Social Work / Maatskaplike Werk (E-Journal)
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YOUTHS IN GANGS ON THE CAPE FLATS: IF NOT IN GANGS, THEN WHAT?
Get PDFYouths in gangs on the Cape Flats have been reported to be a major and ongoing concern. It is therefore necessary to explore what prompts youths not to join gangs, or to exit gangs. This article is based on a secondary analysis of data that focused on the perceptions of youths in the Cape Flats of the reasons for youths joining gangs. The findings point to individual, family and environmental contributing influences. The discussion is concluded with some recommendations for interventions aimed at providing youths with alternatives to prevent them from joining gangs, or to assist them to exit gangs
NONHUMAN SYSTEMS AS A SOURCE OF INTERACTIONAL RESILIENCE AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS RAISED BY ALCOHOL-ABUSING CAREGIVERS IN LESOTHO
Get PDFResearch on the resilience of young people who were raised by substance-abusing caregivers is limited. This study aims to explore the internal interactional processes between nonhuman systems and young adults raised by alcohol-abusing caregivers in Lesotho. Multiple in-depth interviews were conducted and a draw-and-write technique applied with 15 university students, six of whom described having interacted with diverse nonhuman systems in their environment. A grounded theory analysis generated two themes: (1) interacting with empowering messages from non-present writers (through songs and books) and inspirational speakers (through videos) and (2) interacting with imaginary friends and inanimate objects (dolls and tattoos) in order to enhance their resilience. Van Breda’s interactional resilience approach, developed from person-in-the-environment perspective, and Margaret Archer’s theory of agency were found to be useful in interpreting the findings. The implications of the study include the need for social workers’ greater focus on young people’s interactions with nonhuman systems for resilience building
FACILITATING CHILDREN’S PARTICIPATION WITHIN MULTIDISCIPLINARY MEETINGS: GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR CHILD AND YOUTH CARE CENTRES
Get PDFLegislation on both an international and national level advocates that all children have a right to participate in all matters affecting them. This article reflects an interest in children’s participation in the broad field of child protection, and specifically within the context of South African child and youth care centres. Against this contextual background, the article aims to introduce guiding principles that may stimulate ongoing conversation on the facilitation of children’s participation in a specific space of decision-making within child and youth care centres, namely multidisciplinary meetings. Guiding principles were derived from a comprehensive qualitative study in which individual semi-structured interviews and focus group groups were conducted to collect data from residential social workers, child and youth care workers, and children from child and youth care centres in the greater metropolitan area of Cape Town in South Afric
VATSONGA PEOPLE’S PERCEPTIONS OF CHILDREN’S RIGHTS
Get PDFThis article is based on the findings of a qualitative study that explored the Vatsonga people’s perceptions of children’s rights to protection. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 40 community-based participants and 11child protection social workers who were familiar with the Vatsonga people's cultural heritage. Key informant and snowball sampling techniques were employed to select the community-based participants and availability sampling for selecting the social work participants. The study established that the Vatsonga people recognise the provision, protection and participation rights of children. Child participation is perceived as comprised of childhood responsibilities, not the right to be heard perse. The paper argues that some of the purported violations of child rights in Africa emanate from the universal application of a Eurocentric worldview of children’s rights. We conclude that to understand child rights in Africa, African people should be allowed to contribute to the construction of an indigenised and contextualised perspective on child rights
IS FOSTER CARE THE SAFE PLACE WE BELIEVE IT TO BE? IF NOT, WHY NOT?
Get PDFFoster care is an important part of the child protection system; however, it seems that some foster children are not protected – they are abused and neglected. The aims of this article are to confirm on a small scale whether children in foster care are indeed being abused and neglected and to develop an understanding of factors contributing to the abuse and neglect of these foster children. A qualitative research approach was applied. Findings confirmed the occurrence of abuse and/or neglect and provided information on factors relating to foster parents and the foster care system itself contributing to this phenomenon
JUDICIAL OFFICERS’ EXPERIENCES OF INCLUDING VICTIM IMPACT REPORTS IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROCESS
Get PDFJudicial officers do not consistently include victim impact reports (VIRS) because of internal and external factors experienced in securing such victim impact reports. This results in the inconsistent inclusion of VIRS during the criminal justice process, which in turn hinders the promotion of victim rights. A qualitative study explored judicial officers’ experiences of including VIRS during the criminal justice process. Findings alluded to the lack of legislation, a gap in the literature and a need for specialised victim services. A need for guidelines was identified to expand on the victim empowerment programme for social workers, enabling them to work within the criminal justice system and to include VIRS during the criminal justice process
BARRIERS AFFECTING EFFECTIVE MONITORING AND EVALUATION OF POVERTY ALLEVIATION PROJECTS WITHIN WATERBERG DISTRICT
Get PDFCommunity projects aimed at alleviating poverty under the supervision of social workers employed by the Department of Social Development (DSD) in the Waterberg district of the Limpopo Province seem to be collapsing. This prompted the researchers to undertake a qualitative study using a contextual, descriptive and explorative research design aimed at obtaining an in-depth understanding of the monitoring and evaluation (M&E) mechanisms applied in supporting community projects for alleviating poverty. This article reports on findings based on interviews conducted with 21 participants. The study identified a lack of knowledge and training, as well as poor management and supervisor support as contributors towards weak M&E
PRACTICE EXPERIENCES OF SOUTH AFRICAN SOCIAL WORKERS LIVING WITH DISABILITIES
No full textFor more than three decades in the field of social work the focus has been on social workers and persons living with disabilities. The purpose of this article is to present the findings of an empirical study on practice experiences of social workers living with disabilities in South Africa. A qualitative research methodology was used to achieve the objective of the study. Data were collected through semi-structured one-on-one interviews with seven social workers living with disabilities. The findings of the study revealed that social workers with disabilities consider their experiences in practice as both positive and negative. The study also revealed that participants experience challenges in practice.
 
PARENTING A CHILD WHO IS MISUSING ILLEGAL SUBSTANCES: STRENGTHENING FATHERHOOD
Get PDFA qualitative study was undertaken with 13 participants to understand the challenges experienced by fathers who are parenting children misusing illegal substances. The sample was selected through purposive and snowball sampling. Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews and analysed thematically. Principles of credibility, transferability, dependability and confirmability were utilised for data verification. A fatherhood–masculinity model guided this study.
Fathers are often socialised to exercise a particular notion of masculinity, which may limit their engagement with their children. However, findings in this study established that fathers are equally capable of active parenting. Therefore, an awareness of the unique contributions of fathers and supporting them in their role is important