This report is the outcome of a Field Study project. The aim of the study was to findout how the floating deaf-mute children of migrant workers experience psychologicalproblems in Guiyang, China. Bronfenbrenner’s ecological system theory was used asa theoretical frame. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with 4 inner migrantcouples who have deaf-mute children receiving treatment in a Center for disabled inGuiyang. 12 professionals working with treating deaf-mute children are alsointerviewed as well as 5 deaf-mute children. In total together 21 informants areinterviewed. The result of this study shows that three main aspects influence thepsychological problems of floating deaf-mute children with migrant parents most:social welfare policy, family income conditions and the center of treatmentenvironment. This study explored the problems based on Brofenbreener’s ecologicalsystems approach, which for the author had a new perspective to research on thesituation of deaf-mute children of migrant workers in Guiyang, China.

The aim of this thesis is to explore how professionals working in a French community association perceived the notion of spirituality and a shared life practice, and furthermore what contributions and limits these concepts have in the social work. To attain this, a case study has been done using participant observations and four thematically opened interviews within a L'arche community where persons with varying disabilities are living together with professional assistants. To put the association in a theoretical framework, I propose it to be regarded as a case of milieu therapy with spiritual elements, which are the two areas that will be stressed out in the section about previous research. The theories used in the study are ecological system theory, existentialism and Roger's theory about interpersonal relationships. The result of the thesis illustrate how the notion of a shared life practice has good contributions in the social work, such as equal and personal relationships between the members of the community and furthermore a notion of time that makes the work unstressful and natural as a result of the communal living. However, a limit discovered regarding this practice is the exposed and tiering situation for the assistants that hinder a longterm work in the community for most assistants. Another finding is that the spiritual dimension in the community makes way for a holistic view of everyone and contributes with rituals that create strong moments of fellowship within the community, at the same time it risks to make people who regard themselves as non-spiritual not to feel totally included.

Syftet med studien var att undersöka uppfattningar av utsatta barns behov i förskolan hos förskollärare. Studien utgick från följande tre frågeställningar; Vilka uppfattningar förekommer hos förskollärare av utsatta barns behov i förskolan? Hur uppfattar förskollärare sina möjligheter att skapa gynnsammare förutsättningar för de utsatta barnen i förskolan? Vad är förskollärares uppfattningar av hur utsatta barn i förskolan upptäcks? Den här fenomenografiska studien genomfördes med hjälp av sex kvalitativa intervjuer med förskollärare från fyra olika förskolor. Resultatet redovisas som skilda beskrivningskategorier. När det gäller utsatta barns behov är kategorierna; behov kopplade till barnet; psykosocialt och biologiskt samt behov kopplade till miljön. När det gäller gynnsammare förutsättningar för utsatta barn i förskolan är kategorierna; externt stöd för gynnsammare förutsättningar i förskolan och interpersonella relationer för gynnsammare förutsättningar för barn i förskolan. När det handlar om att upptäcka utsatta barn i förskolan finns följande kategorier; explicita tecken som indikation på utsatthet samt implicita tecken som bidrar till misstanke om utsatthet. Resultatet visar en variation av uppfattningar och de diskuteras utifrån ett utvecklingsekologiskt perspektiv där förskolan som miljö kan ses i ett sammanhang där alla aspekter och miljöer samverkar och påverkar utsatta barns möjligheter att utvecklas till välmående människor. / The object of this study was to make research into preschool teachers’ perceptions of the needs of vulnerable children in preschool. The study starts off with the following three issues; what are preschool teachers’ perceptions regarding the needs of vulnerable children in preschool? How do preschool teachers view their opportunities to create more favorable conditions for vulnerable children in preschool? What are preschool teachers’ perceptions of how to discover vulnerable children in the preschool setting? This phenomenografhic study was based on six qualitative interviews with preschool teachers working at four different preschools. The result is shown as different descriptive categories. When it comes to the needs of vulnerable children the categories are; needs in connection to the child; psychosocial and biological and needs in connection to the environment. When it comes to more favorable conditions for vulnerable children in preschool the categories are; external support for more favorable conditions and interpersonal relationships for more favorable conditions in preschool. Regarding how to discover vulnerable children in preschool there are these categories; obvious signs as an indication of vulnerability and implicit signs contributing to a suspicion of vulnerability. The result shows a variety of conceptions and they are looked upon from the standpoint of the ecological systems theory where the preschool setting can be seen in a context where all aspects and different environments influence vulnerable childrens opportunities to develop into healthy human beings.

