The research has been part of a larger study on developing evaluative strategies for programmes on street children in KwaZulu Natal. This study focussed on harm reduction programmes with reference to violence and crime. The phenomenon of street children has been seen to be caused by various interactive factors relating to the individual, the family, community and the society as a whole. The research was guided by a Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach utilizing multiple data sources and multiple focus groups with street children and service providers. Street children were given the space to talk about their experiences and to identify indicators of successful programmes. Shelter workers who are child care workers discussed programmes presented at the shelter and their impact on protecting and preventing children from exposure to violence and crime. They also discussed indicators of success in their programmes. Children indicated that successful programmes were characterised by consistency, fairness, non- discrimination, and that they take into account that street children are children too and that they can make mistakes. On the other hand child care workers described successful programmes as contributing to change in the life of a child, through social skills, attitude of the child and child's ability to be reunited with his family. Programmes, which serve to protect street children from violence and crime should be monitored and evaluated so as to assess their effectiveness. Based on the findings of this study recommendations are made regarding the evaluation of programmes for street children. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2005.

This study which was conducted in a shelter for girl street children in KwaZuluNatal explored the programmes available to the girl street child and the current evaluation strategies for such programmes. The aim of the research was to provide insight into what criteria or indices children and service providers think should be used to evaluate the effectiveness of programmes for street children. Qualitative research methodology using a Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach guided the research and allowed for in-depth discussions with the children living in the shelters as well as the staff involved. The children were between 12-18 years of age. Data were obtained through separate multiple focus group sessions with children and staff at the shelter. Seven focus group sessions were held with the children and three focus group sessions were held with the staff at the shelter. The sessions were tape-recorded and then transcribed. The major findings of the study indicated that the children overall were enjoying their stay in the shelter. However, inconsistencies were identified between the experiences of the children and the work conducted by the staff members. Further, the findings of this study showed that programmes at the shelter being studied were evaluated, but the effectiveness of these evaluation strategies has been questioned. Emanating from the findings, recommendations have been made with regards to practice issues and programme evaluation. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2005.

This study described kinship care placement in the Nseleni area. The study aims to describe the type of care in kinship foster care placements in the Nseleni area, Richards Bay. The objectives of the study were to investigate the physical and material circumstances of the families, to explore the psycho-social needs of the children, to explore whether or not the kinship carer is experiencing physical and emotional problems and to identify support systems available to kinship carers. The study was guided by the ecosystems perspective. This perspective attempts to appreciate and understand people in their environment. The ecosystems perspective was pertinent in this study as it provided a framework for understanding the individual, family, community and society context in which kinship carers operate. A quantitative descriptive (survey) approach guided this study. This design is useful for describing the characteristics of a large population and therefore it was an appropriate design for this study which aimed at describing how children in kinship care are being cared for. The sample comprised of 30 kinship carers who were respondents. Probability sampling was used to ensure representativeness and that all the members of the identified population had an equal chance of being selected. Structured interview questionnaires were personally administered to the respondents. Data was analyzed manually. Each of the questions was recorded in the manual table for data entry. All variables were added and checked. The totals were converted into percentages for easy calculation and analysis. Using Microsoft excel, tables and figures were formulated. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2008.

