Social Work/Maatskaplike Werk

EDITORIAL

Sulina Green — Thu, 09 Jun 2022 10:31:22 +0000

Editorial from Prof Green

TOWARDS THE CREATION OF A DEVELOPMENTAL WELFARE STATE IN ZIMBABWE: AN INSIDE PERSPECTIVE ON THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

Thu, 09 Jun 2022 00:00:00 +0000

In June 2020 the government of Zimbabwe issued a statement of intent towards embracing a developmental social welfare approach by changing the name of the Department of Social Welfare to the Department of Social Development. This has been a long-awaited move in the indigenisation of Zimbabwe’s social welfare services. However, despite such a strong and progressive commitment by the government, there is no clear framework on how the Department of Social Development plans to implement developmental social welfare services in Zimbabwe. It is this concern that we address as we take an ‘inside perspective’ on the work of the Department of Social Development towards explicating current programmes and services, and examine available information on how the Department intends to reorientate Zimbabwe’s social welfare system. We then offer recommendations that can be used by the DSD towards the creation of a developmental welfare state in Zimbabwe.

THE SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT APPROACH TO SOCIAL WORK IN HEALTH CARE

Laetitia Petersen, Edmarie Pretorius — Thu, 09 Jun 2022 12:53:00 +0000

Social work in health care delivers essential services to South Africa’s vulnerable populations. The social development approach attempts to address inequalities and uplift vulnerable people. An explanatory-sequential mixed methodological study explored the application of the social development approach to social work in health care in the Gauteng Department of Health. The findings indicated that social workers in health care deliver a diverse service in attending to patients’ needs and are ideally situated to address and implement the social development approach. However, challenges are experienced in the absence of strategic policies regarding the implementation of the social development approach in health care.

WITNESS PROTECTION PROGRAMME: THE VIEWS OF WITNESSES AND STAFF MEMBERS ON HOW CHILDREN ARE AFFECTED BY THE ADMISSION OF THEIR PARENTS INTO THE PROGRAMME

Lucy Nthepa Mphaphuli — Thu, 09 Jun 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Children, although innocent, are often admitted into the witness protection programme with their parents and, as a result, they experience isolation and social uprooting. This qualitative study aimed to describe the views of witnesses and staff members on how children are affected by the admission of their parents into the witness protection programme in South Africa. The ecological systems perspective, which recognises the impact of the environment on human functioning, and the person-in-environment perspective provided the theoretical framework. The findings confirmed the hardships of children in coping with the admission of their parents into the witness protection programme.

BUILDING A COLLABORATIVE RELATIONSHIP WITH AN INVOLUNTARY PARENT IN CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES

Kristina Kallas, Karmen Toros, Asgeir Falch-Eriksen — Thu, 09 Jun 2022 13:12:52 +0000

Building a collaborative relationship with an involuntary parent is challenging; however, the worker-client relationship is essential to promoting the wellbeing of the child and family. This article describes a small-scale qualitative study conducted with child protective workers in one region of Estonia. Findings indicate that in order to encourage involuntary parents to participate, it was crucial to learn what was provoking their resistance. Recognition was used to establish a collaborative relationship with involuntary parents. To reduce the unequal distribution of power, the parent was recognised as an equal partner and negative feelings were validated and understood as a normal reaction to intervention.

IMPLEMENTATION OF ADOPTION IN SOUTH AFRICA: PERSPECTIVES FROM PRACTITIONERS IN THE WESTERN CAPE

Jean Luyt, Leslie Swartz — Thu, 09 Jun 2022 13:33:08 +0000

In South Africa adoption as a form of alternative care had decreased despite a supportive legal and policy environment. This qualitative exploratory study explored adoption policy implementation. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with four social workers and two magistrates implementing adoption in the Western Cape. Data were thematically analysed using Lipsky’s theory of street-level bureaucracy. Results indicate significant problems in implementation, including lack of adoption services by the Department of Social Development (DSD) social workers; overuse of foster care; and difficulties in registration of the birth of abandoned babies and babies assumed to be foreign. Recommendations for practice are provided.

EVALUATION OF THE TRIAL IMPLEMENTATION OF A PROTOCOL FOR ASSESSING AND SUPPORTING CHILDREN WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DELAYS AND DISABILITIES AT RURAL CHILD AND YOUTH CARE CENTRES

Yolande Heyns, Willem Roestenburg — Thu, 09 Jun 2022 13:43:03 +0000

The Ecological Assessment and Intervention Protocol (ECO-AIP) was designed by Heyns and Roestenburg (2021) to address inadequate service rendering to children with developmental delays and disabilities (DDDs) at rural Child and Youth Care Centres (CYCCs). This article presents the results of a trial implementation of the ECO-AIP at two rural CYCCs to ascertain whether the protocol made any difference to the care practices of the staff and the developmental health of the children. Qualitative focus groups were conducted using a semi-structured interview schedule and thematic analysis. This research study found that the ECO-AIP added substantially to the staff’s knowledge and skills base, leading to a general improvement in the quality and sophistication of service rendering. The ECO-AIP guided multidisciplinary CYCC teams in identifying DDDs in rural children and in supporting them to reach developmental milestones.

THE PERCEPTIONS OF STUDENTS IN AN OPEN DISTANCE LEARNING (ODL) INSTITUTION ON LIFE SKILLS AS AN HIV AND AIDS PREVENTION STRATEGY

Boitumelo Joyce Mohapi, Caroline Agboola, Mmaphuti Percy Dipela — Thu, 09 Jun 2022 13:53:42 +0000

Most people, including university students, are faced with the challenge of preventing infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). There is a need to ensure that students, future graduates and the future workforce enter the workforce as health-conscious citizens. This descriptive, explorative, qualitative study was conducted among students of the University of South Africa (Unisa), and it explored the students’ perceptions of developing life skills as an HIV and AIDS prevention strategy. Focus group discussions were used as a means of data collection. The data collected were subjected to content analysis. The perception of the students showed that life skills may play a crucial role in the prevention of HIV and AIDS. The study revealed that learning about life skills is absent from the students’ curriculum, and students want it to be included in their education. Some recommendations were made: the inclusion of HIV and AIDS education in the students’ curricula and qualification; student support services should provide services that go beyond the provision of medication and condoms to include counselling services for students on mental health, behaviour and general health; compulsory life skills workshops and educational sessions should be made available to students at the beginning of registration cycles; and topics for the life skills workshops should encompass aspects that are related to HIV and AIDS as well as those that are not HIV- and AIDS-related.

EXPLORING THE PERCEPTIONS OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICE PROVIDERS AND ELDERLY PAROLEES OF POST-INCARCERATION SOCIAL WORK PROGRAMMES IN ETHEKWINI METROPOLITAN

Sethenjwa Bonny Nduli, Maud Mthembu — Thu, 09 Jun 2022 14:02:03 +0000

This qualitative study explored the perceptions of correctional service providers and elderly parolees regarding post-incarceration social work programmes. Primary data were drawn from semi-structured interviews conducted with 15 (n=15) elderly parolees, three (n=3) social workers and two (n=2) correctional officials from South Africa’s Department of Correctional Services. The findings of this study indicated that correctional social work programmes often did not prioritise the unique needs of elderly parolees; the study findings also revealed the urgent need for developing social work programmes that cater exclusively to the needs of elderly parolees. Moreover, the study found the need for developing ongoing training programmes to strengthen reintegration services offered to the elderly cohort, and finally, the study also revealed that the increase in the number of elderly offenders being released on parole impacted negatively on the responsiveness of social work post-incarceration programmes. This article concludes by offering recommendations to the Department of Correctional Services and social workers working in community correctional centres.