The aim was to study how school professionals working with newly arrived immigrant children and youth experience how these students integrate into the school. The study is a qualitative research conducted in Sweden. The first part of the research focused on studying what factors affect the integration of newly arrived immigrant in schools while the second part focused on what strategy is used to ensure their integration. The findings of the study were thematically analyzed using the ecological systems theory as a framework of analysis. Through semi-structured interviews, four teachers and a counsellor expressed their perception on the integration of newly arrived immigrants’ student into schools. The result showed that the teachers are the core agent for integration within schools. It was shown that past experiences, family, social connections, educational background, school system, migration policies, culture are important factors that affect the integration process of these students.

I arbete med flyktingar är resiliens en viktig faktor för att bli hållbar i en extremt pressad situation i socialt arbete. I denna fallstudie kom vi fram till vilka faktorer inom individ- organisation- och på samhällsnivå, det vill säga på mikro-, meso- och makronivå, som påverkade socialarbetarens resiliens i arbetet med flyktingar i Grekland. Empirin bestod av semistrukturerade intervjuer med socialarbetare som arbetade i Grekland inom frivilliga hjälporganisationer. Syftet med vår kandidatuppsats är att öka kunskapen om vad som påverkar olika professioners resiliens i socialt arbete som befinner sig i komplexa och svåra situationer.   Studien utgick från nationell och internationell forskning, dels om begreppet resiliens och resiliens i socialt arbete. Vi använde oss av ekologisk systemteori för att förklara socialarbetarens interaktion i de olika kontexterna som påverkade deras resiliens.  Resultatet visade att kön, arbetslivs- och livserfarenhet, utbildning, tro, egenomsorg, gränssättning, självkänsla, skyddsmekanismer, attityder och egenskaper hade påverkan på socialarbetarens resiliens på individnivå. På organisationsnivå var det ansvarsfördelning inom organisationen, stöttning av kollegor på arbetsplatsen, handledning och att prata om sitt resiliens inom organisationen, som hade inverkan på deras resiliens. Resultatet visade även att om de arbetade som volontär eller socialarbetare påverkade det individen på olika sätt. På samhällsnivå visade vårt resultat att det som påverkade socialarbetarens resiliens var politik och attityder. Religionen i landet hade inte påverkan på socialarbetarens resiliens. Resultatet visade på flertalet påverkansfaktorer som går i linje med tidigare forskning. Socialt arbete är ett riskyrke och därför är behovet att medvetandegöra resiliens inom utbildning viktigt för att få en ökad hållbarhet inom socialt arbete. / Resilience is an important factor in working with refugees for becoming sustainable in an extremely stressed situation. In this case study, we found which factors within the societal organization and at the individual level that affected the social workers resilience in the work with refugees in Greece. The empirical study consisted of semi-structured interviews with social workers who worked in Greece within NGO’s. The purpose of our master’s thesis is to increase knowledge about what affects the social worker's resilience in complex and difficult situations.  The study was based on national and international research, partly on the concept of resilience, and resilience in social work. We used ecological system theory to explain the social workers interaction in different contexts that affected their resilience.  The result showed at the individual level that gender, work life and life experience, education, belief, self-care, boundary, self-esteem, protection mechanisms, mindset and characteristics had an impact on the social worker's resilience. At the organization level, it was the division of responsibility within the organization, supporting colleagues at the workplace, supervision and talking about their resilience within the organization, which had an impact on their resilience. The result also showed that if they worked as a volunteer or social worker, it affected the individual’s resilience in different ways.  What influenced the social worker's resilience at the societal level was politics and attitudes. The religion in Greece did not affect the social worker’s resilience. The results showed the majority of influence factors that are in line with previous research. Social work is a risky profession and therefore the need to raise awareness of resilience in education is important in order to achieve increased sustainability in social work.

