Department of Social Work

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Beginner maatskaplike werkers se ervaring van volwasseneonderrig in supervisie
(2019-12) Brandt, Shanell; Engelbrecht, Lambert Karel; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Social Work.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The declining quality in South African supervision practice and social service delivery is attributed to the shortage of competent and trained supervisors as well as the lack of supervision. The failure of social work supervision is often attributed to inadequate education during supervision. The education function in supervision of especially novice social workers is essential for effective and quality service delivery. Despite this, the education function is neglected during supervision while the administrative function takes precedence. The social work practice mainly utilizes a traditional education process that is based on pedagogical principles. This process is by no means relevant to adults and thus (beginner) social workers' learning needs. Adult education, also known as andragogy, is fundamental to the supervision of social workers to ensure that quality services are provided to service consumers. Existing literature shows that social workers and supervisors are unfamiliar with this important and indispensable aspect of supervision. Against this background the research study aimed to gain a better understanding of novice social workers' experience of adult education during supervision. A qualitative research approach was used to explore novice social workers' experience of adult education during supervision. The study utilized both an exploratory and descriptive research design to obtain detailed information and insight into the participants' experience. For the purpose of this study, snowball sampling method was used to recruit participants. A semi-structured interview schedule was followed during interviews with 20 participants. This research report consists of five chapters. Chapter one provides an introduction to the research study, followed by chapters two and three that represent the literature review of the study. Chapter two describes the supervision process and social work context of novice social workers, while chapter three provides a description of adult education within the context of supervision. Chapter four of this research study presents the empirical study, and Chapter five the conclusions and recommendations. Key findings and conclusions from the study highlight the absence of education and the lack of application of adult education principles during supervision. It seems that pedagogy, rather than andragogy, is supervisors' approach to education. The supervision practice in social welfare organizations neglects the education function that especially disadvantages novice social workers' growth and development in the profession as well as the quality of service they deliver to service consumers. Influences of neoliberalism and a managerial approach in social work practice mean that social work supervision in welfare organizations is not regular and structured. Informal supervision (on the run) has become increasingly common in social welfare organizations and contributes to the decline in quality service delivery. Supervisors in the social supervision practice do not follow a supervision process during which novice social workers are assessed and consequently a personal development plan is not compiled to determine the growth and development of the worker. Supervision in the social work practice is experienced negatively and not performed as prescribed by standards of the South African Supervision Framework.
Die bydrae van gevestigde maatskaplike diensorganisasies tot die kapasiteitsbou van informele gemeenskapsgebaseerde organisasies
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2015-12) Boshoff, Shanie; Engelbrecht, Lambert Karel; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Social Work.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Large-scale poverty and increasing needs prevail in South Africa. The National Department of Social Development has the constitutional mandate to provide sector-spesific national leadership in social development. Despite the Department of Social Development’s intention to restructure the social service delivery system from 1997 and although established social service organisations, as well as informal community-based organisations (CBOs), are regarded as being valuable resources of service delivery to communities at risk, all these organisations are threatened by serious challenges. Established social service organisations that provide and maintain a significant portion of the social welfare services in South Africa, are at present – despite their efficient management - engulfed in a grim battle for survival. CBOs which form an integral part of communities at risk are still excluded from State financing because they do not comply with the basic requirements of management. The Financing Policy (2012a) of the Department of Social Development indicates that the State aims to redirect its financing from established social service organisations to CBOs and to demand that established organisations build the capacity of CBOs in addition to their own direct service delivery to those at risk. An investigation into the capacity-building of CBOs within the South African context is therefore at the same time both relevant and important. The purpose of this study is to develop understanding for the contribution that established social service organisations in South Africa already make to the capacity-building of CBOs. The investigation not only provides information on the nature of this capacity-building, but also focuses attention on the many challenges experienced and the demands made of social service providers. Firstly, the approach that the State follows in respect of social service delivery and the re-structuring of the existing social service delivery system is investigated and contextualised. On the one hand, the nature of both established and informal social service providers as well as the critical role both fulfil in sustainable social development is examined. On the other hand, the approach that the South African government follows in social service delivery and the restructuring of the social service delivery system is critically explored. What became evident was that the South African government adopted the international theory of the social development approach as its underlying paradigm to construct its own developmentally oriented approach to social service delivery (including the capacity-building of CBOs). As social service delivery needs to be aligned with this approach, the social development approach is therefore being regarded as the appropriate approach within which to analyse the capacity building of CBOs. This study however also indicates that there is uncertainty with regard to the