Thesis (M. A. (Social Work)) --University of Limpopo, 2017 / Refer to the document

Thesis (M. A. (Social Work)) -- University of Limpopo, 2017 / Social Work supervisors experience a lot of challenges when supervising inexperienced social workers. The overall aim of the study was to explore and describe experiences of social work supervisors in supervising inexperienced social workers in the Department of Social Development Malamulele Area Office. The study objectives were to identify supervisors’ training needs that enable them to manage inexperienced social workers; to appraise how supervisors manage poor confidence among inexperienced social workers; to assess how supervisors manage time to meet deadlines coupled with supervising; and to establish knowledge gaps between supervisors and inexperienced social workers in terms of relevant theories, skills and techniques. The researcher used both explorative and descriptive research designs. The data was collected through semi-structured face-to-face interviews from eight (8) social work supervisors who are employed by the Department of Social Development, Malamulele area office. The sample consisted of social work supervisors who were available and ready to participate in the study. Eight social work supervisors who had supervised inexperienced social workers were interviewed. The researcher followed the steps of thematic data analysis which are transcription of data, checking and editing, analysing and interpretation, and generalisation to analyse data. Ethical considerations such as voluntary participation, permission to conduct the study, anonymity, confidentiality and no harm to respondents were considered. The researcher found that Social Work supervisors who render supervision do not have relevant and up-to-date theoretical knowledge. They still apply relevant theories that they learned during their time as undergraduate Social Workers, and the fact that they do attend supervisory training makes the supervision to be poor. The researcher found that a lot of Social Work supervisors rely on their experiences because they do not have formal supervision training. The researcher also found that inexperienced Social Workers are not receiving enough supervision from their supervisors. The researcher concluded that these Social Workers are receiving enough supervision because their supervisors have a lot of work such as attending clients and meetings. Social Work supervisors in Malamulele area office are currently practising without supervisory training, but they are appointed based on their working experience. The researcher recommended that the Department of Social Development, Vhembe x District Municipality should encourage inexperienced Social Workers and supervisors to attend courses in supervision offered by different service providers and to understand their role.

Thesis (M. A. (Social Work)) -- University of Limpopo, 2020 / Foster care is the best method of alternative care for children that need care and protection. It offers children an atmosphere and environment that recognise their economic, social, educational, health and cultural needs without discrimination. The fundamental objective of foster care is to make sure children are protected and grow up in a safe and healthy environment. Notwithstanding the positive impact that comes with it, it has been confirmed worldwide that foster care suffers from serious deficiencies to an extent that the rights of children are compromised. The Department of Social Development is no exception to foster care backlogs, which result in foster care placement applications accumulating and families’ quality of life being affected and compromised. Social workers are inundated with high caseloads on a daily basis. The study employed qualitative and collective case study design. The non-probability, convenient sampling technique was followed to select twelve statutory social workers at Botlokwa Department of Social Development satellites. Out of these social workers, eight were female and four were male. Data was collected by means of literature review and semi-structured in-depth interviews guided by an interview schedule with open-ended questions. The data was analysed thematically with the help of the Nvivo programme. The study unearthed factors such as shortage of social workers, social auxiliary workers and supervisors, system deficiencies within the children’s court fraternity, insufficient tools of trade, multiple work responsibilities and lack of cooperation from clients as contributing to foster care backlogs. The findings also revealed that in order to cope with these backlogs, some social workers engage in unethical conducts such as comforting clients with lies and not attending to foster care files. Instead, they write process notes and use their own resources to execute their roles and help one another to deal with the backlogs. Therefore, it is recommended that specialisation in foster care, foster care file audit, hiring more social workers, effective working relationship between foster care stakeholders, adopting a computerised reminder system for files due for review, convenient court dates and amendment of form 30 and the advertisement of unknown fathers can be efficient measures to mitigate foster care not only at Botlokwa, but also within the Department of Social Development nationwide. The researcher therefore concludes that foster care backlogs within social work offices is real, and that to curb it requires collaborative efforts x by role players, particularly the Department of Social Development and the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development.

