CHILDREN’S HOMES AND FOSTER CARE: CHALLENGING DOMINANT DISCOURSES IN SOUTH AFRICAN SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE

Authors

  • Nevashnee Perumal Social worker at Pietermaritzburg Child and Family Welfare Society.
  • Madhu Kasiram School of Social Work and Community Development, UKZN-Howard College Campus, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15270/44-2-248

Abstract

The dominant view in South Africa and internationally, supported by various legislative tools, isthat vulnerable children are best cared for in foster homes as compared to Children’s Homes(Kiraly, 2001; Long, 2007; McKay, 2002; Morei, 2002). Legislation in South Africa pertainingto the care and protection of children is presently under review. The Children’s Bill consists oftwo sections: Section 75 and Section 76. Section 75 of the Bill was signed by President Mbeki inJune 2006, and is called the Children’s Act 38/2005 and Section 76 of the Bill remains beforeparliament, being referred to as the Children’s Amendment Bill [B19-2006]. The Children’s Act38/2005 is not operational as yet and social service providers are still using the Child Care Act74/1983. It is envisioned that the Children’s Act 38/2005 will replace the Child Care Act74/1983 in 2008 (Jacobs, Shung-King & Smith, 2005). Should alternative care be necessary fora vulnerable child, the Children’s Act 38/2005 prioritises a foster care placement over a childand youth care centre, of which a Children’s Home is a part (Section 46(1)(a)). Given the steadydecline in traditional family living as a result of, amongst other factors, HIV/AIDS, poverty andunemployment in South Africa, the dominant view of family care being prioritised may notalways be a feasible option. Of course, sound social work practice, where individual needsmatch placement, must always predominate in the decision on the placement of the child. Thearticle critically reviews two alternative care options from an ecological and structural socialwork framework

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Published

2014-06-20

How to Cite

Perumal, N., & Kasiram, M. (2014). CHILDREN’S HOMES AND FOSTER CARE: CHALLENGING DOMINANT DISCOURSES IN SOUTH AFRICAN SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE. Social Work/Maatskaplike Werk, 44(2). https://doi.org/10.15270/44-2-248

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