Social Work/Maatskaplike Werk

STRENGTHENING INTERGENERATIONAL SOLIDARITY FOR ENDURING WELLBEING: BUILDING INCLUSIVE AND SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES

Lambert K Engelbrecht — 2025-03-27

The inaugural issue of Social Work/Maatskaplike Werk in 2025, commemorating the journal’s 60th anniversary, examines the critical role of promoting care and collaboration across generations, involving social work students, practitioners and academics in this shared endeavour. This issue engages with the theme of World Social Work Day 2025 through articles that focus on social workers’ wellbeing, as well as their experiences, roles, knowledge and perspectives in strengthening intergenerational solidarity within communities.

ACHIEVEMENT OF WELLBEING AMONG SOUTH AFRICAN SOCIAL WORKERS: CONSTRAINTS AND ENABLERS

Precious Mseba — 2025-03-27

The achievement of wellbeing among social workers or their ability to flourish, has a bearing on their capacity to contribute towards sustainable social, economic and human development. Enhancing wellbeing among social workers is therefore important in ensuring successful client interventions. Understanding what constitutes and constrains social workers’ wellbeing is important in enhancing it. Using the capabilities approach as a theoretical lens, this qualitative study examines the various conversion factors limiting or enabling wellbeing achievement among social workers. It uses a cross-sectional design. A non-probability, purposive sampling method was used to recruit and select 18 participants consisting of practising social workers and final-year social work students from a South African university. Semi-structured interviews were used as data-collection instruments. The main findings suggest that professional wellbeing is multifaceted. Social workers define professional wellbeing in terms of effective helping and professional growth, among other functionings. Various structural, organisational and personal factors can detrimentally affect the way that social workers can achieve and sustain these professional functions. These include persistent poverty and inequality, extreme resource constraints, and lack of supportive supervision and experience, amongst other factors.

SOCIAL WORKERS’ EXPERIENCES OF THE TRANSTHEORETICAL MODEL OF CHANGE IN INVOLUNTARY TREATMENT OF SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS

Jonathan Cupido — 2025-03-27

Substance use disorders (SUDs) lead to changes to the brain, withdrawal symptoms and cravings that contribute to persons with an SUD being unmotivated to enter treatment. This discussion explored how social workers view and experience the use of the transtheoretical model of change as a framework to support the development of internal motivation, and consequently voluntary participation in treatment options. A qualitative approach was followed, guided by a combination of the explorative and descriptive research designs. Non-probability purposive sampling was used to select social work participants. Data were collected through individual semi-structured interviews and subjected to thematic data analysis. Ethical considerations included voluntary participation, informed consent, privacy, anonymity, confidentiality and the management of research data. The findings highlighted the participants’ perceptions and experiences of those aspects within the different stages of the transtheoretical model of change that may support social workers to guide involuntary clients towards a motivation for change.

STRATEGIES FOR MOBILISING THE COMMUNITY TO PREVENT FAMILY VIOLENCE: THE ROLE OF SOCIAL WORKERS

Zintle Ntshongwana — 2025-03-27

Family violence is one of the most pressing social issues in South Africa. Its contributing factors are complex, and in fighting against it, social workers are using different strategies to mobilise communities to work together in fighting this vicious cycle of violence. Therefore, this study aims to provide insight into the role of social workers in mobilising community involvement as a strategy for preventing family violence. Ecological and systems theories were used to show how different systems contribute to the social and psychological aspects of families’ wellness and the community at large. This qualitative study used a sample of 20 participants comprised of 10 social workers, who were individually interviewed, and 10 community members, who were part of the two focus group discussions. An exploratory design was used in this study. Purposive and snowball sampling were used to select the participants. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Findings showed different factors contribute to family violence. This article concludes that social workers play a crucial role in preventing family violence. However, the study recommends that social workers should establish violence-prevention programmes by working with men and boys to address gender inequality and prevent men’s perpetration of violence.

UNVEILING THE DIGITAL LANDSCAPE: SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS' KNOWLEDGE AND PERCEPTIONS OF ADOLESCENT SEXTING IN GAUTENG SCHOOLS, SOUTH AFRICA

Anri Adlem — 2025-03-27

In today's digitally interconnected world, adolescent sexting is a critical concern for school social workers. The study aimed to explore the knowledge and perceptions of school social workers regarding adolescent sexting in Gauteng and their actions in response to it. A qualitative approach was adopted utilising a phenomenological research design supported with elements of explorative, descriptive and contextual elements to highlight the multifaceted nature of sexting, which is influenced by societal dynamics, emotional needs and evolving family structures. Non-probability sampling techniques, including purposive and snowball sampling, were utilised to select 36 participants, representing diverse perspectives in the school social work profession. Data collection involved face-to-face and virtual semi-structured interviews, guided by a structured interview guide. Data analysis followed the methodological framework outlined by Tesch in Creswell, encompassing eight steps to systematically analyse interview transcripts. Sexting behaviours were examined through the lens of ecological systems and social learning theories, with an emphasis on the need for comprehensive interventions. Recommendations include targeted training programmes, collaboration with experts, integration into school policies, educational seminars for parents and continuous professional development for social workers. This research provides nuanced insights to support evidence-based interventions as well as to safeguard adolescent wellbeing in the digital age.