The Employee Assistance Programme is regarded as a tool that could assist employees in organisations with both their personal and work-related problems. This has become evident as more employers are offering these services to their employees. The goal of this study was to gain an in-depth understanding of social workers’ views and experiences in rendering EAP services in the Gauteng Department of Health (GDoH). The study used a qualitative research approach by focusing on the explorative, descriptive, and contextual designs. Constructivist theory and the person-environmentfit model formed the framework of this study. Purposeful sampling (a criterion-based sample) was used to select social workers rendering EAP services in the GDOH. Eleven social workers who met the criteria participated in the study and their ages ranged between 33 and 50 years. Data was collected by means of semi-structured interviews. The Tesch’s eight steps of data analysis was used, and data verification was conducted based on the Guba model. The findings in this study indicate that EAP is an important programme. However, it is not prioritised by the GDoH. Consequently, EAP practitioners experience challenges that negatively affect the provision of quality EAP services. Despite the challenges, most of the EAP practitioners nonetheless continue to render these services albeit under difficult circumstances since they love and have a passion for the work they do. / Social Work / M.A. (Social Work)

Thesis (MPA.) -- University of Limpopo, 2019 / The aim of this study was to investigate the working conditions of social workers at Makhado Municipality in Limpopo Province by focusing on the provision of resources, supervision and caseload. The qualitative research approach was used face-to-face, semi-structured interviews were utilised as a data collecting method from participants. Purposive sampling was used as a sub-type of non-probability sampling. The study was conducted at Makhado Municipality in Vhembe District in Limpopo Province. Data was collected from social workers working under Makhado Municipality and analysed through thematic analysis. It was found that social workers are not provided with adequate resources to render quality social work services, and that lack of availability of transport and office space is a serious challenge. It was further found that social workers are working without enabling trade tools such as computers, printers, photocopying machines, fax machines and cell-phones. It was further found that social workers are not getting quality supervision, and supervisors are not taking supervision as seriously as it shall be. Moreover, it was found that social workers have high caseloads, which is negatively affecting service delivery. The study recommends that the Department of Social Development prioritise the provision of trade tools such as transport, computers, cell-phones, printers, photocopy machines and stationery. The study further recommends that the Department of Social Development employ more supervisors, social auxiliary workers and social workers to reduce high caseloads. Moreover, the study recommends that the Department of Social Development increase the infrastructure budget and ensure that it builds more offices for social workers.

Thesis (M.Dev. (Development Planning and Management)) -- University of Limpopo, 2022 / The foster care backlog has been a challenge in the National Department of Social Development for some years which resulted in the lapsing of foster care grants and thousands of children left without legal and statutory protection. Due to this, civil society took the Department of Social Development to court as this challenge impacted negatively on the family functioning of foster families as they lost access to social grants. The Department of Social Development was ordered by the South Gauteng High Court to come up with an extensive legal solution by the end of December 2014 but, to date, the foster care backlog is still piling up and foster families‟ standard of life is threatened. The social workers who are mandated by the Children‟s Act to conduct the statutory process and place children in foster care are inundated by the high foster care backlog. The aim of the research study was to explore the challenges social workers face in relation to managing foster care backlog cases at the Department of Social Development in the Polokwane Municipality area, Limpopo Province. The research study was based on a qualitative research method whereby a small sample of 21 foster care social workers from three service points (Aganang Cluster, Polokwane East and Polokwane West) were interviewed. The researcher used face to face semi-structured interviews to collect primary data from the participants. The findings from the study affirmed that there were indeed challenges in managing the foster care backlog. Lack of support and training, together with inequitable distribution of cases, are the most dominant challenges identified by the participants. In order for the provincial Department of Social Development to reduce the high caseload and for the clients to continue receiving the best service, the research study recommends that the vacant post be filled as soon as possible. Furthermore, training on legislation dealing with children including the Children‟s Act is also recommended for social workers. The researcher is of the opinion that the findings and the recommendations of the study may add value in managing foster care backlog in the Polokwane Municipality area and Limpopo Province as a whole, if they can be considered and applied.