manner in which this approach should be implemented in practice. Secondly, the Department of Social Development’s policy concerning the capacity-building of CBOs by established social service organisations is analysed critically taking into account the following aspects: the State’s policy, the social development approach to the capacity-building of CBOs that is followed, and its application in practice. This analysis shows that the capacity-building of CBOs is directly linked to the social development approach followed in South Africa. It promotes citizen participation by establishing cost-effective and accessible resources in communities that enable people to improve the well-being of citizens and stimulates self-sustainability. Thirdly, the concept “capacity-building of CBOs” is contextualised by providing a theoretical framework for sustainable social development and organisational management and development. The appropriate theories and models of organisational capacity-building are described in this study based on a social development approach and existing models of institutional capacity-building are compared. The theoretical information is then empirically explored and analysed. Qualitative research was chosen as the approach to explore the contributions of established social service organisations to the capacity-building of CBOs in the social welfare sector and to establish the link with the social development approach as it is applied in South Africa. At the same time capacity-building of CBOs by established social service organisations is analysed and described. A case study was used as the research strategy by using NACOSS (National Coalition of Social Services) as a discussion forum of established social service providers in South Africa. A purposive non-probability sample selection was used to select participants. Nine NACOSS members indicated in a survey that they are already involved in the capacity-building of CBOs and they agreed to participate in the study. Data was collected on two levels. Firstly, interviews were conducted with two groupings of the established social service organisations on the basis of semi-structured interview schedules, namely with 8 chief executive officers and with 15 social workers who are already building CBOs’ capacities. After this, interviews were conducted with the 9 identified representatives of the CBOs whose capacities were being built by the participating service organisations. The original semi-structured interview schedule for CBOs had already been adjusted at the beginning of the survey to accommodate more general narratives from CBOs’ experiences of capacity-building as it appeared to be a more effective way to obtain the information from CBOs.
Compassion fatigue and self-care : voices of newly qualified social workers
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2020-12) Pretorius, Tanya; Engelbrecht, Lambert Karel; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Social Work.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Existing literature on compassion fatigue and self-care have increased. However, newly qualified social workers receive less attention and are often not the focus of study, with little to no research studies conducted on the plight of social workers in South Africa. They continue to find themselves in stressful and demanding situations which inhibit their ability to conduct their work effectively. This is especially prevalent among newly qualified social workers, who face challenges pertaining to transitioning from student to professional, and this is the reason they are at increased risk of experiencing compassion fatigue compared to more seasoned social workers. In this context, compassion fatigue can be regarded as an ethical concern to be addressed, as it not only negatively affects newly qualified social workers in their personal lives, but also their work performance and service rendering. Despite self-care being recognised as a promising measure to prevent compassion fatigue, newly qualified social workers are not adequately equipped to implement it and thus cannot curb compassion fatigue themselves. Against this backdrop, this research study was aimed at understanding of the compassion fatigue and self-care practices used by newly qualified social workers in the South African context. A qualitative research approach was utilised in order to capture the rich accounts of newly qualified social workers with regard to their experiences with compassion fatigue and self-care. Descriptive and exploratory research designs were used to substantiate the capturing of various narratives from the participants. To this end, a snowball sampling method was utilised for the purpose of this study. Eighteen participants were interviewed using semi-structured interview schedules. The data gathered was analysed using a thematic content analysis approach. This research document contained three literature chapters, with the first attempting to serve as a framework regarding the conceptualisation of work contexts and working conditions experienced by newly qualified social workers. The second analysed the compassion fatigue experienced by newly qualified social workers, in particular articulating its conceptualisation, symptoms, and relationship with compassion satisfaction, job satisfaction, as well as burnout. Finally, the third identified self-care practices by those prone to compassion fatigue. Building on the background established in the literature chapters, chapter five of this research study contained the empirical study. In this chapter, results from data collected from participants and literature were presented in an integrated manner. Based on these results, chapter six contained the conclusions and recommendations of the research study. The main conclusions drawn from the findings established that newly qualified social workers work under extremely harsh conditions which are worsened by challenges related to the transitioning from student to professional social worker. This, along with a lack of organisational support, has increasingly led to the development and experience of compassion fatigue among newly qualified social workers, which is detrimental to them as individuals and professionals. The symptoms of compassion fatigue are far-reaching and impede all aspects of the professional’s wellbeing. Owing to the negative impact of compassion fatigue on the quality of service rendering, it should be regarded and addressed as a vital, ethically informed concern in South Africa. In light of the prior mentioned conclusions, it is recommended that self-care not be regarded as the sole responsibility of newly qualified social workers, but rather holistically promoted by training institutions, the South African Council of Social Service Professions, the National Department of Social Development, organisations employing newly qualified social workers, and the managers and supervisors of the social workers concerned.
