Social Work / Maatskaplike Werk (E-Journal)
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I DRANK BECAUSE I WANTED TO DEAL WITH THE FRUSTRATION”: EXPLAINING ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION DURING PREGNANCY IN A LOW-RESOURCE SETTING – WOMEN’S, PARTNERS AND FAMILY MEMBERS’ NARRATIVES
Get PDFUnderstanding the explanatory narratives that women, partners and family members provide for consuming alcohol during pregnancy is essential in interventions. This paper reports on the stories of 25 participants in a low-resource area. Explanations included lack of partner support (not providing financially, being unfaithful, denying paternity), stress (HIV diagnosis, unwanted pregnancy, poverty), trauma (rape, death and crime), and a drinking culture (unregulated taverns, availability of liquor, peer pressure). Interventions should work with the gender norms; provide services or referrals for trauma; provide non-judgmental counselling; and target drinking in general in the community so as to reduce drinking culture
FAMILY CONNECTEDNESS IN FAMILIES DEALING WITH ADOLESCENTS IN CONFLICT WITH THE LAW
Get PDFThis article explored family connectedness and the way that families are dealing with adolescents in conflict with the law. Ten adolescents, ten family members, and five social workers constituted the sample for the study. Data collection was done through semi-structured interviews. Three themes were identified through thematic analysis. The results of this study clearly show that the level of connectedness amongst families influences how they deal with adolescents in conflict with the law. Family structure and parental engagement were key factors affecting the relationship with the adolescent. A low level of connectedness was evident in all the families interviewed
“A LICENSE TO LEAVE SOUTH AFRICA”: A QUALITATIVE STUDY OF SOUTH AFRICAN PARENTS’ NARRATIVES OF THEIR CHILDREN’S REASONS FOR EMIGRATION
Get PDFThe number of South Africans citizens emigrating abroad has increased dramatically, resulting in a multitude of parents remaining behind. This qualitative phenomenological study explored and described the reasons for the emigration of adult children of predominantly white South African parents. Multiple motivating factors validated the emigration, namely the South African political climate, violent crime, lack of employment opportunities and high skill mobility. In an attempt to justify the emigration, parents subsequently provided their children with a “license to leave”. Each parent was affected uniquely in this complex psychosocial journey. Social workers can assist in the reconstruction of meaning by guiding the parent through this life-altering decisio
EVALUATION OF AN HIV AND AIDS SOCIAL INTERVENTION PROGRAMME FOR THE YOUTH IN THE NORTHERN CAPE, SOUTH AFRICA
Get PDFThe study focuses on a qualitative evaluation of the Soul City Social Intervention Programme (SCP) on HIV and AIDS targeted at the youth in the Northern Cape province, South Africa. The evaluation was implemented through a qualitative study, operationalised through an instrumental case study design. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 13 SCP field workers. Thematic analysis crystallised into two themes. Theme 1 focuses on the limitations regarding the implementation of the SCP, while theme 2 highlights the evaluation of the SCP from the field workers’ perspective. Recommendations are made to improve the effectiveness of the programme
THE PERCEPTIONS OF CHILDLESS WOMEN ON SURROGACY AS AN ASSISTED REPRODUCTIVE TECHNIQUE (ART) IN LEBOWAKGOMO, CAPRICORN DISTRICT, LIMPOPO PROVINCE
Get PDFThe purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of childless women of surrogacy as an assistive reproductive technique. Childless women in marriage experience psychological problems characterised by marital instability, divorce, stigmatisation and abuse. The objectives of the study were to (a) identify childless women, (b) determine their awareness and knowledge of surrogacy, (c) establish their values and beliefs on the issue of surrogacy, and (e) assess whether they would be willing to consider surrogacy as an option to address their infertility. The study was qualitative and a case study design was used. Ten childless women were recruited from a social worker’s caseload. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with these women and saturation was reached with the seventh participant. Data were analysed thematically. The findings of the study suggest that childless women knew about surrogacy as an assisted reproductive technique and that they would consider the technique as an option to address their childlessness brought about by infertility
Editorial
Get PDFThe promotion of healthy family life--its health, welfare, and preservation--is of fundamental and strategic importance for social work. Social Work/Maatskaplike Werk Vol 56 No 1; Editorial http://socialwork.journals.ac.za/pub doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.15270/52-2-794Prof Sulina Green, Department of Social Work, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa.
Editorial
Get PDFThe articles in this issue of Social Work/Maatskaplike Werk address a range of topics from school social work as a field of practice to the role of social service providers to protect vulnerable women and children in society
THE FOURFOLD NEOLIBERAL IMPACT ON SOCIAL WORK AND WHY THIS MATTERS IN TIMES OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND BEYOND
Get PDFWhile social welfare policy forms a cornerstone of the social work profession, economic policy and its interactions often remain distant and of academic interest only. In this paper the authors argue that understanding how economic policy is impacting upon the profession is important for its day-to-day practice. This has become ever more apparent in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has affirmed social work as an essential service. In particular, the authors argue that the global impact of neoliberal economics on the day-to-day practices of social workers is fourfold in terms of the marketisation, consumerisation, managerialisation and deprofessionalisation of social work
EXPLORING THE BARRIERS THAT PREVENT PRACTITIONERS FROM IMPLEMENTING MOTIVATIONAL INTERVIEWING IN THEIR WORK WITH CLIENTS
Get PDFMotivational interviewing (MI) is an evidence-based counselling technique that is used by psychologists, doctors, nurses, midwives and social workers as an effective intervention aimed at behavioural change. Despite its efficacy, it is not commonly used in South Africa. Our aim was to explore the barriers that social and health practitioners who were trained in administering MI experienced in implementing MI in their work with clients. We used a qualitative approach to explore these barriers and a phenomenological research design to explore the research question. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 15 MI practitioners (social workers, registered counsellors, an educational psychologist, a life coach and an addiction counsellor) who were living and working in the Western Cape and deemed competent in MI. Our thematic analysis resulted in four broad areas being identified. These were practitioner-related factors, client-related factors, lack of continuous training and supervision, and workplace-related factors
INTERPLAY BETWEEN SUBSTANCE USE AND HEALTH: BEHAVIOURAL DYNAMICS AMONG FEMALE ADOLESCENTS IN BUTTERWORTH, SOUTH AFRICA
Get PDFUsing an exploratory and descriptive design, as well as interviews and focus group discussions with female adolescents, their parents, former users of substances, social workers, probation officers, community leaders, teachers and police (SAPS), the paper explores the interplay between substance use by female adolescents and their behaviour. Findings revealed that substances use among female adolescents motivated sexual behaviour, sexual engagement was driven by financial goals, there was an increased risk of contracting STIs, excessive consumption of alcohol was normalised, and increased propensity for conflict became evident. The paper recommends that the government and NGOs work together synergistically in order to address substance use among adolescent females