Text in Afrikaans / Die herscomgestelde gesin word in hierdie navorsingstudie ondersoek as 'n kompleksa alternatiewe gesinstruktuur met eiesoortige strukturele kenmerke, probleemarecs en rituele wat nie aan die norm von die kerngesin ontleen kan word nie. In die literotuuroorsig word hierdie aspekte van nader beskou en tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dot die belangrike rol van die eie ouer in die hersoomgestelde gesin grootliks misgekyk word. Die verbondenheid van die eie ouer aan beide die ouer-kind- en die nuwe egpoorsisteme mack ditvir hom/hoar moontlik om 'n sleutelrol te vervul tydens gesinsinteroksies, eenheidsvorming en die opvoedingsgebeure in die hersoamgestelde gesin. Dit is moontlik vir die eie ouer om vanuit 'n unieke posisie as 'n buffer te dien in die problemotiese stiefouer-stiefkindverhoudinge. Hierdie maontlikheid bestaon egter slegs indien die eie ouer oor voldoende kennis, insig en voardighede beskik. 'n Uitgebreide kwalitatiewe ondersoek aan die hand van semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude met die lede van ses hersaamgestelde gesinne het die volgende tendense aan die lig gebring: • Eie overs verwag van nuwe egliede om kinders in die hersaamgestelde gesin uit die staanspoor te aanvoor en lief te he. • Eie overs koester konflikterende gevoelens ten opsigte van die dissiplinering van hul kinders deur die stiefouer. • Eie ouers, sfiefouers en kinders in hersaamgestelde gesinne goon dikwels gebuk onder d\e los van onverwerkte gevoelens van verdriet en verlies. • Die hantering van finansies ten opsigte van inwonende eie en stiefkinders, asook nie-inwonende kinders en vorige egliede skep spanning en bemoeilik goeie verhoudinge. • Eie ouers is dikwels so verdeeld tussen die belange van nul kinders en die van hul nuwe moats dot hulle dit moeilik vind om in 'n tweede huwelik 'n betekenisvolle verhouding met hul nuwe lewensmaat op te bou. Genoemde tendense het 'n bepolende rol gespeel in die ontwikkeling von 'n begeleidingsprogram vir eie ouers. Agt sessies met doelwitte geboseer op hierdie probleemoreas is gestruktureer om die eie ouer met noodsaaklike kennis en vaardighede toe te rus ten opsigte van harmoniese verhoudingstigting en -onderhouding in hersaamgesfelde gesinne. Die begeleidingsprogram is deur middel van 'n fokusgroeponderhoud aan die evaluering von vier ouerpare in hersaamgestelde gesinne onde&Werp en is aon die hand van hul aanbevelings verfyn en gefinaliseer.

The number of children who are placed in foster care with their grandmothers has increased drastically. The main reason for their foster care placement is the death of their mother or both their parents, mostly because of HIV/Aids-related diseases. However, welfare organisations in South Africa do not have a programme at their disposal to strengthen attachment between related single-parent foster mothers and their foster children. An exploratory study was therefore undertaken to develop such a programme. A twofold research approach, namely a positivist-humanistic or quantitative-qualitative approach, was followed to collect the data. The approach would serve the exploratory developmental research the best. The aim of the study was to develop an attachment programme for related, single-parent foster mothers and foster children, and implement and empirically test the programme. A quasi-experimental design, namely a comparative group pretest-posttest, was used to test the programme empirically. A collective case study was also used to observe and describe the respondents’ subjective experiences of the programme. The study was guided by the following research question: What are the experiences of a group of related single-parent foster mothers and foster children during the implementation of the attachment programme? This question was based on the following hypothesis: If the programme is applied, the attachment of the related single-parent foster mothers and foster children will improve. The research question was answered and the hypothesis was confirmed. Altogether 50 mother-child pairs (middle-childhood children and grandmothers older than 50 years) who lived in Daveyton (Gauteng) and were clients of CMR Daveyton during 2004, participated in the research. The sample was divided into two equally large groups: a comparative group and an experimental group. The experimental group was supposed to have done a pretest, the programme and a posttest, but since several respondents withdrew from the research, only 22% (11 mother-child pairs) were subjected to the intervention. The comparative group did the pretest and the posttest only. Rothman and Thomas’s model for intervention research was used to develop the attachment programme. The model is comprised out of six phases of which the first five phases have been used in this study. During the first phase the problem was analysed. During the second phase information (about attachment and foster care) was collected. During the third and fourth phases a theory-based attachment programme was drafted and tested to identify shortcomings. In the fifth phase the programme was fully implemented and its impact tested empirically. The quantitative data were collected with the aid of an existing attachment scale, the Marschak Interaction Method Behavior Rating System (MIMBRS). The MIMBRS was used to code the respondents’ interactions during a structured interactional analysis (the Marschak Interactional Method or MIM). Since the MIM is mainly used among literate people, it was adapted for the purposes of this study for illiterate people. The results of the pretest and posttest demonstrated that the intervention was successful. The respondents who did the programme showed an improvement in all the variables that were measured. Copyright 2005, University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. Please cite as follows: Blunden, C 2005, ’n Bindingsprogram vir verwante, enkelouerpleegmoeders en pleegkinders (Afrikaans), DPhil thesis, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd < http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-09142005-122907 / > / Thesis (DPhil (Social Work))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Social Work and Criminology / unrestricted