Essential management competencies of principals at early childhood development centres
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2021-12) Ronaasen, Jessica; Engelbrecht, Lambert Karel; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Social Work.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Early childhood development (ECD) has gained much momentum since the headline policy, the National Integrated Early Childhood Development Policy 2015 (Republic of South Africa [RSA], 2015), was ratified with the mandate to a deliver a comprehensive package of services to children from birth to six years old. ECD centres are not only hubs of education for young children, but also function as small businesses in the communities which they serve. Business skills, leadership, and governance are concepts which are intertwined and necessary for effective management by a principal of an ECD centre. Management competencies are centred upon core leadership values, which are embedded in the supervision and monitoring processes of social workers or ECD managers. A learning organisation approach (LOA), which is recommended in this study for ECD centres, maintains that people can learn the necessary skills and knowledge to function in a managerial role. This study presents empirical findings that showcase the essential management competencies of an ECD principal based on Engelbrecht’s (2014) conceptual framework of management skills, functions, and tasks, which depicts the interaction and complexity of a management role in any given organisation. A fairly ambitious timeframe is mentioned in the ECD Policy (RSA, 2015) that by 2030, all practitioners and principals working with ECD services should have adequate knowledge, skills, infrastructure, and materials to support a comprehensive package of early learning services within an ECD centre. Using a qualitative research approach, this study aimed to gain an understanding of the essential management attributes of ECD principals managing ECD centres in South Africa. A collective case study design was utilised to gain the reflections and lessons learnt from ECD principals and social work managers working in the ECD sector, by conducting semi-structured, telephonic interviews. Non-probability, purposive, and snowball sampling were used to recruit participants. Thematic content analysis was completed by reviewing the data in the transcripts of each interview with the intention of identify managerial competencies in the ECD sector as South Africa’s Department of Social Development (DSD) and the Department of Basic Education DoBE) move forward into a future of possibilities for collaborative learning and development. This study highlights the importance of business planning, mentorship, financial and ECD principal management tasks, the quality of ECD principal management, principal management training programmes, and further policy developments targeting the promotion of ECD principals’ professional development. Conclusions and recommendations towards government departments, non-government organisations (NGOs), and ECD principals themselves are offered to provide practice-relevant evidence for intervention moving forward. Key recommendations include incorporating a learning organisation approach to the support and training of ECD principals and the centres they manage, what the management competencies of ECD principals should be, and the optimal mechanisms needed to support the growth of this role in their organisations.
Essential management tasks executed by social workers in the Directorate of Developmental Social Welfare Services in Namibia : an ecological systems perspectives
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2020-03) Muinjangue, Esther Utjiua; Engelbrecht, Lambert Karel; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Social Work.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Management in social work is an area of growing scholarly interest but it is seldom understood in the context of developmental social welfare services. Management is mostly associated with the fields of business and marketing. Moreover, there is little evidence about the managerial tasks executed by social workers in their day to day activities and why some of these managerial tasks are essential in social welfare service delivery. The literature that exists in management tasks is primarily derived from business and management in general which is a different field from that of managing social services. The body of knowledge that exists on management focuses primarily on business management and not on management tasks of social workers at different levels in organisations. Furthermore, the execution of these tasks is also influenced by the organisational environment in which social workers operate. Additionally, social workers are no longer working in isolation but they see themselves more and more as part of multi-disciplinary teams. Contemporary social workers are professionals who manage their work to ensure quality service to their service users. With constant change in the needs and demands of communities served by social workers, research and more research on management in social work and especially on management tasks needs to keep abreast in order to highlight essential management tasks executed by social workers as it directly impacts the services offered by social workers. The study explored and described some essential management tasks executed by social workers at the frontline and middle levels of management in the Directorate of Developmental Social Welfare Services (DDSWS) in the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MOHSS) in Namibia. The study was based on a qualitative study with 20 frontline social workers and 7 middle level managers as participants. The empirical study and the findings were analysed in line with the data categories as identified in some essential management tasks, namely: workload management, time management, information management, risk management, change and transformation management, supervisory management, programme and project management and monitoring and evaluation (M & E). Subthemes and categories were identified from the empirical data in line with the practice and narratives of the research participants. The findings indicate that social workers at frontline and middle levels of management executed management tasks. The study further revealed that although social workers are functioning in different divisions and at different levels, they seem to have adopted an integrated approach to management tasks. Specific recommendations, based on an ecological systems perspective are offered in the current study, which may be applicable to diverse organisational contexts. This was done by synthesising some essential management tasks from literature and how they are implemented in practice by social workers in the Directorate. Recommendations were made along the literature categories, with specific recommendations under reach category. Mostly, the main recommendations were linked to the need to provide in-service training to social workers on management in social work in order to create more awareness on their managerial tasks and for them to be more appreciative of their roles. Other recommendations were in terms of the working environment and the centralisation of the fragmented social welfare services.
