Chemical substance abuse remains a major global health and social problem in a South African context. Social workers are one of the professionals who provide social welfare services to adolescents abusing chemical substances. However, social workers are not prepared enough in terms of training and workshops to provide drug dependency treatment to adolescents abusing chemical substances. This study therefore contributes to an emerging body of literature on chemical substance abuse, as there is a lack of information within the Department of Social Development in Lepelle Nkumpi Municipality of Limpopo concerning social workers’ preparedness, experiences and challenges in rendering services to adolescents abusing chemical substances. Furthermore, the study will generate new information that will assist the Department of Social Development to make necessary changes to social welfare services rendered to adolescents abusing chemical substances, and consideration will be given when drafting a framework for treating chemical substance abuse. A qualitative approach was adopted to explore, describe and contextualise social workers’ preparedness, experiences and challenges experienced during their work. Participants were selected using a non-probability technique of purposive sampling. As a data collection method, in-depth, one on one semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven social workers working with adolescents abusing chemical substances. Data was analysed using Tesch’s eight steps and verified using Guba and Lincoln’s model to test the trustworthiness of the data. Ethical considerations adhered to throughout this study were informed consent, right to privacy, avoidance of deception, debriefing of participants and management of information. Findings of the study confirmed that there are no clear guidelines in rendering social welfare services to adolescents abusing chemical substances by social workers. The study further revealed that social workers’ training is generic in nature, therefore they are not well trained to render services to adolescents abusing chemical substances. They therefore lack resources and support to adequately execute social welfare services to adolescents abusing chemical substances. Lack of services for adolescents was also identified as a burning issue. Furthermore, treatment and prevention of chemical substance abuse is overlooked. Based on the research findings, recommendations pertaining to social work practice, social work training and education, social welfare policy, and further research were put forward. / Social Work

The aim of this dissertation is to shed light on how life can turn out for individuals with long term social assistance and afterwards when it has ceased. The primary objective of the dissertation is to study the changes that have occurred during the life course and the impact of those changes on the life course at large. A key question of this dissertation is the development of selfsufficiency and work-life patterns in a longitudinal perspective. The dissertation consists of a longitudinal study based on qualitative interviews with an interval of 20 years. The empirical data is composed of interviews with 11 recipients of social assistance – seven of which have been interviewed again in 2008/2009. A life course perspective is employed in the data analysis as a comprehensive approach and analytical tool. Other analytical approaches are related to the impact of the welfare state on the life course and to the term marginality. The situation of the interviewed group regarding self-sufficiency, employment and social conditions is viewed from a one-year perspective, a 20- year perspective and a life course perspective. The different time perspectives generated widely diverse pictures and nowledge. Not everyone worked at the point of the last interview but all were in a better social and economical position. No one remained on social assistance. One conclusion is that the notion of social problems being reinforced and exacerbated over time is simplistic. Another conclusion is that it appears that social assistance and social services have little importance from a life course perspective. A concluding result is that cross-sectional studies of individuals in a vulnerable situation are of limited value. A brief look at a person’s life does not say much of what the rest of his or her life will look like. Keywords: Life course, long term social assistance, social welfare services, human agency, timing, social integration, notions of social problems, welfare state, marginality.