Thesi (DPhil (Social Work))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / According to South African policy documents social workers are encouraged to implement a developmental-focused policy regarding social work service delivery. This implies that social work service delivery should focus firstly on preventive services, then on early intervention services and lastly on statutory services. In terms of the delivery of family preservation services this prerequisite requires that preventive services should be aimed at the provision of family preservation services by integrating the parents of high risk families in informal and formal sources in their communities. Early intervention services require that family-centred and intensive crisis services should be delivered to high risk families to prevent statutory services or the removal of children from their families. This study explored the perspective of social workers on the state of family preservation services provided by three non-governmental organizations in the Western Cape Metropole and surrounding areas. The study also identifies social workers‟ perspective on the obstacles experienced during the implementation of developmental-focused policy according to policy documents. A combined quantitative and qualitative research methodology was used to involve social workers employed by three non-governmental organizations in the Western Cape Metropole and surrounding areas in an exploratory study. Findings derived from the empirical study on the state of family preservation services show that social workers are unsure of the exact meaning of the term family preservation services. As far as family-centred preservation services (early intervention services) are concerned, the study found that limited concrete services are delivered, and that there is a stronger focus on educational and therapeutic services. With regard to family-supportive preservation services (preventive services), findings indicate the existence of limited services or sources at family organizations with which parents can be integrated on a continuous basis to expand their informal and formal networks, in accordance with the viewpoints of family support. With regard to the implementation of policy documents, it seems that there is still a stronger focus on delivering statutory rather than preventive services. Obstacles influencing the delivery of preventive services are, inter alia, large case loads, where especially statutory services are delivered, as well as a lack of human resources. A lack of funding to initiate and maintain projects is a further obstacle to the delivery of developmental-focused services. Another important aspect is the fact that social workers are unsure of what preventive and early intervention services comprise, in terms of family maintenance. The most important recommendations resulting from the study indicate that family organizations are incapable of implementing a developmental-focused policy if the State does not attend to the obstacles that exist at non-governmental organizations in the form of inadequate human resources and funding. Social workers should also receive thorough inservice training regarding the content of family preservation services. The non-governmental organizations should also investigate ways of delivering more comprehensive family-centred services like concrete and enabling services, since there is currently an imbalance between, for example, the delivery of concrete and therapeutic services. With regard to family support services, the study recommends that family organizations should try to initiate more services and resources, in accordance with a development-centred policy, that can be available continually to high risk families in the community, and that can be used as a resource. The development of appropriate support services, for instance home visit programs, can reduce the workload of social workers and simultaneously increase the networks available to high risk families, so that social exclusion can be counteracted, in accordance with the viewpoints of family preservation services.