Palliative care is one of the crucial services provided by social workers to improve the quality of life of people suffering from life-threatening illnesses. It is an inter-disciplinary medical care giving approach which focuses on relieving symptoms and stress of life threatening illness. To my knowledge there is limited guidelines on how social workers should intervene in providing palliative care services. Therefore, this study will the explore experiences of social workers in rendering palliative care services to people faced with life-threatening illnesses. The study will follow a qualitative research approach. Purposive and snowball sampling will be employed to frame the sample of social workers who render palliative care services. Ethical issues regarding informed consent, confidentiality/anonymity and management of information will be considered and attended to. Data will be collected through semi structured interviews and analysed in terms of Tesch eight steps. The Guba and Lincoln’s model will be employed for data verification (Lincoln and Guba in Schurink, Fouché and de Vos 2011:419-421). / Social Work / M.A. (Social Work)

Text in Afrikaans / In die verhandeling word daar gepoog om vas te stel of selfdeterminasie wel as 'n beginsel in maatskaplike werk, deur die maatskaplike werkers van die Hoeveldstreek in Mpumalanga, erken en toegepas word. Die ondersoek het ten doel om te bepaal vanuit watter teoretiese raamwerk die maatskaplike werkers hulle dienslewering rig en hoe die beginsel selfdeterminasie binne die werkers se teoretiese raamwerk geakkommodeer en aangespreek word. Die ekosistemiese benadering is deur navorser gebruik as teoretiese raamwerk. Die inhoud word weergegee in terme van 'n literatuurstudie, waarin die beginsel selfdeterminasie, as sodanig aangespreek word, dan die epistemologie van die maatskaplike werker, asook die uitwerking van selfdeterminasie op dienslewering aan kliente. Inligting is verkry deur middel van 'n vraelys wat deur maatskaplike werkers in die praktyk voltooi is. Die gevolgtrekkings en aanbevelings gee 'n aanduiding van hoe selfdeterminasie erken en toegepas word en hoe die maatskaplike werkers die beginsel akkommodeer met betrekking tot hulle epistemologie. / In this dissertation the attempt is made to establish whether selfdetermination as a principle in social work is acknowledged and applied by the social workers of the Highveld region in Mpumalanga. The aims of the research were to establish the theoretical frame of reference which directs the social workers services and how the principle of self-determination within the social workers frame of reference is accommodated and applied in practice. The researcher has used as her theoretical frame of reference the ecosystemic approach. The contents of the dissertation is presented in terms of a literature study, in which the principle and the effect of self-determination on the services of the social worker to her clients, as well as her theoretical frame of reference is addressed. Information was obtained by means of a questionnaire which was completed by social workers in the field. The conclusions and recommendations give an indication of how selfdetermination is acknowledged and applied and if the social workers accommodated the principle of self-determination with their epitemology. / Social Work / M.A. (Social Work)