Essential management tasks performed by volunteers on management committees of non-profit organisations
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2017-12) Mashale, Termica Rethabile; Engelbrecht, Lambert Karel; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Social Work.
ENGLISCH ABSTRACT: Non-profit management, in the social services, is an area of growing scholarly interest but is seldom understood in the context of development. The evidence that exists in management tasks and governance is derived from corporate governance and management which differs significantly from that of managing social services. Furthermore, the voluntary nature of the management committees of social services organisations means the transactional relationship that an employer and employee have does not exist. Thus, volunteers are morally and statutorily bound to the organisation but can withhold their services and time without suffering any punitive measures. The body of knowledge that exists on volunteers is primary focussed on the volunteers who intrinsically want to work at the coalface of operations to the neglect of the volunteers who serve on the management committees of social service organisations. Moreover, with the changing world, the face of volunteerism is fast changing shape and operating across boarders in search of purpose, adventure and desire to see the world. With the face of volunteerism changing, research needs to keep abreast as it directly impacts the services offer by social services and non-profits. South African policies and legislation, ill define the role and responsibilities of volunteers on management committees of non-profit organisations (NPOs) and further confound issues in advocating for developmental social services and capacity building, yet do not adequately define it in practice for small to large non-profits. The social work profession, particularly as practised in the non-profit sector, tremendously impacts and is best positioned to support both beneficiaries and management of NPOs. Therefore, a keener understanding of volunteers and their role as governors on the management committees of non-profits is key in unlocking the capacity that volunteers bring to organisations in order to bolster the human resources of an organisation. The study explored and described the essential management tasks as performed by volunteers on the management committees of social service non-profit organisations in the Western Cape. This was done by synthesising the essential management tasks from literature and how they are implemented in practice by volunteers in NPOs. By deductively synthesising the essential management tasks, the researcher was able to define the scope and boundaries of the Stellenbosch University research, offer meaningful definitions and models for which the governance work by volunteers could be explored and understood. The empirical study and the findings were analysed in line with the data categories as identified in the essential management tasks, namely: strategic planning, human resources management, financial management, transformation/change management, project management, fundraising, formation, communications and systems management, monitoring and evaluation, and public relations and stakeholder management. Subthemes were identified from the empirical data in accordance with the practice and narratives of the research participants. The findings indicate that volunteers prioritise management tasks based on organisational reputational risk to donors, depending on capacity within the management committee and do not adopt an integrated approach to management tasks. The volunteers’ roles on management committees require more formalisation, clarification on the various levels of management and the accountability that is bestowed on volunteers at the echelons of power within NPOs. Additionally, volunteers need education on their roles and responsibilities so they can carry out their governance of NPOs. Recommendations were made along the literature categories, with specific recommendations under reach category. Generally, the main recommendations are the need to educate volunteers on their roles and responsibilities and the statutory requirements thereof, educate staff on the role of volunteers and training of volunteers on the integration of management tasks so that organisations are viewed in their integrated holistic sense rather than fragmented parts that do not make a whole.