Marriages and families are currently under tremendous pressure. Many marriages and families battle to adapt to changing life circumstances. They have become ignorant about the Divinely intended substance of relationships and are barely surviving. These marriages break up and end up in unhappiness and many times in the breaking up thereof. During the past 40 years there have been many attempts by state and church to stop the deterioration of marriages and family relationships and to put back the essential qualities of life. Many marriage enrichment programmes have been initiated and many couples and families have been encouraged to participate. Social programmes have been discussed and marriage and family initiatives have been launched during these programmes. This has brought hope in many communities. In this confused world of relativism and adaptation people have found some anchor points for their relationships and have found new meaning in their existence. However the question still remains: Do these programs just give a temporary surge of enthusiasm? To move from one program to another and to attend the one course after the other, does not bring a lasting solution. Courses and programs cannot function as crutches from which to get support for wavering marriages and family life. Couples and family members must be equipped in an integral way to revive their marriage and family life. They must be taught to become aware of the richness of happenings and memories that make relationships special and integrate these into their relationships. Rituals (for example: Baptism and Holy Communion) have helped church and humanity through the ages, to look past stale relationships and circumstances, to discover anchors in life and get through traumatic events. These rituals have been the reason for so many unique outcomes in stale relationships and have opened a new future for individuals and groups where none was evident. During this study these rituals have been seen as long–term assistance for marriages and families for the maintenance, extension and dynamics thereof. Rituals with the help of the development line of narrative research methodology, have been put in place to help couples and families to a better understanding and support of each other. They put new life into relationships, to build attainable future dreams and have given the opportunity for partners to move away from stale relationships to more hopeful relationships. The value of the local enrichment program as a safe environment for growth, adaptation and the integral implementation of meaningful rituals in marriage and family life, cannot be stressed enough. Within this enrichment program, with its relevant rituals, relationships are dynamically turned to the future. Believe in the existence of relationship has been found. Energy has been given to couples and families to live more purposefully. They are more creative and have a better understanding of each other. They can face the future together. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Practical Theology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

INTRODUCTION AND AIM: Chronic renal failure patients are confronted with many challenges and often express feelings of being a burden to their families. Since the inception of haemodialysis in 1913, limited research has been conducted to explore the coping behaviours of the families of haemodialysed patients, especially in the South African context. The family’s inability to cope with the condition and treatment, may impact on their wellness as well as that of the family member on haemodialysis. In light of the limited research available on the coping behaviours of families of haemodialysed patients, this study set out to describe the coping behaviours using the mixed method. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHOD: The study followed an explanatory mixed method approach with sequential design and was divided into two phases. Phase one addressed the first objective in identifying and describing the coping behaviours of the families using the Family Crisis Orientated Personal Scale (F–COPES) developed by McCubbin, Larsen and Olson. During phase two, the researcher conducted interviews to explore the coping behaviour identified in phase one. RESULTS: The mean scores of the subscales of the F–COPES scale ranged from 3.05 to 4.16 with reliability indices found to be within the normal range. The average mean score for the subscale “seeking spiritual support” measured highest at 4.16, followed by “mobilising the family to acquire and accept help” (M=3.94). “Acquiring social support” measured lowest at 3.05. Four categories emanated from the thematic analysis of the data from the second phase namely, challenges, coordinated care, support structures and beliefs about disease. CONCLUSION: The subscales “seeking spiritual support, mobilising the family to acquire and accept help, reframing and acquiring social support” showed concordance with the categories derived from the qualitative data analysis. Supporting evidence for “passive appraisal” as a sub–scale from the first phase and “challenges” as a category from the second phase could not be found. / Thesis (M.Cur.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

Marriages and families are currently under tremendous pressure. Many marriages and families battle to adapt to changing life circumstances. They have become ignorant about the Divinely intended substance of relationships and are barely surviving. These marriages break up and end up in unhappiness and many times in the breaking up thereof. During the past 40 years there have been many attempts by state and church to stop the deterioration of marriages and family relationships and to put back the essential qualities of life. Many marriage enrichment programmes have been initiated and many couples and families have been encouraged to participate. Social programmes have been discussed and marriage and family initiatives have been launched during these programmes. This has brought hope in many communities. In this confused world of relativism and adaptation people have found some anchor points for their relationships and have found new meaning in their existence. However the question still remains: Do these programs just give a temporary surge of enthusiasm? To move from one program to another and to attend the one course after the other, does not bring a lasting solution. Courses and programs cannot function as crutches from which to get support for wavering marriages and family life. Couples and family members must be equipped in an integral way to revive their marriage and family life. They must be taught to become aware of the richness of happenings and memories that make relationships special and integrate these into their relationships. Rituals (for example: Baptism and Holy Communion) have helped church and humanity through the ages, to look past stale relationships and circumstances, to discover anchors in life and get through traumatic events. These rituals have been the reason for so many unique outcomes in stale relationships and have opened a new future for individuals and groups where none was evident. During this study these rituals have been seen as long–term assistance for marriages and families for the maintenance, extension and dynamics thereof. Rituals with the help of the development line of narrative research methodology, have been put in place to help couples and families to a better understanding and support of each other. They put new life into relationships, to build attainable future dreams and have given the opportunity for partners to move away from stale relationships to more hopeful relationships. The value of the local enrichment program as a safe environment for growth, adaptation and the integral implementation of meaningful rituals in marriage and family life, cannot be stressed enough. Within this enrichment program, with its relevant rituals, relationships are dynamically turned to the future. Believe in the existence of relationship has been found. Energy has been given to couples and families to live more purposefully. They are more creative and have a better understanding of each other. They can face the future together. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Practical Theology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

