Social Work / Maatskaplike Werk (E-Journal)
Not a member yet
916 research outputs found
Sort by
SOCIAL WORK IN THE 21ST CENTURY: SCHOLARSHIP AND PRAXIS REIMAGINED TOWARDS VULNERABILITY
Full text linkSocial Work in the 21st century: Scholarship and praxis reimagined towards vulnerability, edited by Allucia L. Shokane, Annaline Keet and Varoshini Nadesan, is the third volume in the Knowledge Pathing: Multi-, Inter-, and Trans-Disciplining in Social Sciences series. This open access book is a meticulous collection of scholarly contributions that emanated from the 2021 Association of South African Social Work Education Institutions (ASASWEI) colloquium, which focused on the theme "Pandemics, Poverty, Inequality, and Disability: Social Work in the 21st Century.
UNVEILING THE DIGITAL LANDSCAPE: SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS' KNOWLEDGE AND PERCEPTIONS OF ADOLESCENT SEXTING IN GAUTENG SCHOOLS, SOUTH AFRICA
Full text linkIn 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
IsiXhosa-speaking Single Mothers’ Experiences of Intlawulo (paying the damages)
Full text linkAlmost half of all South African mothers between the ages of 25 and 34 are never-married single mothers, with most of these single mothers belonging to the African population. Single mothers face various challenges. Cultural customs, such as intlawulo, or “paying the damages”, may add to the complexities of single motherhood. Past research has not dealt with single mothers’ direct experiences of this custom within the Xhosa culture. Consequently, this study’s research question is: What are IsiXhosa-speaking single mothers’ experiences of intlawulo? Twelve IsiXhosa-speaking single mothers from the Cape Town metropole, South Africa were recruited through non-probability snowball sampling. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and the data were analysed thematically. The participants’ experiences of intlawulo varied greatly and were often contingent upon whether their partners had acknowledged paternity and/or paid intlawulo to their family. Positive experiences included improvements in self-esteem, positive emotions, and improvements in relationships and communication amongst the families. Participants whose partners had neither paid intlawulo nor acknowledged paternity generally reported negative experiences of the custom. These findings hold practical and social relevance within the South African context, as premarital pregnancies, and the practice of intlawulo, affect individuals and entire families
A SOCIAL WORK PERSPECTIVE ON SOUTH AFRICAN TRADITIONAL MALE CHILD CIRCUMCISION
Full text linkTraditional 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
FATHERS’ PERSPECTIVES ON THE PREPARATION OF SONS FOR FAMILY RESPONSIBILITIES
Full text linkBeing an effective father requires a close relationship with sons, which leads to fostering trust, open communication, mutual support, respect and shared values. This paper sought to gain an insight into fathers’ perspectives on the preparation of sons for family responsibilities in South-Western Uganda. A qualitative research method supported by phenomenological, explorative, descriptive and contextual designs was adopted. Purposive sampling facilitated the identification of twenty Bakiga fathers, who were interviewed through semi-structured interviews in Kabale, South-Western Uganda. The ecological system theory was employed to understand how various systems such as family, school, community and work in the father-son environment influence their functioning. The study found that fathers play a pivotal role in preparing sons holistically for family responsibilities across various dimensions such as emotional, mental, spiritual, social, economic and academic aspects. This preparation involves cultivating deep friendships, providing formal and informal education, promoting good money management, offering emotional support, emphasising spiritual values and passing on culturally relevant customs. Given the unique needs of fathers and sons, social workers should collaborate with stakeholders to provide tailored interventions that promote self-reliance and strong father-son bonds, ultimately improving their social functioning
Child adoption as an oppressive child protection practice: The voices of adopted adolescents in Zimbabwe
Full text linkAdoption is globally recognised as a child protection strategy, offering children without parental care a stable family environment. However, this study explores how adoption processes in Zimbabwe can perpetuate oppressive dynamics, particularly by marginalising the voices of adopted adolescents. Using anti-oppressive practice (AOP) as the theoretical framework, the study employed a social constructionist, interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) approach to examine the lived experiences of 19 adolescents aged 14–17 who had contested their adoptions. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, analysed thematically using IPA principles and supported by MAXQDA software. Findings revealed that adolescents felt disempowered and excluded from the adoption process, leading to emotional distress, cultural disconnection and identity crises. They reported secrecy, lack of transparency and inadequate support from social workers, coupled with mixed feelings of gratitude and resentment toward adoptive parents. With the currently closed adoption model prioritising children from 5 years and below, the study underscores that current adoption practices in Zimbabwe often marginalise children’s voices and sever cultural ties, perpetuating oppressive dynamics. This calls for reforms emphasising transparency, inclusivity and cultural preservation. Adoption processes should empower children, respect their rights and foster open communication to promote holistic wellbeing and identity continuity
