Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education in the Department of Educational Psychology at the University of Zululand = Proefskrif voorgele ter vervulling van die vereistes vir die graad DOCTOR EDUCATIONIS in die Fakulteit Opvoedkunde (Departement Psigopedagogiek) aan die UNIVERSITBT VAN ZOELOELAND, 1994 / Eng; = The aim of this investigation was to determine the awareness and capability of house parents in children's homes to meet the educative need of the children who have been entrusted to their care. An introductory historical overview was provided of the origin and development of children's homes in the Republic of South Africa with specific reference to the children's homes of the Dutch Reformed Church, as well as the "idealised" task of these homes. The admission of a child to a children's home was described in terms of the Child Care Act, Act No. 74 of 1983. Aspects that need to be considered when placing a child in a children's home, such as the child's cultural and religious affiliation and the distance from his parental home, were discussed. The fact that the child is admitted to the children's home as an educationally neglected child, was considered. By adopting the education situation as point of departure, educational neglect as the outcome of the inadequate realisation of educative intervention, was elucidated. The non-accountable interventional assistance of the child's own parents who are incapable, causes the child to experience the education relationships as impaired. Arising from this, the education sequence structures and the education activity structures are inadequately actualized. As outcome of the non-accountable educative intervention the normative image of adulthood which is strived for as educational aim, is not adequately realised and is posed as a delayed education aim. An own parental home with both parents available, was scrutinised. The importance of a happy and normal family life for the becoming child was discussed by referring among others, to the significance of the father and the mother in the education of the child. The group situatedness of the child in the children's home, which entails both positive and negative educative lived- experiences, was addressed. Attention was given to the special educative task of the house parents, which includes the physical, psychological and spiritual "re-education" of the child in the children's home. Sufficient physical care of the child is imperative for the creation of a basis for all other educative actions. The educationally neglected child's emotional education (affective education) shows a distorted image in becoming. The house parents' unconditional acceptance of the child and their willingness to provide assistance, aid and guidance, are necessary to winning his confidence and enabling him to live-experience acceptance. Through mutual trust and acceptance, and authoritative guidance the child experiences security. Certain aspects of the educational task of the house parents with regard to the cognitive education of the child, are highlighted. Through the support and guidance of the house parents, the child must be assisted in learning how to cope with his emotions. The child can only pay full attention to his school work and studies when he experiences a stable emotional life. Attention is also given to the moral education, soda} orientation and religious guidance of the child in the children's home. For the purpose of the empirical investigation, self-structured questionnaires were used. The questionnaires were completed by the principals (directors) and house parents of the children's homes of the Dutch Reformed Church in the Republic of South Africa. An analysis was done of 179 questionnaires completed by house parents, and twenty which were completed by the principals. The data thus obtained was processed and interpreted with descriptive and inferential statistics. In conclusion, the findings emanating from the literature study and the descriptive and inferential statistics were presented. Based on these findings, the following recommendations were made; Urgent attention must be given to further training of house parents and improved conditions of service for them. No house parent must be responsible for more than ten children. Educational support services must gradually be incorporated in the assistance and control over the children in the children's homes. Afr = 'n Eie auerhuis met albei auers teenwaardig, is bespreek. Die belangrikheid van 'n gelukkige en ncrmale gesin vir die volwaardige valwassewording van die kind is ender die loep geneem deur ondermeer na die ral van die vader en die moeder in die opvoeding van die kind te verwys. Die graepsgesitueerdheid van die kinderhuiskind wat sowel pasitiewe as negatiewe opvoedingsbelewenisse inhou, is aangespreek. 'n Beskrywing is gegee van die besondere opvoedingstaak van die huisauers ten aansien van die fisiese, pSlglese en geestelike "heropvoeding' van die kinderhuiskind. Toereikende fisiese versorging van die kind is onontbeerlik vir die daarstelling van 'n basis vir alle ander opvoedingsaktiwiteite. Die opvoedingsverwaarloosde kind se gevoelsopvoeding(affektiewe) apvoedingtoon'n wordingsgeremde beeld. Die huisouer se onvoorwaardelike aanvaarding, bereidwilligheid tot hulpverlening en steungewing is inderdaad voorwaarde vir die ontsluiting van vertroue en die belewing van aanvaarding by die kinderhuiskind. Deur wedersydse aanvaarding, vertraue en simpatieke gesagsleiding beleef die kind affektiewe gebargenheid. Sekere aspekte van die huisouer se apvoedingstaak rakende die kagnitiewe apvoeding van die kind is uitgelig. Deur middel van steungewing en leiding maet die kinderhuiskind gehelp word am beheer oar sy gevoelens te kry. Eers wanneer hy sy gevoelens as stabiel beleef, kan die kind sy volle aandag aan sy skoolwerk en studie gee. Aandag is oak aan die sedelike opvoeding, sosiale orUintering en religieuse leiding van die kinderhuiskind gegee. In die empiriese ondersoek is van selfgestruktureerde vraelyste as meetinstrumente gebruik gemaak. Die vraelyste is deur die hoofde (direkteure) van die Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk kinderhuise in die Republiek van Suid-Afrika voltooi. 'n Ontleding is gemaak van die 179 vraelyste wat deur die huisouers en 20 wat deur die kinderhuishoofde voltooi is. Die gegewens wat uit die vraelyste verkry is, is verwerk en geinterpreteer aan die hand van beskrywende en inferensiele statistiek. Ten slotte is sekere bevindings voortspruitend uit die Iiteratuurstudie, beskrywende en inferensiele statistiek aangebied. Na aanleiding van di~ bevindings is die volgende aanbevelings gemaak: Verdere opleiding van huisouers moet dringende aandag geniet en beter diensvoorwaardes moet vir huisouers beding word. Elke huisouer moet vir hoogstens tien kinders verantwoordelik wees. Opvoedingshulpdienste(Onderwysdepartemente) moettoenemend betrek word by hulpverlening aan en beheer oor die kinders in die kinderhuise. / University of Zululand