The need for a family therapeutic counselling programme in the management of HIV/AIDS was established by the researcher in 2001 (den Hollander 2001). The focus of this study was to develop the training programme model in family therapeutic counselling for church leaders and lay counsellors. This was accomplished using a variety of samples and research instruments, by firstly exploring the issues and problems facing people and families living with HIV/AIDS and then how best churches could respond as faith-based community organizations. At a theoretical level, this study sought to compare the paradigms of contextual and narrative family therapy with the theory and practice of social work and practical narrative theology, in order to integrate these paradigms into an incorporated response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic. The main research methodology was the Intervention Research Model as adapted from De Vos (2001). This model consists of six phases, consisting of problem analysis and project planning, information gathering and synthesis, design, early development and pilot testing, evaluation and advanced development, and dissemination of the training model. During the analysis phase an extensive literature research, as well as several field studies, both quantitative and qualitative were conducted. During the development phase, three pilot studies were designed and performed, in attempt to accommodate the context specific problems of different families and communities. The results of these two phases indicated a need for pastoral training in family therapeutic counselling, specifically in the areas of mental health, trauma and bereavement and child participation. Importantly, the need to intervene meaningfully to alleviate structural problems such as poverty and food insecurity were clearly indicated, with the study recommendation being for active networking across all stakeholders so that therapeutic counselling may work in tandem with these community based efforts. Recommendations in respect of offering such training are to provide a comprehensive structure of training, supervision and counselling practice. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2009.

HIV/AIDS reflects many of the stresses and strains in contemporary South Africa and must be considered in relation to the socio-political, economic and cultural factors that the epidemic is deeply rooted in. This study investigated how secondary schools have responded to the problems of HIV/AIDS and the challenges faced by educators in the implementation of the National HIV/AIDS School Policy and the Life skills programme. It also evaluated the Life-skills, HIV/AIDS programme implemented in three selected schools in the eThekwini region. A multiphase research design, incorporating both qualitative and quantitative methods, was utilised in this study. In Phase One, face- to face interview schedules were administered with principals from 74 secondary schools. Phase Two comprised in-depth interviews with educators as well as interactive workshops with Grade Nine learners and their parents from three selected schools. In Phase Three one focus group with district co-ordinators and an in-depth interview was held with the national co-ordinator for the Lifeskills, HIV/AIDS programme from the Department of Education. The findings illustrate that there is a lack of institutional capacity at schools to deal adequately with the problem of HIV/AIDS. With the maturation and devastating effects of the epidemic at both micro (individual and families) and mezzo (school and community) levels, there is a need to move beyond sexuality education and knowledge about HIV/AIDS to include treatment, care and support services to learners, their families and educators who are either infected and or affected by the epidemic. Five key strategies are recommended as a fram~work to create an enabling environment in which not only risk reduction among the youth can occur but the effects of the maturation of the epidemic can be dealt with at the school, household and community level. Drawing on the practice elements embedded in structural theory and its application to HIV/AIDS intervention programmes in schools, recommendations are made for the re-conceptualisation of social work practice in contemporary South Africa. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2006.

Welfare agencies are involved in a complex process of transformation and working to overcome the past unjust system of racial and social discrimination in welfare. Many new policies have been developed as instruments of transformation and reform. There has been a shift in welfare policy from a residual model of welfare to a developmental focus. This requires radical changes by those involved in the welfare sector. This study assesses the level of transformation in service delivery in welfare agencies in KwaZulu-Natal: the link between policy and implementation. The White Paper of Social Welfare (1997) and subsequent policies will form the criteria from which transformation will be evaluated. Child Welfare agencies in KwaZulu-Natal formed the sample in the study. A survey method was used. Management members and social workers the agencies were interviewed. Senior officials and staff being policy-makers of the National Council of Child Welfare were also interviewed. It is argued that welfare agencies are grappling with the process of transformation and that delivery of services is far removed from that which the policies intend. Change, it is argued, has to be handled holistically, by combing policy, organisational change, re-ciirecting of energy and social energy. The results of study illustrates that what appears to have occurred thus far has been limited, incremental and piecemeal. The global economy and the macro- . economic policy of GEAR has constrained achievement of the goals of developmental social wefare in that there has been minimal increases in social spending. Past policies have put a brake on the implementation of a relevant welfare system. It is unlikely that agencies have the capacity to deal with the intensity of policy change, organisational development and new client bases. Overall, it can be argued that change has been haphazard, too rapid and poorly managed. A proposed model towards transformation is recommended. There has to be a partnership in the public-civic interface based on synergy and co-production if welfare services are to be relevant and meet the needs of the majority of people of South Africa. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Durban-Westville, 2000.