INTRODUCTION AND AIM: Chronic renal failure patients are confronted with many challenges and often express feelings of being a burden to their families. Since the inception of haemodialysis in 1913, limited research has been conducted to explore the coping behaviours of the families of haemodialysed patients, especially in the South African context. The family’s inability to cope with the condition and treatment, may impact on their wellness as well as that of the family member on haemodialysis. In light of the limited research available on the coping behaviours of families of haemodialysed patients, this study set out to describe the coping behaviours using the mixed method. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHOD: The study followed an explanatory mixed method approach with sequential design and was divided into two phases. Phase one addressed the first objective in identifying and describing the coping behaviours of the families using the Family Crisis Orientated Personal Scale (F–COPES) developed by McCubbin, Larsen and Olson. During phase two, the researcher conducted interviews to explore the coping behaviour identified in phase one. RESULTS: The mean scores of the subscales of the F–COPES scale ranged from 3.05 to 4.16 with reliability indices found to be within the normal range. The average mean score for the subscale “seeking spiritual support” measured highest at 4.16, followed by “mobilising the family to acquire and accept help” (M=3.94). “Acquiring social support” measured lowest at 3.05. Four categories emanated from the thematic analysis of the data from the second phase namely, challenges, coordinated care, support structures and beliefs about disease. CONCLUSION: The subscales “seeking spiritual support, mobilising the family to acquire and accept help, reframing and acquiring social support” showed concordance with the categories derived from the qualitative data analysis. Supporting evidence for “passive appraisal” as a sub–scale from the first phase and “challenges” as a category from the second phase could not be found. / Thesis (M.Cur.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

The aim of this study is to reflect on biblical-theological perspectives on the relationship between the church and families. The study is undertaken against the backdrop of the challenges facing mainline churches, of which the decline in numbers, the lack of the support for programmes and initiatives on behalf of families, and the apparent inability to minister effectively to young people, are the most pressing. At the same time modernisation and globalisation have a negative impact on the well-being of families. This study aims to contribute to interplay between the church ministry and the ministry of families. Two research questions guide this study. The first is whether Reformed churches, and for the purposes of this investigation the Dutch Reformed Church and the Netherdutch Reformed Church of Africa, do enough to support and strengthen families in a postmodern context. The second question examines the underlying theories and family ministry programmes of existing family ministry initiatives. Four sub-movements within practical theology form the methodological framework of this study. The first movement describes the crisis within the church and families today (descriptive theology). The second movement explores some normative texts of the Christian tradition (historical theology) with regard to families. At different stages of the Old and New Testament, different theological perspectives and strategies can be identified. In the post-biblical period the biological family was central to the process of the institutionalisation of the church and the spiritual aspect of family was underplayed. The challenge of the church in a postmodern world is to engage in responsible biblical theological reflection on marriage and family, and specifically the relationship between the church and families from the perspective of the kingdom of God. The third movement within practical theology brings the findings of the previous two movements into dialogue with each other (systematic theology). In the love ethic of equal regard following this dialogue, marriage is seen as a non-hierarchical, post-patriarchal, life-long bond between two people. The family is iii described as the primary context for faith formation. Although several studies suggest that family form, and not only family function, plays an important role in the well-being of children and family members, the primary concern of the church should be to develop a spirituality of marriage and family. The fourth movement (strategic theology) within practical theology is made up of two separate, but related inquiries. Firstly, different models and methods for family ministry are investigated by means of a literature study. Secondly, a qualitative study done in five selected congregations is described in order to point out the underlying theories and resulting family ministry programmes. The findings suggest that only one of the five selected congregations has an integrated, coherent family ministry model. Although several different family ministry programmes were found in practice, a critical family ethic was lacking. This is the focus of the contribution of this study. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / gm2014 / Practical Theology / unrestricted