The execution of individual reflective supervision sessions: Experiences of intermediate frontline social workers
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2018-03) Chibaya, Nyasha Hillary; Engelbrecht, Lambert Karel; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Social Work.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Existing literature on supervision has failed to make provision for comprehensive information in regard to social work individual reflective supervision sessions and how to subsequently execute them. Reflective supervision has over the years received less and less attention on a global scale. This has been a consequence of neoliberalism with its sole focus on effectiveness and efficiency of management. Social workers all over the world have increasingly expressed concerns about the diminishing availability and poor quality of supervision inter alia. Consequently, protests by social work professionals have been witnessed in different parts of the world, demanding better working conditions inter alia. Against this background, this research study was aimed at understanding the experiences of intermediate frontline social workers in regard to the execution of social work individual reflective supervision sessions in South Africa. A qualitative research approach was utilized in order to capture detailed accounts of intermediate frontline social workers in regard to their experiences of the execution of individual reflective supervision sessions. Descriptive and exploratory research designs were used to substantiate the capturing of various narratives from the participants. A snow-ball sampling method was utilized for the purpose of this study. Twenty participants were interviewed utilizing semi-structured interviews. Data gathered was analyzed using a thematic content analysis approach. This research document contains two literature chapters. The first literature chapter attempts to formulate a conceptual framework for individual supervision of intermediate frontline social workers. The second literature chapter details various reflection tools and techniques that can be used in executing individual reflective supervision sessions. Chapter four of this research study contains the empirical study. The results from data collected from participants and literature are presented in an integrated manner. Chapter five contains the conclusions and recommendations of the research study. The main conclusions drawn from the findings established that social work professionals are working under unfavourable conditions where they are expected to continuously meet organisational targets and manage heavy caseloads. Social work professionals continue to receive less frequent and poor quality individual supervision. Alternatively, "on the run" supervision which is only available for urgent matters that require the supervisor's attention has become more common in social service organisations. There is little to no practice of reflective individual supervision in the present social work context which consequently thwarts the professional and personal development of supervisees. In light of the prior mentioned conclusions, it is recommended that supervision, as a specialist field in social service organisations, be specifically and substantially subsidized by the South African government; and that the practice of reflection in supervision be promoted through workshops as part of supervisors' Continuing Professional Development (CPD).
Implementation of the supervision framework for the social work profession in South Africa by a designated child protection organisation
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2022-04) Khosa, Priscalia; Engelbrecht, Lambert Karel; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Social Work
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Supervision plays a significant role in social work because social work practice depends largely upon the organisation’s administrative structure, which includes supervisors to continue training new social workers and provide ongoing professional guidance. Despite the predominance of supervision within the social work profession, and the weight placed upon its role and function by policymakers, practitioners, and organisation managers alike, it remains an under-researched area of enquiry when it comes to evidence-informed supervision policies. In South Africa, the Supervision Framework for the Social Work Profession seeks to conceptualise, contextualise, and provide norms and standards that guide the execution of supervision in the country. However, since its inception in 2012, no study has been conducted on how the Supervision Framework is implemented in various organisations. Hence, the aim of this study was to gain an understanding of the stories of social workers in a designated child protection organisation regarding the implementation of the Supervision Framework. Given the knowledge gap and limited voices of social workers, a constructionist theoretical approach guided this study to explore the perspectives and stories of social workers and their supervisors on how the Supervision Framework is implemented in their organisation. This study employed a qualitative research approach. A case study research design that was exploratory and descriptive in nature was adopted in this study. Semi-structured telephonic interviews were conducted with 28 participants employed in a designated child protection organisation in the Western Cape of South Africa. Twenty social workers and 8 supervisors within the organisation were selected through purposive non-probability sampling. Data were analysed through thematic content analysis using ATLAS.ti qualitative data analysis software for coding and management of data. The findings of the study indicate that the case study of the child protection organisation may be regarded as a best practice example of the implementation of the Supervision Framework based on the linear stories of supervisors and frontline social workers. However, what is novel about this study is that it brings together previous findings, theory, policy, and legislation about the implementation of the Supervision Framework in a child protection organisation by further analysing the subtext stories of participants in line with the constructionist approach. Thus, although the organisation under study has thrived in developing a supervision policy and implementing the policy in line with the stipulations of the Supervision Framework, there remains challenges related to the dominance of the administrative function of supervision within the organisation and, in some instances, lack of emotional support. The key recommendation based on the study’s findings is that clinical supervision can be salvaged by introducing innovative ways of conducting supervision, such as peer supervision, to develop a community of supervision practice; by adopting an external supervision model to place the primary focus of supervision on clinical dimensions instead of administrative tasks; and by investigating the potential of online supervision in promoting the accessibility of supervisors.