Social enterprises make up one of the groups of participants that provide welfare services financed by public funding. The object of this study is to describe and analyze from a theoretical point of view which conditions, in what fields, by which division of responsibility and finally through what decisions these social enterprises are allocated a place in the market for social welfare services. The company that has been the object of study offers services in the field of social welfare and in employment. In the study a triangulation of qualitative methods has been used: studies of literature on the subject, recurrent interviews and observations and also reviews of documents. The results have been analyzed from theories on the space available on the market for social services, on social economy and on social capital in the form of strong, weak and bridging bonds. The study indicates that it is important to analyze social enterprises by the help of criteria for companies, social enterprises, the characteristics pertaining to the social entrepreneurs, available space on the market, organization, funding, production, political decisions, approval as a participant and finally choices made by patrons. The study also offers a general checklist with criteria that may be used for analysis and the explanation of social enterprises. / Sociala företag är en av de aktörer som levererar välfärdstjänster finansierade med offentliga medel. Syftet med denna studie är att utifrån ett teoretiskt perspektiv beskriva och analysera vilka förutsättningar, på vilka arenor, med vilken ansvarsfördelning och vilka beslut som ger sociala företag utrymme på den sociala välfärdsarenan. Det studerade sociala företaget erbjuder sociala välfärdstjänster och sysselsättning. I studien har en triangulering av kvalitativa metoder använts: litteraturstudier, återkommande intervjuer och observationer samt granskning av dokument. Resultaten har analyserats utifrån teorier om utrymmet på den sociala välfärdsarenan, social ekonomi samt socialt kapital i form av starka, svaga och överbryggande band. Studien visar att det är av vikt att analysera sociala företag med kriterier för företag, sociala företag, egenskaper hos de sociala företagarna, utrymme, arrangemang, finansiering och produktion samt politiska beslut, godkännande som aktör samt kunderna och brukarnas val. En generell checklista med kriterier som kan användas för analys och förklaring av sociala företag har tagits fram i studien.

In 1994 the new democratic South Africa called for the shift in legislation and policies. Social welfare service delivery post-1994 has to be aligned with the principles and key themes of developmental social welfare heralded by the RDP (1994), the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, as well as the Copenhagen Commitments to Social Development (1995). In the social welfare sector, the White Paper for Social Welfare of 1997 was adopted as social welfare policy for South Africa. The White Paper for Social Welfare is embedded in a developmental approach and charted a new path for social welfare in the promotion of national social development. Developmental social welfare is a pro poor strategy which strives to promote a welfare system that facilitates the development of human capacity and self-reliance within a caring and enabling socio-economic environment. The goal of this study was to determine the progress of social welfare service delivery towards a developmental social welfare approach in the Vhembe district, Limpopo. A qualitative research approach was used for this study and the research design was an instrumental case study. The sample for the study was selected purposively and included 28 social workers and four supervisors from four sub-districts in the Vhembe district. Data was collected through four focus group interviews with social workers and one-on-one interviews with the supervisors. Research findings indicate that developmental social welfare service delivery in this district has progressed in terms of protective services to families and children. However, in terms of poverty reduction and sustainable livelihoods, the social service sector still lags behind. The overall conclusion is that the progress of social welfare service delivery towards the developmental approach is slow and unsatisfactory. The recommendations of this study are captured in strategies that social workers could use to promote progress in developmental social welfare service delivery, strategies suggested for supervisors to promote progress in developmental social welfare service delivery, and lastly strategies on the creation of an enabling environment. / Dissertation (MSW)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / tm2015 / Social Work and Criminology / MSW / Unrestricted

A qualitative study was undertaken to develop an understanding of the social welfare services rendered to street children and to ascertain how these social welfare services can be enhanced from the perspective of service providers employed by NGOs in Pretoria. An explorative, descriptive and contextual research design was utilised. The researcher used purposive and non-probability sampling methods to draw the sample. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect information from nine service providers working with street children. Data were analysed according to the framework provided by Tesch (in Creswell, 2009). Data was verified using Guba‘s model (in Krefting, 1991).The study highlights challenges faced by NGOs in providing social welfare services to street children. The study provides a critical analysis of some of the key social welfare service challenges that need to be addressed to ensure effective and sustainable delivery of social welfare services. how these social welfare services can be enhanced from the perspective of service providers employed by NGOs in Pretoria. An explorative, descriptive and contextual research design was utilised. The researcher used purposive and non-probability sampling methods to draw the sample. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect information from nine service providers working with street children. Data were analysed according to the framework provided by Tesch (in Creswell, 2009). Data was verified using Guba‘s model (in Krefting, 1991).The study highlights challenges faced by NGOs in providing social welfare services to street children. The study provides a critical analysis of some of the key social welfare service challenges that need to be addressed to ensure effective and sustainable delivery of social welfare services. the social welfare services rendered to street children and to ascertain how these social welfare services can be enhanced from the perspective of service providers employed by NGOs in Pretoria. An explorative, descriptive and contextual research design was utilised. The researcher used purposive and non-probability sampling methods to draw the sample. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect information from nine service providers working with street children. Data were analysed according to the framework provided by Tesch (in Creswell, 2009). Data was verified using Guba‘s model (in Krefting, 1991).The study highlights challenges faced by NGOs in providing social welfare services to street children. The study provides a critical analysis of some of the key social welfare service challenges that need to be addressed to ensure effective and sustainable delivery of social welfare services. / Social Work / MA (Social Work)