To belong somewhere is a basic human need. It is necessary for the psychological well-being of children to feel that they belong to a family, group and community and that they are loved and appreciated for who they are. A lack of a sense of belonging may cause children to find acceptance and belonging in destructive behaviour or groups. Children from fractured families who live in disadvantaged communities face more challenges than children who have easy access to education, health services and emotional support systems. Caregivers in these circumstances have a daily battle to survive and to keep their children safe. They do not always have the necessary knowledge to be aware of the children’s emotional needs, or the ability and means to fulfil in these needs. Social workers who render services to these families do not always have the time or aids to assist the children to enhance their sense of belonging or to enable the caregivers to strengthen the bond between them and the children. The overall goal of this study was to determine how bibliotherapeutic techniques can be utilised by caregivers and social workers to enhance a sense of belonging in children in their middle childhood years from fractured families in disadvantaged communities. In order to reach this goal, the way in which children from fractured families in disadvantaged communities experienced their sense of belonging was explored, as well as how the children, their caregivers and social workers perceived the social capital in the community. The content of a strategy that focuses on the uses of bibliotherapeutic techniques for children in fractured families from disadvantaged communities in order to enhance their sense of belonging was also determined, as well as ways in which such a strategy could be implemented by the social workers and the caregivers. The research findings suggested that children did not always have a sense of belonging with their primary caregivers and that the caregivers were unaware of the emotional needs of the children. The children expressed a need for playful interactions, nurturing and to listen to stories with their caregivers. Due to the caregivers’ lack of insight in the emotional needs of the children and illiteracy in some cases, a training programme that focussed on the importance of a sense of belonging and practical ways in which they can interact with the children to strengthen the emotional bond between them, was created and tested. The caregivers and children were able to identify schools, neighbours and churches as potential social capital in the community. Ways in which the social capital in the community could be utilised were suggested. Bibliotherapeutic techniques for the use of social workers to enhance a sense of belonging in the children were compiled and then tested by social workers. Both the training program and the bibliotherapeutic techniques proved to be useful and effective and will be disseminated for the use of social workers in their services with children and caregivers in disadvantaged communities. / Thesis (PhD (Social Work))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

Some families in the Free State Province, specifically in Thabo-Mofutsanyana district, are families living with mentally ill family members. The families accompany the mentally ill family members to designated clinics which offer primary, secondary and tertiary mental health services, and all these levels of care provide care, treatment and rehabilitation of mentally ill persons (SA, 2002:2). Despite the care that these families give to their mentally ill family members, it seemed that they find it difficult to cope living with a mentally ill family member. This is supported by Zergaw, Hailemariam, Alem and Kebed (2008:191) who indicate the economic impact, disruption of daily life, work and family relationships experienced by families living with a mentally ill family member. This was also evident in a study by Du Plessis, Greeff and Koen (2004:4), that, because of a lack of a formal support system for families living with mentally ill family members, and lack of necessary skills to take on the responsibility of caring for mentally ill relatives, mentally ill family members relapse and are readmitted in the mental health care institutions. Adding to this, in most of the families living with mentally ill family members in the Thabo-Mofutsanyana district, it is not known how they cope and are supported. Once there is a clear understanding of how families experience living with mentally ill family members, health care practitioners can give better support to families living with mentally ill family members. The research objective of this study was to explore and describe the experiences of families living with a mentally ill family member in the Thabo-Mofutsanyana district, to explore and describe the strengths of families living with a mentally ill family member, and to formulate guidelines to support families living with mentally ill family members. A qualitative, phenomenological design was used which enabled the researcher to understand the way in which the families experience living with a mentally ill family member. The population studied in this research consisted of families living with mentally ill family members in the Thabo-Mofutsanyana district in South Africa. The purposive sampling was used to select participants with the assistance of a mediator. Permission to conduct research was negotiated with the district manager. Voluntary and informed consent in writing was obtained from all the participants. The sample size was determined by data saturation, which was reached after 14 interviews. Data analysis was carried out simultaneously with data collection. In consensus discussions, the researcher and the co-coder reached consensus on the main and sub themes. From the research findings, five main themes were identified. The first two themes are the positive and negative experiences of living with a mentally ill family member. The third theme is the concerns of family in staying with a mentally ill family member. The fourth theme is the strengths in coping with a mentally ill family member. The last theme is ways in which family members as families wanted to be supported. It could be concluded that the experience of families living with mentally ill family members in Thabo-Mofutsanyana district need to be supported. In order to address this support holistically and to enhance quality of life and to lessen the burden the families experience in living with a mentally ill family member, the support should firstly be addressed individually and then as a family. Following that, the collective support can be addressed by a support network system through involvement of the department of health, clinics, rehabilitation centres, community, mental health care workers, giving of medication and establishment support of groups of families living with mental health care users. From these findings the researcher proposed guidelines to support families living with mentally ill family members, and to increase knowledge in these families on how to handle a mentally ill family member. The researcher also compiled recommendations for nursing practice, nursing education and nursing research in families living with mental health care users. / Thesis (MCur)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.