The need for an effective group programme to improve Black-White relations on desegregated university campuses in South Africa was identified as the focal area of concern of this study. A particularly urgent need to address the issue of Black-White relations in the University of Natal was shown to exist in view of its rapidly increasing multiracial student composition relative to other South African university campuses. Local and international literature was reviewed to provide guidelines for the construction and evaluation of appropriate programmes that reflected the dominant approaches that characterise group therapeutic strategies of improving intergroup relations. A significant absence of rigorous scientific evaluation of intervention strategies was noted. Two longitudinal, biracial group programmes were selected for evaluation viz. Group Programme A and Group Programme B. Programme A was reflective of a confrontational approach and Programme B was reflective of a non-confrontational approach. The programmes were based on the assumptions of humanistic psychotherapy, social psychological and sociological theories of prejudice formation and racism, and social learning theory. The project utilised an experimental before and after control group design. Forty five Black and 45 White students were randomly selected from a pool of first-year university students who fulfilled designated selection criteria. Fifteen Black and 15 White students were randomly assigned to Groups A, B and C. Groups A and B were subjected to Programmes A and B respectively while Group C was used as the control group. Four evaluation measures were used pretest and posttest viz. the Philosophy of Human Nature Scale, Heimler Scale of Social Functioning, Racial Discomfort Questionnaire and a Behavioural Interaction Change assessment. All four research hypotheses adopted were confirmed by the data analysis. The study highlighted the effectiveness of Group Programme A in improving Black-White relations. It was demonstrated that contact per se was not sufficient to improve race relations among university students. The central importance of developing insight into barriers in interracial communication was emphasised. While both Black and White students benefitted significantly from their participation in the Group Programmes, Black students derived fewer benefits than White students. Several recommendations were made for the utilisation of the research findings in university and wider communities. Further research possibilities arising from the present study were explored. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1990.

This is a thesis on marital conflict among Hindu South Africans, a community in which the divorce rate is steadily rising. This study aims to gather objective and scientific information on some of the more important factors responsible for this conflict. Identification of high risk factors would provide valuable pointers about what needs to be done to prevent serious marital discord from arising in the first place, or, having arisen, what can be done about resolving them satisfactorily before relationships have been irreparably harmed. The sample comprised two groups of couples who were differentiated from each other by the quality of their marriages, one whose marriages have been generally stable and happy (the SM group) and the other whose marriages have been showing obvious signs of strain and instability over a period of at least six months (the UM group). At the time of the study the 100 couples who comprised the UM sample were receiving professional assistance at some welfare agency, hospital or marriage guidance centre. The 50 couples who comprised the SM sample were recommended by social workers on account of their very happy marriages. Data from the two groups were obtained through the use of an interview schedule. Their responses were compared so as to determine whether, and in what respects, the two groups of spouses differed from each other. The following factors were found to be associated with poor marital adjustment : marriage at an early age; low educational, occupational and socioeconomic levels; quarrelsome parents; hasty unions; marriage against parents' wishes; pre-marital pregnancy; periodic unemployment of breadwinner, and frequent change of occupation; debts; disadvantaged housing, short courtship period; marked age differences between partners; a more idealised, less realistic set of expectations regarding married life; unplanned pregnancies, too close or too little attachment with one's parents; a negative attitude toward in-laws; parents' disapproval of prospective partner; absence of friends; conflict over the choice of friends; activities which jeopardise a family's limited resources such as drinking and gambling; poor communication between spouses; sexual problems; and disagreement over division of labour in the home. The following factors were associated with good marital functioning: some conflict with one's parents, but not too much; visiting in-laws together; joint participation in outside interests; wholesome personality traits; freedom to communicate one's real feelings to the spouse without fear of retribution; constructive ways of handling conflict; wise handling of family's finances; democratic relationships; sexual compatibility; and a circle of mutual friends. A call is made for a National Family Programme (which will include the Hindu community) whereby the quality of family and married life can be improved. Joint contributions need to be made by the central government, universities, schools, the media, business and industry, as well as welfare, cultural, religious and service organisations. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Durban-Westville, 1985.