A qualitative study was undertaken to develop an understanding of the social welfare services rendered to street children and to ascertain how these social welfare services can be enhanced from the perspective of service providers employed by NGOs in Pretoria. An explorative, descriptive and contextual research design was utilised. The researcher used purposive and non-probability sampling methods to draw the sample. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect information from nine service providers working with street children. Data were analysed according to the framework provided by Tesch (in Creswell, 2009). Data was verified using Guba‘s model (in Krefting, 1991).The study highlights challenges faced by NGOs in providing social welfare services to street children. The study provides a critical analysis of some of the key social welfare service challenges that need to be addressed to ensure effective and sustainable delivery of social welfare services. how these social welfare services can be enhanced from the perspective of service providers employed by NGOs in Pretoria. An explorative, descriptive and contextual research design was utilised. The researcher used purposive and non-probability sampling methods to draw the sample. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect information from nine service providers working with street children. Data were analysed according to the framework provided by Tesch (in Creswell, 2009). Data was verified using Guba‘s model (in Krefting, 1991).The study highlights challenges faced by NGOs in providing social welfare services to street children. The study provides a critical analysis of some of the key social welfare service challenges that need to be addressed to ensure effective and sustainable delivery of social welfare services. the social welfare services rendered to street children and to ascertain how these social welfare services can be enhanced from the perspective of service providers employed by NGOs in Pretoria. An explorative, descriptive and contextual research design was utilised. The researcher used purposive and non-probability sampling methods to draw the sample. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect information from nine service providers working with street children. Data were analysed according to the framework provided by Tesch (in Creswell, 2009). Data was verified using Guba‘s model (in Krefting, 1991).The study highlights challenges faced by NGOs in providing social welfare services to street children. The study provides a critical analysis of some of the key social welfare service challenges that need to be addressed to ensure effective and sustainable delivery of social welfare services. / Social Work / MA (Social Work)

Transformation of social service delivery began after 1994 with the establishment of the Reconstruction Development Programme. It was followed by the commitments made in the World Summit on Social Development (Copenhagen, 1995) with the emphasis on sustainable development. The Financing Policy for Developmental Social Welfare Services (1999) was introduced as a transformation tool to implement the White Paper for Social Welfare (1997). The researcher is working as a social worker in Tembisa and discovered in practice that there is little evidence of the transformation of social welfare services as stipulated in the Financing Policy for Developmental Social Welfare Services (1999). This study was part of a team effort among four researchers to investigate the impact of the Financing Policy for Developmental Social Welfare Services (1999) on service delivery in different communities in Gauteng. The aim of the study was to determine the impact of the Financing Policy for Developmental Social Welfare Services (1999) on service delivery in Tembisa from the perspective of service providers. A quantitative research approach was utilized and data was gathered through a questionnaire. From the research findings, it was concluded that, although service providers have made progress with regard to transformation of social services to a developmental approach, many challenges remain with regard to fast tracking this transformation process. Recommendations based on the research findings and conclusions of the study indicated that transformation of social service delivery to a developmental approach depends on clearly defined guidelines to give direction to service providers on how to transform social services to a developmental approach. These guidelines should include training, partnerships, communication forums, monitoring and evaluation and practice of principles for developmental approach. / Dissertation (MSD (Social Policy))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Social Work and Criminology / unrestricted

