organisation and, more importantly, the clients they serve. / GR2017

M.A (Clinical Social Work) / The Department of Health and Social Development (DHSD) has the crucial mandate of protecting the vulnerable groups within society. These include women, children and people living with disabilities. In order to attain this, DHSD has employed social workers and other social service professionals to render the required services. Sexual abuse is a violent crime that is committed on children, who form part of the vulnerable groups. This study aims to determine social workers’ perception of their role in the management of child sexual abuse in the West Rand, Gauteng. It further aims to make recommendations that will enhance social workers’ intervention with sexually abused children. Kantrowitz and Okun’s (2008) framework of the roles of social workers was considered when analyzing participants’ perceptions of their roles in intervening with sexually abused children. The concepts relevant to the study included social workers’ perceptions and social work roles. The research approach of the study was qualitative, as the goal was to describe and analyse social workers’ perceptions of their roles. The findings indicated that social workers were not clear on their roles when rendering services to sexually abused children. They do not utilise evidence-based tools, and they end up doing tasks that are supposed to be done by other service providers, such as parents or care givers. They furthermore do not feel confident to render therapeutic services, and require training and support in this regard. Recommendations made to DHSD included providing continuous training and debriefing sessions to social workers.

The goal of this research was to explore and describe child and youth care workers lived experiences of life space therapeutic care in a residential setting. Life space refers to the daily living environment, context and situation of children.

The goal of this research was to explore and describe child and youth care workers lived experiences of life space therapeutic care in a residential setting. Life space refers to the daily living environment, context and situation of children.

An exploratory study was undertaken of the implementation of permanency planning at a Departemental office. The purpose of the research was to determine the philosophy and the guidelines for permanency planning. A literature study with regard to the philosophy and the guidelines for the implementation of permanency planning was undertaken. Based on this a questionare was compiled and completed from data of the files of 25 children in foster care where permanecy planning have been implemented or is in the process of being implemented. Recommendations have been made for further research and for the institution where the research was done. The most important findings of the research are as follows: Permanency planning is not implimented as a purposeful strategy, but is a long drownout process. The social workers who are responsible for the implementation of permanency planning are unaware of its philosophy and general guidelines. Consequently it is implemented intuitively rather than scientifically. / 'n Eksplorerende studie is onderneem waarin die implementering van permanensiebeplanning by 'n Departementele kantoor geeksploreer is. Die doel van die navorsing was om te bepaal wat die filosofie en die riglyne vir die implimentering van permanensiebeplanning is. 'n Literatuurstudie insake die filosofie en die riglyne vir die implementering van permanensiebeplanning is onderneem. Na aanleiding hiervan is 'n vraelys opgestel en uit 25 leers van pleegkinders by wie permanensiebeplanning ge1mplimenteer is of word voltooi. Voorspruitend hieruit is aanbevelings vir verdere navorsing en vir die instansie waar die navorsing onderneem is, gemaak. Die belangrikste bevindinge van die empiriese ondersoek dui op die volgende: Permanensiebeplanning word nie doelgerig ge1mplimenteer nie, maar is 'n lang uitgerekte proses. Die maatskaplike werkers wat die permanensiebeplanning moet implimenteer is onbewus van die filosofie en algemene riglyne vir die implimentering van permanensiebeplanning en daaromword dit volgens intuisie eerder as 'n wetenskaplike proses geimplimenteer. / M.A.(Social Work)