Thesis (MSocialWork)--Stellenbosch University, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of this study is to develop a theoretical and practical framework which can be utilised as a guideline for performance appraisal of occupational social workers employed by local authorities within the Cape Metropole. The study was preceded by a comprehensive literature study whereby the term performance appraisal was explained, the necessity and purpose of performance evaluation, were identified. Furthermore, the characteristics of performance appraisal in social work have been described. These characteristics serve as a basis for this study. An empirical study was then undertaken, which entailed an exploratory study to achieve the aim of this study. The social workers, who are employed by the local authorities within the Cape Metropole, were included in the study. The study was conducted by means of a group administrative questionnaire. Occupational social work is regarded as a relatively new area of specialisation in social work and very little has been written about it. Therefore a brief overview of occupational social work is provided, with specific reference to the U.S.A., Europe and South Africa. Furthermore emphasis is placed on the structural and functional characteristics of an organisation that influences occupational social work. The nature and scope of the social worker's service rendering, as well as the knowledge and skills that is required to render effective services, is discussed. The evaluation of work performance of social workers, the frequency thereof and the persons involved therein, were investigated to determine the nature and scope of the performance appraisal systems that are implemented. Performance appraisal requires the participation of both the supervisor and the social worker. The nature of communication during performance evaluation was identified and the manner in which communication should take place were also obtained. Social workers' opinions in terms of the manner in which they should be allowed to participate during supervision and performance appraisal were also obtained. Social workers' opinions of the valuable aspects of performance appraisal were explored to determine the value of performance evaluation for them. Hence it could be deduced that they experience performance appraisal as valuable and that they have insight into the fact that performance appraisal could contribute to their professional development. The social workers' opinions in terms of the type of principles that should be implemented during performance appraisal were also explored and the outcome of the study showed that the same principles as identified in the literature, are also viewed as important to them. The respondents' opinions in terms of the importance of guidelines for performance evaluation and that it should be conducted in terms of a specific process has been explored, and the results of the study showed that the respondents were positive about the use of guidelines for performance appraisal, which should amongst others include the utilisation of an educational model, evaluation and program. In conclusion, the responses from the occupational social workers of local authorities in the Cape Metropole are discussed and compared with relevant literature. This serves as basis for the recommendations that are made and can be utilised to establish guidelines for performance appraisal for social workers at local authorities within the Cape Metropole. The most important recommendation is that management of local government should utilise the results of this study to establish guidelines for performance appraisal for their occupational social workers. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie studie is om 'n teoretiese en praktiese raamwerk daar te stel wat as riglyn benut kan word vir prestasiebeoordeling van bedryfs-maatskaplike werkers by plaaslike owerhede binne die Kaapse Metropool. 'n Omvattende literatuurstudie is ten aanvang van die studie gedoen en hiertydens is die noodsaaklikheid en doel van prestasiebeoordeling in maatskaplike werk geïdentifiseer. Verder is die eienskappe wat prestasiebeoordeling in maatskaplike werk kenmerk, beskryf. Hierdie kenmerke dien as onderbou vir die studie. Na die literatuurstudie is 'n empiriese studie onderneem wat behels het dat 'n verkennende studie gedoen is. Die bedryfs-maatskaplike werkers in diens van die plaaslike owerhede binne die Kaapse Metropool is by die ondersoek betrek. Groepgeadministreerde vraelyste is as ondersoekmetode gebruik. Bedryfs-maatskaplike werk word beskou as 'n relatief jong spesialiteitsveld van maatskaplike werk en daar is nog min daaroor geskryf. Daarom word 'n beknopte historiese oorsig van bedryfs-maatskaplike werk gegee met spesifieke verwysing na die VSA, Europa en Suid-Afrika. Verder is daar klem gelê op die strukturele en funksionele eienskappe van organisasies wat bedryfs-maatskaplike werk beïnvloed. Die aard van die dienslewering van die bedryfs-maatskaplike werkers, sowel as die kennis en vaardighede waaroor hulle behoort te beskik, word ook bespreek. Die evaluering van die maatskaplike werkers se werkverrigting, die frekwensie daarvan en die persone daarby betrokke is ondersoek om die aard en omvang van die implementering van 'n stelsel van prestasiebeoordeling te bepaal. Prestasiebeoordeling vereis dat die supervisor en die maatskaplike werker aan prestasiebeoordeling moet deelneem. Die bedryfs-maatskaplike werkers se menings ten opsigte van die redes waarom werkverrigting nie geëvalueer word nie, is ook vasgestel. Die aard van kommunikasie wat tydens die implementering van prestasiebeoordeling gebruik word, is derhalwe geïdentifiseer, en die wyse waarop kommunikasie behoort uitgevoer te word is ondersoek. Die wyse waarop die maatskaplike werkers geleentheid tot deelname aan supervisie en prestasiebeoordeling behoort te verkry, is ook bepaal. Die waarde wat prestasiebeoordeling vir die maatskaplike werker inhou, is ondersoek deur die bedryfs-maatskaplike werkers se menings oor die aspekte wat tydens prestasiebeoordeling vir hulle waarde inhou, vas te stel. Hieruit kan afgelei word dat die bedryfs-maatskaplike werkers prestasiebeoordeling as waardevol beskou en insig openbaar in die feit dat prestasiebeoordeling tot verbeterde werkverrigting en tot hulle professionele ontwikkeling kan bydra. Die respondente se opinie oor die soort beginsels in prestasiebeoordeling is ondersoek en die resultate van die studie was dat dieselfde beginsels as wat in die literatuur geïdentifiseer word, ook deur hulle as belangrik beskou is. Die bedryfs-maatskaplike werkers se menings ten opsigte van die noodsaaklikheid van riglyne vir prestasiebeoordeling en dat dit volgens 'n proses behoort te geskied, is ook vasgestel. Daar is bevind dat die maatskaplike werkers positief ingestel is ten opsigte van die gebruik van 'n stelsel wat die benutting van 'n onderrigmodel, -evaluering en -program insluit en wat sal geskied volgens bepaalde riglyne vir prestasiebeoordeling. Ten slotte word die response van die bedryfs-maatskaplike werkers van die plaaslike owerhede binne die Kaapse Metropool bespreek en vergelyk met relevante literatuur. Dit dien as basis vir die aanbevelings wat gemaak word. Hierdie aanbevelings kan benut word om riglyne daar te stel vir prestasiebeoordeling van bedryfs-maatskaplike werkers by plaaslike owerhede binne die Kaapse Metropool. Die vernaamste aanbeveling is dat die Plaaslike Owerheid die resultate van die studie moet benut om riglyne vir prestasiebeoordeling van bedryfs-maatskaplike werkers saam te stel.