The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of father absence on child and family adjustment in relation to age, sex, maternal employment and education, family system and the degree of turbulence (i.e. the amount of conflict and physical abuse in the family). The sample consisted of 447 low SES Indian children (ranging in age from six to eighteen years) and 204 of their mothers from to intact, widowed and divorced families. The instruments used were: Child Behaviour Rating Scale (Cassel, 1962); Semantic Differential; Self-Esteem Inventory (Coopersmith, 1967); Personal, Home, Social and Formal Relations Questionnaire (HSRC, 1968); Family Environment Scale (Moos, 1986); Mother-Child Relationship Evaluation (Roth, 1961) and Self-Esteem Scale (Rosenberg, 1965). The following significant results were obtained. Teachers' perceptions of adjustment were more positive for children from intact than father-absent families, for females than males, for children from secondary than primary schools, for children from nuclear than to extended family systems, for children whose mothers had secondary, compared to primary school education and for children who experienced low compared to high turbulence. Children from the divorced, compared to the intact and widowed groups, perceived their fathers more negatively, and their teachers more positively. Females from intact and divorced families perceived their families and schools more positively than males, while the reverse applied to the widowed group. Fathers from low, compared to high, turbulence families were perceived more positively. Adolescents from intact families indicated greater personal freedom than the divorced group. Those who experienced high, compared to low, turbulence had lower self-control, moral sense and personal freedom. Females from intact families were better adjusted on general sociability. This applied to males in both father-absent groups. Married, compared to single mothers had more positive perceptions of self, family and mother-child relationships. These differences also applied to working mothers, compared to housewives, for mothers with secondary, compared to primary, school education and for mothers who experienced low, compared to high, turbulence. The results were discussed with respect to their theoretical and practical implications for policy makers, mental health workers and educationists. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1989.

A study was undertaken of the stressful life situations of 87 duodenal ulcer patients (50 Indian and 37 Black males) and a control group of 75 non-ulcer patients (43 Indian and 32 Black males). The majority of the control group were orthopaedic patients selected on the grounds that they were not hospitalised for a psychosomatic complaint. The group emerged, however, as highly stressed in relation to possible work and income loss, because of their injuries. The duodenal ulcer and non-ulcer groups were similar in many demographic details and in several stressful life situations. There was a significantly higher reporting of stress in family life, in the work situation and as a result of the illness itself, by duodenal ulcer patients compared with the controls. The initial hypothesis that there would be more areas perceived of as stressful in the case of duodenal ulcer patients than controls was confirmed in the study. A minor hypothesis that there would be cross-cultural differences in the perception of stress was also confirmed. The follow-up study of Indian duodenal ulcer patients demonstrated the development of an "illness career" consisting of a periodic response to stress with onset or recurrence of duodenal ulcer symptoms accompanied by changes in the individual's family system. Minuchin's (1978) concept of enmeshment or disengagement in family systems was found to be applicable to the duodenal ulcer patient. The symptom served to maintain family homeostasis by transforming family conflict into care and concern, or by legitamising the under-functioning of the sick person. The role of social work intervention in relation to duodenal ulcer disease was explored through the establishment of a medical social work programme at the Gastro-Intestinal Unit, King Edward VIII Hospital, Durban. It was shown that the psychosocial aspects of duodenal ulcer disease must receive attention, together with medical treatment, if comprehensive patient care is to be achieved. Intervention should emphasise self management of stress through behaviour modification and cognitive restructuring. Family therapy is essential in cases where the symptom has a function in the family system. Many systems are involved in the aetiology and treatment of duodenal ulcer disease. A general systems approach is therefore useful in promoting a holistic view of the person and the illness. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Durban-Westville, 1983.