Social Work / Maatskaplike Werk (E-Journal)
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EXPERIENCES OF SECONDARY TRAUMA AMONGST SPOUSES OF EMERGENCY SERVICE PERSONNEL
Get PDFThis article explored the secondary trauma experiences of the spouses of medical emergency service personnel (ESP). Eight spouses of ESP were interviewed and this produced five themes. Some of the EMS personnel bring their caring and supportive nature into the relationship and use the insight learnt in their role to benefit the relationship. Negative impacts of emergency work on relationships were increased arguments, decreased quality time, distancing from spouses, communication breakdown and fewer social activities. Secondary trauma is characterised by fears about safety of their spouse, behaviour changes from living with their spouses’ emotional reactivity, and social withdrawal from family members
RESILIENCE AMONGST CHILDREN LIVING WITH HIV: VOICES OF FOSTER PARENTS RESIDING IN BHAMBAYI, KWAZULU-NATAL, SOUTH AFRICA
Get PDFThe resilience of children living with HIV and placed in foster care has been overlooked by the World Health Organisation, UNAIDS and UNICEF. Using qualitative methodology, this study explored the resilience of children living with HIV from the perspective of foster parents residing in a community in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Using resilience theory, this paper presents three key themes, namely resilience and its link to disclosure, the need for care complements the need for cash, and family and community support systems. This paper makes suggestions for harnessing the undeniable contributions made by foster parents in enhancing the resilience of children living with HIV
THE CHALLENGES AND PERCEPTIONS OF COMMUNITY CAREGIVERS WITH REGARD TO ANTIRETROVIRAL TREATMENT ADHERENCE OF PATIENTS: A PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY
Get PDFAlthough there is no cure for HIV and AIDS, antiretroviral treatment has transformed this disease into a manageable chronic illness. Relatively little is known about the experiences and psychosocial challenges that community caregivers of HIV and AIDS home community-based care programmes experience in ensuring patent adherence to antiretroviral treatment (ART). This article describes the results of a phenomenological study to explore these perceptions of community caregivers. Focus group discussions were facilitated with community caregivers and they made narrative reflections in journals to gain insight into their everyday world and experiences of dealing with the challenges of patients on antiretroviral treatment, as well as noting their suggestions for interventions to ensure adherence to antiretroviral treatment
CHALLENGES EXPERIENCED BY SURVIVORS OF TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURIES AND THEIR FAMILIES
Get PDFWhile there have been numerous international publications on the challenges experienced by survivors of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and their families, little has been published in South Africa (Alexander, Fuller, Hargovan, Clarke, Muckar, & Thomson 2009). For this study, conducted at Headway in Johannesburg and involving six survivors of brain injury and six family members, data were collected through qualitative in-depth interviews. Transcriptions generated from 12 in-depth interviews with purposively selected survivors of TBI were analysed, using a thematic content approach. Key findings are used to argue that employable survivors and families of brain injury require increased opportunities for sheltered employmen
THE CHALLENGES EXPERIENCED BY ZIMBABWEAN SOCIAL WORKERS PRACTISING IN GAUTENG TOWNSHIPS
Get PDFSouth Africa has seen increasing numbers of skilled and unskilled migrants coming into the country legally and illegally. Social work is a global profession and some of the skilled migrants coming to South Africa are social workers with foreign qualifications. This qualitative research was motivated by the need to understand the challenges faced by Zimbabwean social workers who are practising in a township in Gauteng province. Findings indicate that foreign social workers face challenges trying to navigate the work space in South Africa. This study makes a contribution to debates on the migration of professionals as an important policy issue for South Africa
CHALLENGES FACING EX-OFFENDERS WHEN REINTEGRATING INTO MAINSTREAM SOCIETY IN GAUTENG, SOUTH AFRICA
Get PDFOffender rehabilitation and reintegration have come to be embraced as a vital component of a comprehensive and holistic crime-fighting strategy. Despite this, research shows that upon release from prison, ex-offenders are faced with a myriad of challenges that weaken the possibility of reform and predispose ex-offenders to recidivism. Using primary data from a qualitative study, this paper discusses the challenges faced by ex-offenders when reintegrating into mainstream society in Gauteng, South Africa. The findings show that ex-offenders struggle to adjust because of broken family and community relationships, unemployment and lack of after-care services, among others factors
REVITALIZING SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE: THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CONUNDRUM
Get PDFThis paper is an amended version of the presentation made at the Social Work Indaba held 24-26 March 2015 in Durban. The problem that was investigated is whether it is desirable to teach community development in the undergraduate social work programme. A sample of academics in the Department of Social Work at the University of Limpopo was asked to express their views on this. Another available sample of social work practitioners was asked the same question. The findings from the two samples are divergent in that the academics insisted that community development should remain part of the university social work programme, whereas young practising social workers felt that it should be discontinued
THE VOICE OF THE CHILD: EXPERIENCES OF CHILDREN, IN MIDDLE CHILDHOOD, REGARDING CHILDREN’S COURT PROCEDURES
Get PDFCurrent statistics show an alarming number of children entering the South African children’s court system annually. Yet little to no research has been conducted directly with the children who actually attend children’s courts within the South African context, specifically since the promulgation of the new Children’s Act 38 of 2005. The research reported here, using one-on-one semi-structured interviews, highlighted the voices of the children regarding their experiences of children’s court procedures. Results indicated that, because of a lack of preparation, the majority of children experienced children’s court procedures negatively. Recommendations for a children’s court-specific preparation programme are mad
EXPLORING THE PLAY OF MIDDLE CHILDHOOD CHILDREN IN A POOR COMMUNITY IN THE NORTH WEST PROVINCE: CAREGIVERS’ EXPERIENCES
Get PDFPlay is affected by the specific community and culture children live in. Through an explorative descriptive design this qualitative study explored the experiences of play of middle childhood children in a poor community in North West province. Eighteen participants were selected through purposive and snowball sampling. Data-collection methods included focus groups and collages. Findings illustrated different types of play, factors which influenced the children’s play, and the effects of poverty, resources, safety and supportive structures on play. It is recommended that professionals rendering services to children in this specific age group be aware of the games children prefer to play
ADULT SURVIVORS’ RECOLLECTIONS AND ACCOUNTS OF THEIR INVOLVEMENT IN CHILD SEX TOURISM BY WAY OF CHILD PROSTITUTION
Get PDFIncreasing tourism numbers in Third World countries affect their economies and certain aspects of their society positively; however, there are concomitant negative effects that expose the dark side of the tourism industry. One of these is the escalating commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC), particularly child prostitution in the context of tourism, a phenomenon known as child sex tourism (CST). This paper reports on the recollections of the adult survivors of CSEC, who as children were exposed to CST through child prostitution (CP) and who formed part of a larger research project approached from a qualitative perspective