Thesis (M Social Work (Social Work))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: „n Beskrywende studie met „n verkennende inslag is in die studie gebruik om meer kennis en begrip oor die bydrae van maatskaplike werkers tot die aanpassing van „n pleegkind in middelkinderjare in „n pleegsorgplasing, te verkry. Die navorser het bewus geraak van die toename in die gebruik van pleegsorg vir „n sorgbehoewende kind in middelkinderjare, sowel as die tekort aan literatuur in Suid-Afrika oor die bydrae wat die maatskaplike werker lewer tot sodanige aanpassing binne „n pleegsorgplasing. Die genoemde aspekte het gedien as motivering vir die studie. Die bydrae wat maatskaplike werkers het tot die aanpassing van „n pleegkind in middelkinderjare in „n pleegsorgplasing is ondersoek. Die doel van die studie is om ʼn beter begrip te ontwikkel vir die bydrae wat maatskaplike werkers tydens pleegsorgplasing tot die aanpassing van ʼn middeljare pleegkind kan maak. Die literatuurstudie het die aard van pleegsorg ten opsigte van die pleegkind in middelkinderjare weergegee, waarna pleegsorg as „n proses beskryf is: van voorkomende dienste tot permanensieplasing. Spesifieke aandag is gegee aan die pleegkind in middelkinderjare se ontwikkelingsproses asook die bydrae wat die maatskaplike werker maak tot die aanpassing van die pleegkind in middelkinderjare in „n pleegsorgplasing. Aangesien die literatuur meestal konsentreer op die maatskaplike werker betrokke by „n pleegsorgplasing van „n pleegkind in middelkinderjare, het die steekproef bestaan uit 22 maatskaplike werkers wat by twee nie-regeringsinstansies in die Wes-Kaap en Suid-Kaap werksaam is. Die deelnemers is ten minste „n jaar reeds as geregistreerde maatskaplike werkers werksaam en het ook ondervinding in pleegsorgplasings. In die studie is daar gebuik gemaak van die kombinasie van ‟n kwalitatiewe en kwantitatiewe navorsingsbenadering, te wete „n geskeduleerde, semi-gestruktureerde vraelys wat beide oop en geslote vrae inhou wat uiteengesit is op inligting wat verkry is uit die literatuurstudie. Die ondersoek het „n bygedra gelewer tot die uitbreiding van kennis en inligting in die maatskaplikewerkpraktyk ten opsigte van die bydrae wat maatksaplike werkers lewer tot die aanpassing van „n pleegkind in middelkinderjare binne „n pleegsorgplasing. Die resultate het grotendeels die literatuurstudie bevestig, te wete dat maatskaplike werkers „n breë spektrum van dienslewering tydens die pleegsorgproses implementer, asook die ouderdom en ontwikkelingsvlak van „n pleegkind in ag neem tydens „n pleegsorgplasing. Eersgenoemde dienste word gerig tot die pleegouers, biologiese ouers, asook die betrokke pleegkinders ten einde dienslewering in die verband te bevorder. Maatskaplike werkers se aandeel in die aanpassingsproses van „n pleegkind in middelkinderjare blyk wisselend te wees. Beperkte tyd en „n groot werkslading verhoed maatskaplike werkers om op „n kontinue basis ondersteuning vir die aanpassing van „n pleegkind in middelkinderjare, sowel as vir die pleegouers in „n pleegsorgplasing te bied. In die aanbevelings is daar gefokus op drie areas insluitende, die bydrae van „n maatskaplike werker, pleegkinders en pleegsouers. Die behoefte aan meer opleiding in die gebied van pleegsorg en ondersteuning in „n pleegsorgplasing, aan maatskaplike werkers, pleegouers en pleegkinders is geïdentifiseer as die sentrale temas. As aanbeveling vir verdere navorsing kan gefokus word op verskeie faktore wat bydraend is tot onsuksesvolle aanpassing binne „n pleesorgplasing met die oog op „n in-diepte beskrywing van hierdie fenomeen, asook die daarstelling van riglyne aan die hand waarvan die aanpassingsproses van pleegkinders en pleegouers tot groter effektiwiteit bevorder kan word. Dit beteken ook dat die rol van die maatskaplike werker met betrekking tot die tersaaklike onderwerp aangepas kan word ten einde sodanige aanpassing meer effektief aan te spreek. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: A descriptive study with an exploratory design has been used in order to obtain more information and insight on the contribution that social workers make with regards to foster children in their mid-childhood years‟ adjustment within foster care placements. The researcher became aware of the increase in the use of foster care for vulnerable children in their mid-childhood years, as well as the shortage of literature in South Africa with regards to the contribution that social workers make towards these children adjusting to a foster care placement. The abovementioned aspects lead to the motivation for this study. The contribution that social workers make towards foster children in their mid-childhood years‟ adjustment within foster care placement was studied. The aim of this study is to gain insight into the contribution that social workers make towards foster children in mid-childhood years, adjusting within foster care placements. The literature study gave a description of the nature of foster care with regards to a foster child in his/her mid-childhood years. Foster care was described as a process: from preventative services to permanency placement. Specific attention was given to the foster child in mid-childhood years‟ development process as well as the contribution that social workers make towards a foster child in mid-childhood years‟ adjustment within a foster care placement. As the literature focused mainly on the social worker‟s contribution to the foster child in mid-childhood years‟ adjustment within a foster care placement, the sample consisted of twenty-two social workers working at two non-government organisations in the Western- and Southern- Cape regions. The participants have been registered as social work practitioners for at least one year and have had at least one year of experience in the process of foster care. A combination of both a qualitative and quantitative research methodology design was used in this study that consisted of a scheduled, semi-structured questionnaire which held both open- and closed ended questions. These questions were based on information retrieved from the literature study. The study made a contribution to the expansion of insight and knowledge in the social work practice with regards to the social workers‟ contribution to foster children in mid-childhood year‟s adjustment within foster care. The results of the literature study relatively confirmed the results of the study with regards to social workers‟ broad scale of service delivery during a foster care placement, as well as the consideration for the age and developmental phase of a foster child during the process of a foster care placement. First mentioned services are focused on the foster parents, biological parents as well as the foster children in order to enhance service delivery. Social workers‟ contribution to the adjustment of a foster child in mid-childhood years within a foster care placement seems to vary. Limited time and work overload prevent social workers to continuously support foster children in mid-childhood years as well as their foster parents. The recommendations focused on three areas including the contribution of a social worker, foster children and foster parents. The need for more training in the field of- and support in the area of foster care with regards to social workers, foster parents and foster children was identified as the fundamental themes. It is recommended that future research should focus on several contributing factors to ineffective adjustment within foster care placements with the aim of in-depth description of this phenomenon. Furthermore, the creation of guidelines concerning the enhancement of the adjustment process of foster children and foster parents that will lead to successful foster care placement is also recommended. This means that the role of the social worker with regards to the subject matter should adapt accordingly in order to enhance the adjustment within foster care placements.