Thesis (M Social Work)--Stellenbosch University, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study is to provide a theoretical and practical guidelines for the implementation of employee assistance programmes at the Department of Correctional Services in the Western Cape. An explorative research design was used. The historical development of occupational social work international as well as the historical development of occupational social work in the South African context was discussed. The nature and content of employee assistance programmes is also discussed. Attention was given to employee assistance programmes within the organizational context. The functions of the EAP practitioner as well as the current nature and content employee assistance programmes within the Department of Correctional Services is discussed. The roles, knowledge and skills of the occupational social worker is also discussed. An empirical investigation was undertaken in which SIX EAP practitioners participated for the purpose of the study a questionnaire was designed. A structured questionnaire as well as interviews was conducted in order to gather data. Certain recommendations are made based upon the conclusions and findings. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie studie is om 'n teoretiese en praktiese riglyne daar te stel vir die implementering van werknemershulpprogramme binne die Departement van Korrektiewe Dienste in die Wes-Kaap. Daar is van 'n verkennende navorsingsontwerp gebruik gemaak. In die studie is die ontwikkeling van bedryfs maatskaplike werk internasionaal sowel as in Suid-Afrika bespreek. Die aard en omvang van werknemershulpprogramme is bespreek. Daar is aandag geskenk aan werknemershulpprogramme binne organisasie verband. Die funksies van die werknemershulpprogram praktisyn sowel as die huidige aard van bedryfs maatskaplike werk binne die Departement van Korrektiewe Dienste is bespreek. Die rolle, kennis en vaardighede van die bedryfs maatskaplike werker is ook bespreek. 'n Empiriese ondersoek is gedoen waarvan ses werknemerhulpprogram praktisyns deelgeneem het. Vir die doel van die empiriese ondersoek is 'n vraelys ontwerp. Daar is gebruik gemaak van 'n gestruktureerde vraelys en onderhoude om data te versamel. Aan die einde van die studie word daar sekere aanbevelings gemaak wat gebaseer is op die gevolgtrekkings en die bevindings van die studie.