This essay has the form of a scientific essay. It explores and reflects on the practical knowledge and the importance of reflection for managers in the social welfare. The starting point is stories from my own experience of various managerial assignments, which are discussed and tested with theories about different kind of knowledge. The essay describes a background and gives a context with the help of scientific studies on leadership and reflection. The central themes that are explored in the essay are wisdom, understanding, individual responsibility and reflection. The theories used are focusing on the type of knowledge that manifests itself in action. They origin from the philosophers Aristotle, Kjell S. Johannessen, John Dewey, Hans-Georg Gadamer, Ludwig Wittgenstein, Simone de Beauvoir and Donald Schön. This essay gives examples of how the practical knowledge that managers in welfare sector uses can be understood and how reflection is an important part and a prerequisite for the development of knowledge. / Den här uppsatsen har formen av en vetenskapliga essä. Den undersöker och reflekterar över den praktiska kunskapen samt vilken betydelse reflektion har hos chefer inom den sociala välfärden. Utgångspunkten är berättelser från min egen erfarenhet av olika chefsuppdrag, som diskuteras och prövas mot teorier om kunskapsformer. Essän ger en bakgrund och ett sammanhang genom forskningsstudier om ledarskap respektive reflektion. De centrala teman som utforskas är omdöme, förståelse, personligt ansvar och reflektion. Teorierna som används för diskussion och reflektion är sådana som fokuserar på den form av kunskap som visar sig i handling, huvudsakligen från filosoferna Aristoteles, Kjell S. Johannessen, John Dewey, Hans-Georg Gadamer, Ludwig Wittgenstein, Simone de Beauvoir och Donald Schön. Essän visar exempel på hur den praktiska kunskapen hos chefer i välfärden kan förstås och hur reflektion är ett betydelsefullt moment och en förutsättning för utveckling av kunskap.

Diploma thesis "Analysis of the social assistance system in the Czech Republic from the perspective of families caring for a child with handicap" deals with one of the three pillars of the social security system in the Czech Republic, with the system of social assistance. It summarizes the current theoretical knowledge in this field, introduces the core concepts of values and international and European kontext of human and social rights claimed under the social assistance system with a particular focus on the handicapped people. It also advocates the concept of social assistance to these citizens into the historical framework and explains its origination in the Czech Republic. The analytical part focuses on specific design and operation of social assistance from the perspective of families caring for a child with handicap in two periods, in socialism and in present. It identifies the whole field of provided assistance to the target group, which represents mainly social benefits and social welfare services, and subsequently subjects it to comparison. The analytical part is supplemented by the testimony of families caring for the disadvantaged child. The paper presents practical experience with the system of social assistance by caring such a child of two families in the socialist era and one...

Thesis (MPAM.) -- University of Limpopo, 2021 / The aim of the study was to assess the implementation of accessibility of social welfare services of the Department of Social Development in Shakung Village, Limpopo province. The objectives of the study were to examine the effectiveness of the implementation on the accessibility of social welfare services by the Department of Social Development, investigate challenges of the implementation on the accessibility of social welfare services by the Department of Social Development and assess the access level that beneficiaries have on social welfare services in the Shakung Village in Limpopo province, South Africa. The study was qualitative and the researcher used a case study research design. The data was collected through the semi-structured face-to-face interview from fourteen (14) beneficiaries of social welfare services and five (05) Social workers working for the Department of Social Development at Moroke Social work Office and analysed following Creswell (1998)’s steps of analysis. The study sample size was nineteen (19) respondents which were reached through purposive sampling with non-probability used as a sub-type. The study findings indicate that the implementation on the accessibility of social welfare services is beneficial and improves their social lives of beneficiaries of social welfare services; the level of satisfaction is good concerning the response to the experiences that beneficiaries of social welfare have on the implementation of accessibility of social welfare services, the role of the Department of Social Development when addressing challenges faced by beneficiaries concerning the implementation on the accessibility of social welfare services is not fully prominent, beneficiaries travel a long distance to Moroke office approximately 20 km to access social welfare services; beneficiaries of social welfare services have no support systems while facing the challenges and social workers have limited resources while facilitating the implementation on the accessibility of social welfare services.