An exploratory study was undertaken of the implementation of permanency planning at a Departemental office. The purpose of the research was to determine the philosophy and the guidelines for permanency planning. A literature study with regard to the philosophy and the guidelines for the implementation of permanency planning was undertaken. Based on this a questionare was compiled and completed from data of the files of 25 children in foster care where permanecy planning have been implemented or is in the process of being implemented. Recommendations have been made for further research and for the institution where the research was done. The most important findings of the research are as follows: Permanency planning is not implimented as a purposeful strategy, but is a long drownout process. The social workers who are responsible for the implementation of permanency planning are unaware of its philosophy and general guidelines. Consequently it is implemented intuitively rather than scientifically. / 'n Eksplorerende studie is onderneem waarin die implementering van permanensiebeplanning by 'n Departementele kantoor geeksploreer is. Die doel van die navorsing was om te bepaal wat die filosofie en die riglyne vir die implimentering van permanensiebeplanning is. 'n Literatuurstudie insake die filosofie en die riglyne vir die implementering van permanensiebeplanning is onderneem. Na aanleiding hiervan is 'n vraelys opgestel en uit 25 leers van pleegkinders by wie permanensiebeplanning ge1mplimenteer is of word voltooi. Voorspruitend hieruit is aanbevelings vir verdere navorsing en vir die instansie waar die navorsing onderneem is, gemaak. Die belangrikste bevindinge van die empiriese ondersoek dui op die volgende: Permanensiebeplanning word nie doelgerig ge1mplimenteer nie, maar is 'n lang uitgerekte proses. Die maatskaplike werkers wat die permanensiebeplanning moet implimenteer is onbewus van die filosofie en algemene riglyne vir die implimentering van permanensiebeplanning en daaromword dit volgens intuisie eerder as 'n wetenskaplike proses geimplimenteer. / M.A.(Social Work)