A SOCIAL WORK PERSPECTIVE ON SOUTH AFRICAN TRADITIONAL MALE CHILD CIRCUMCISION

Andrew Spaumer — 2025-03-27

Traditional male circumcision (TMC) is a longstanding African cultural practice involving the socialisation of boys and young men into manhood. Social workers must have knowledge of various cultural practices to develop a holistic view of the person-in-environment. This will help them to support their professional mission of promoting basic needs satisfaction, wellbeing and justice for all communities and individuals worldwide, given the fundamental nature of culture in people's lives. TMC is a sacred cultural practice, but there is a lack of knowledge in communities around the process and activities involved in this practice; hence the need to establish the role of social workers in relation to the practice. The fact that children are involved in TMC necessitates social workers working with families and relevant stakeholders in response to cultural beliefs and practices as per their professional and legislated mandate. Given this lack of knowledge, we used the integrative literature review method to describe the legislative and constitutional imperatives regulating TMC in South Africa, outline the TMC process, determine the role of social workers in the TMC process, and explain the TMC process from the ecological systems theoretical perspective.

THE CONTRIBUTION OF COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS IN FOSTER CARE PLACEMENTS OF CHILDREN LIVING WITH HIV: TOWARDS COMPREHENSIVE AND SUSTAINABLE SERVICES

Jeffries Zwelithini Khosa — 2025-03-27

This article discusses the importance of involving community volunteers to contribute towards meeting the needs of children in foster care living with HIV. This discussion is anchored in Abraham Maslow’s theory of the hierarchy of human needs. The findings presented in this article emanated from a broader study that was conducted in the City of Johannesburg with social workers and community volunteers. This article discusses qualitative results which were derived from the semi-structured interviews conducted with community volunteers consisting of eight social auxiliary workers and twelve community caregivers. The participants were selected from drop-in centres using a purposive sampling strategy. The data collected were analysed thematically. The findings revealed that community volunteers offered services such as food/nutrition services, home visits, psychosocial support, homework assistance, HIV support groups, HIV adherence programmes and linking children living with HIV to care. However, very few children who were in foster care placements benefited from these services. It is concluded that the programmes rendered by community volunteers were unable to attract children in foster care, despite the children needing these services. Therefore, the study recommends a collaboration between foster care social workers and community volunteers for children in foster care to benefit from these services.

CHALLENGES CAREGIVERS EXPERIENCE WHEN TRANSITIONING TO KINSHIP FOSTER CARE IN LOW-INCOME FAMILIES IN SOUTH AFRICA

Winne Nkosi — 2025-03-27

The literature on post-kinship foster care placement indicates the psycho-social and economic challenges of foster parents in kinship foster care. However, the resilience of foster parents in negotiating complex challenges after kinship foster care placement is often overlooked in the literature. Using a focus group discussion, this qualitative study used a descriptive research design to explore the challenges that caregivers experience when they transition to kinship foster care in low-income families in the Amajuba District Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa. Nine foster parents were purposively sampled to participate in the study and data were analysed through the method of thematic analysis. Using family resilience theory, this paper presents three themes: resilience in dual caregiving, negotiating complex child residency disputes, and the personal meanings of fostering children. The findings highlight the resilience and adaptability of foster parents as they navigate challenges in the process of transitioning. This paper recommends that social workers should acknowledge the capabilities and resourcefulness of foster-care parents, leveraging these qualities to enhance early interventions that support kinship foster care, particularly during the transition process.

DETERRITORIALISATION OF ZIMBABWEAN IMMIGRANTS' LEGACY BELIEFS IN WESTERN CAPE PROVINCE, SOUTH AFRICA

Tatenda Godobi — 2025-03-27

Despite the growth of immigrant families, little has been done to bridge the gap on the legacy beliefs of the Zimbabwean immigrants in South Africa. The legacy beliefs and migration system models underpinned acculturation process and outcomes related to assimilation, rejection, biculturalism and marginalisation. An exploratory-descriptive qualitative research design was employed to explore the experiences of fifteen Zimbabwean immigrants, in the Western Cape province; they were purposively recruited to explore and describe their perceptions regarding legacy beliefs. Semi-structured interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Trustworthiness was enhanced through a credible iterative process involving transferability, dependability and confirmability. Three themes were identified: understanding of legacy beliefs; generation of legacies; and complexities influencing preservation of family legacy beliefs. The theoretical implication of this study is that social protection systems should consider the legacy beliefs of immigrants to enhance their social integration, and promote social relationships in a harmonious environment that encourages interdependence as well as resilient societies. Overall, this study contributes to the migration systems aimed at advancing acculturation, resettlement and successful integration. This provides innovative ways for social services to improve the quality of life and well-being of immigrant families and children living in precarious situations.