Syftet med studien var att lyfta förskolechefers syn på och arbete kring likvärdig undervisning i förskolan. I studien har kvalitativa intervjuer använts som datainsamlingsmetod, med en intervjuguide där följdfrågorna baserades på respondenternas svar. I undersökningen har fem förskolechefer intervjuats för att få en bredd på förskolechefens syn på likvärdig undervisning. Analyseringsarbetet har skett genom tematisk analys. Resultatet visar att alla deltagande förskolechefer ansåg att likvärdig undervisning är ett viktigt begrepp för att lyfta fram förskolans kvalitet och betydelse. De lyfte även vikten av att ha kunnig och professionell personal ute på förskolorna, då de ansåg att det hade stor betydelse för hur de som chefer kunde fullfölja sitt uppdrag. Resultatet är kopplat till den ekologiska systemteorin. / The purpose of this study is to raise the point of view and the work around equivalent education in preschool. In the study, qualitative interviews has been used as data collection method according to a guide, but follow up questions have been based on the responders answers. Five different preschool managers has been interviewed to get a wide range of their look on equivalent education. The responder’s answers has been analyzed according to the thematic analysis. The result shows that all the different head of preschools felt that equivalent education is an important matter to raise the quality and the meaning of the preschool. They also felt that it’s important to have knowledgeable and professional staff at the preschools, because it has a big meaning of how the head of preschools can complete their assignments. The result is connectedto the ecological system theory.

This research explores the concept of positive and negative behaviour in a Malaysian context and strategies used by secondary school teachers to promote positive behaviour. It also examines strategies that are perceived to be effective and possible factors that have influenced professionals’ attitudes towards positive behaviour. Mixed-method research design was used to complete three different stages. Stage 1 analysed 91 government circulars using content analysis; Stage 2 involved administering a survey to a total of 319 professionals including principals, counsellors and teachers and 494 pupils aged 16 years from 15 selected national secondary schools; Stage 3 focused on two case studies in two selected schools where classroom observations, individual interviews with professionals, and focus groups with pupils were the focal point. Statistical analysis included descriptive and inferential analysis (a chi squared test), while narrative data was analysed by using a thematic approach. Observational data was analysed manually by focusing on the frequency of target behaviour. This study proposes a Socio-ecological Model suggesting that interaction within and between ecological layers constructs the concept of positive and negative behaviour. This study also suggests that bonding and bridging social capital would improve pupil behaviour and develop school community. Findings also suggest that socio-cultural factors and professional experience have influenced professionals’ attitudes towards positive behaviour enhancement strategies. Implications for policy making, practitioners, and future research are also discussed. The research also offers recommendations which could inform policy formulation and further longitudinal research activity.

Föreliggande kvalitativa studie visade professionellas beskrivning av hur barnets röst framförs vid nätverksmöten. Studien beskrev även vad som påverkar och vem som bedömer barnets deltagande på ett nätverksmöte. Tio terapeuter vid barn- och ungdomspsykiatrin i sydöstra Sverige intervjuades med hjälp av en semistrukturerad frågeguide. En slutsats är att nätverksmöten så gott som alltid kan anpassas så att barnet kan närvara. Resultatet innehåller därmed inte bara beskrivningar av metoder och tekniker, som kan hjälpa barn att höras, utan också reflektioner kring mötets utformande, för att överhuvudtaget möjliggöra barnfokus. I undersökningen framkom det känslomässiga klimatets betydelse för att barnets röst ska framföras och bli hörd. En annan slutsats är att barnet inte bör närvara i alla möten. Det framkom viss osäkerhet om vem som har det yttersta ansvaret i bedömningen av barnets delaktighet. / The present qualitative study showed descriptions from professionals, how the voice of the child was carried forward during network meetings. The study also described what is influencing and who is judging the child’s participation in a network meeting. Ten therapists at the child- and youth psychiatry department in south-east Sweden were interviewed by means of a semi-structured question guide. One conclusion is that network meetings almost always may be adapted in a way that the child is able to attend. Hence, the result does not only include descriptions of methods and techniques which may assist in listening to the child, but also reflections around the structure of the meeting, in order to, on the whole enabling a child focus. In the investigation an emotional climate appeared to be important in order for the voice of the child to be carried forward and to be understood. Another conclusion was that the child should not attend in all meetings. There appeared some uncertainty about who has the ultimate responsibility in the judgement of the participation of the child.