The crucial role of motivation in the recovery process at inpatient and outpatient substance-related treatment centres
Full text linkFor individuals who use substances, compliance and treatment motivation are crucial to the effectiveness of substance-related treatment services. Thus, exploring motivation is imperative to the holistic treatment of individuals who use substances. The intricate interplay between motivation and the decision to seek substance-related treatment among individuals who use substances is conceptualised. Self-determination theory was the most relevant theoretical framework for the study, as it captures the complex, evolving nature of motivation in the treatment process. Document analysis was employed as the primary research methodology for this study, allowing for a systematic review and interpretation of relevant texts to extract meaningful information aligned with the research objectives. This confirms that extrinsic and intrinsic motivation significantly influence the decision to seek substance-related treatment. The researcher argues that the type of motivation a person exhibits prior to being admitted shapes the success of their substance-related treatment regimen. As a result, treatment plans for individuals who use substances need to be tailored accordingly by social workers in substance-related treatment centres. This article contributes to the academic discourse around substance-related treatment and holds practical implications and offers guidelines for treatment centres and healthcare professionals, such as social workers in treatment centres
Navigating family estrangement. Helping adults understand and manage the challenges of family estrangement.
Full text linkIn Navigating Family Estrangement, psychotherapist and estrangement specialist Karl Melvin provides an insightful and practice-oriented exploration of this subject. Structured into thirteen chapters across four parts, the book examines how estranged adults can be effectively supported through a variety of professional perspectives
Socio-economic factors contributing to juvenile delinquency in Zimbabwe: A social work perspective
Full text linkThe study was conducted at a time when a growing concern has emerged about increasing incidents of juvenile delinquency in Zimbabwe. Adopting a social work lens, social process theory, a qualitative research approach and a case study research design, this paper presents findings on some of the socio-economic factors contributing to juvenile delinquency in Zimbabwe. The study targeted caregivers of juvenile delinquents in Highfield, a high-density suburb of Harare, where children received services from Care at the Core of Humanity and key informants who work with children in conflict with the law (juvenile delinquents) at the same organisation. Ten primary participants and two key informants were purposively sampled. Data were collected using in-depth interviews and analysed through thematic analysis. The analysis revealed several socio-economic factors contributing to juvenile delinquency, including peer influence, poverty, an abusive home environment, substance use, supernatural phenomena and the media. Findings also show that children are a product of their environment; thus, a healthy socio-economic environment guards against juvenile delinquency. This research provides a foundation of knowledge and evidence to inform practice and interventions. The researchers recommend that social workers engage in positive parenting skills training with caregivers to protect children from engaging in unlawful behaviour
Exploring the relationship between resilience and possible selves from the literature on the possible selves of young people: A scoping literature review
Full text linkYoung people face many challenges as they journey through adolescence and into emerging adulthood, for example, unemployment, mental health issues, substance misuse and family disintegration. Possible selves is a theory of self-concept and behaviour motivation which argues that self-concept includes a future component comprised of hoped for, feared and expected possible selves. Hoped for and feared selves motivate behaviour either towards or away from a self in a specific future domain. Resilience enablers are those things that facilitate the development of resilience. There is considerable literature on possible selves as well as on resilience, but negligible research on how the two theories might work together. A scoping literature review was conducted to answer the question: “Can the relationship between possible selves and resilience be identified from the literature on the possible selves of young people?” Twenty-seven articles were reviewed, and eight resilience enablers were identified: family (role models, peers), health behaviours (general and sexual) education and career, culture, making (learning by doing promotes self-efficacy), balancing possible selves, enabling environments and hoping for the best. Young people’s possible selves are often global and require detailed planning to become achievable. Achieving possible selves requires persistence despite adverse circumstances which is an aspect of resilience. Thus, integrating resilience and possible selves theories might facilitate the realisation of goals in the lives of young people