When a child for some reason can’t live with their parents it is up to the welfare system to provide a home and care for that child. In Sweden long-term foster care placements are the most common state interventions for those children. Recent studies have shown that as much as one out of four foster care placements break down in the child’s adolescent years. To experience one or a series of tough separations from important elders has shown to have negative effects on the development of the child. This does not align with the welfare systems’  responsibility to always act in favor of the child. Always acting in favor of the Child is at the core of the Convention on the rights of the Child. In the following qualitative content analysis five state documents (three from the National Board of Health and Welfare, one from The Ombudsman for Children and one governmental investigation document) have been examined. The aim of the analysis is to examine how the documents portray placement breakdowns in foster care and how much they focus on the child rights perspective in their portrayals. Previous research and two theories regarding children are used as the theoretical framework to help analyze the essay results. The two theories are Bronfenbrenner's ecological system theory of child development and the theory of childhood sociology with emphasis on children as actors. This essay comes to the conclusion that the state documents are well informed of the complex nature of placement breakdowns and the dissonance between the problem of breakdowns and the child’s right perspective. The documents also contain a number of interventions that in theory could reduce the number of breakdowns. What is revealed is that the process of acknowledging the problem, finding a solution and implementing it in the social care practice takes a lot of time and is a slow process. The discussion includes that further research of what can be done on a municipal level would be of use.

South Africa has a high incidence of crime where violence is particularly being committed against adolescents. Trauma has a disruptive influence on the development of adolescents. There is a lack of research focussing on pastoral counselling from a postmodern perspective regarding adolescents who experience acute trauma. This study makes use of three theories to make a meaningful contribution namely those of Rudolf Otto (1869 – 1937), René Girard (1923 - ) and Donald Capps (1990, 1993, 1994,1996). This study finds Otto`s theory about the numinous useful to assist traumatized adolescents on the road to healing. A numinous experience causes two results namely an overwhelming feeling of awe and a feeling of fear that comes from respect and distance. Traumatized adolescents should be guided into a meeting with God in a confusing post-modern world. Through the appropriation of the numinous adolescents can reach infinitely more than only being a “seeker”. Girard`s (1978) theory on mimetic violence and the scapegoat mechanism has been used in this study since it throws some light on the manner in which traumatized adolescents process trauma. The scapegoat mechanism theory helps one to understand how violence can be processed by scapegoating someone or something else. Girard`s theory also enlightens on the theme of forgiveness. Forgiveness is the key to overcome the horrors of the past. Adolescents particularly need role models. These role models can be found amongst other things, on television. Role models teach adolescents about revenge and reprisal. This study demonstrates that by applying Girard`s theory to the cross of Jesus, the traumatized and crucified Jesus becomes the role model for the “seekers” rather than identification with the peer group. Girard creates a greater understanding to manage trauma by exposing the scapegoat mechanism. Capps’ theory about hope and reframing on the other hand is useful in the sense that it gives hope for the future to adolescents. Hope therapy entails reframing since the situation needs a new perspective. The work of Capps, Reframing: New method in pastoral care (1990) was used as a framework. Narrative therapy is used because it assists the traumatized in their search for meaning. Ganzevoort’s (2000) theory regarding personal narrative identity proved to be useful in pastoral care to traumatized adolescents. The same applies to Erikson’s (1963) development theory, which includes the concept that the virtue of hope develops during childhood. It can also be associated with Moltmann’s (1974) view of hope as an alternative future for suffering persons. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Practical Theology / unrestricted