Management functions of frontline social workers supervising social auxiliary workers
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2018-03) Goliath, Justine; Engelbrecht, Lambert Karel; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Social Work.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The need for social auxiliary workers originated from social workers not being able to cope with all the challenges associated with addressing the needs of the poor and vulnerable in South Africa. The purpose of social auxiliary workers is therefore to be assistants to social workers, helping social workers to effectively deliver services to those in need. Social auxiliary workers work under the supervision of social workers and never on their own. The social worker responsible for the supervision is not necessarily a supervisor on middle management level. For the purpose of this study, these social workers will be referred to as frontline social workers. The goal of this study is to obtain an understanding of how frontline social workers view their supervision of social auxiliary workers through the execution of the management functions. The study was undertaken to firstly provide an overview of social auxiliary work and secondly to explore the supervision of social auxiliary workers in terms of the execution of management functions. A qualitative research approach was utilised to explore social workers’ views on the supervision of social auxiliary workers in the execution of their management functions. The study made use of non-probability; snowball sampling and participants were recruited in their personal capacities. The social workers were all frontline workers, supervising social auxiliary workers in the Western Cape. The researcher used an interview schedule as data-gathering instrument. The findings confirmed that the supervision of social auxiliary workers is essential to ensure quality service delivery. Hence, the frontline social workers who are responsible for the supervision need proper training in supervision. It is recommended that an accredited training course be developed to equip social workers with the skills to supervise and manage social auxiliary workers. It is also recommended that need-specific training should be done on the four management functions essential for supervision and management of social auxiliary workers to ensure effective service delivery.
The perceptions of social workers on the role of financial literacy education in facilitating social development
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2020-12) Jordaan, Adriaan; Engelbrecht, Lambert Karel; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Social Work.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Poverty is a rife socio-economic problem plaguing South Africa. As a point of departure, the study aimed to contextualise South African poverty against the global arena to elucidate the need for an increase in poverty alleviation initiatives.The study investigated the perceptions of social lworkers on the role of financial literacy education as a potential vehicle for poverty alleviation initiatives within South Africa’s social welfare paradigm, as studies conducted in countries with similar socio-economic circumstances have shown that financial literacy education can be effective as a vehicle aimed at poverty alleviation and social development.There has been a lack of local studies that have investigated financial literacy education and as such, the study was undertaken to grow the knowledge basis associated with themes of financial literacy education.The study was qualitative in nature and made use of semi-structured interviews with a main focus on open-and closed questions. Eighteen participants were utilised in the research process and the results indicated tha tfinancial literacy education was viewed as a powerful tool that could assist in poverty alleviation and social developmental initiatives. There was indicated that, in order for financial literacy education initiatives to be successful, multiple role-players would need to be involved in the process, and other challenges associated with poor socio-economic circumstances would need to be addressed in tandem with the stimulation of financial knowledge and skills.Finally, various recommendations are presented to social workers, social work organisations, and social work policy formulators based on the conclusions that were drawn.
Potential factors contributing to harmful supervision of social workers
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2020-03) Wynee, Thea T.; Engelbrecht, Lambert Karel; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Social Work.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Supervision of social workers in South Africa is mandatory, as determined by the Supervision Framework for the Social Work Profession in South Africa. However, it is questionable whether frontline social workers are experiencing supervision practices as helpful. Recent international and local research reports indicate that in many instances supervision is not fulfilling its intended functions and goal, leaving supervisees vulnerable to inadequate and even harmful supervision. Harmful supervision may be defined as supervisory practices that result in psychological, emotional and/or physical harm or trauma to the supervisee, owing to factors such as the supervisor’s disinterest and lack of investment in supervision, power relations, generational and cultural differences and lack of resources. This research reports on potentially harmful supervision practices based on experiences of frontline social workers in a variety of social welfare organisations in the Western Cape, South Africa. Certain findings generated from a purposive, qualitative and exploratory study by means of individual interviews with 20 social workers suggest that supervision may often become a mere “box-ticking exercise”, is crisis driven and “on the run”, and is frequently reduced to little more than compliance checking. Some of these participants experience minimum support and consequently feel at risk and vulnerable. This research document contains two literature chapters. The first explores the current literature on supervision and its intended purposes and functions in order to generate a clear framework of what supervision is supposed to entail. The second extrapolates potentially harmful supervision practises drawing on work from other fields of expertise. Chapter four comprises the empirical study, where data was collected from participants and presented in an integrated manner detailing the specific potential factors contributing to harmful supervision. In chapter five, concrete recommendations are posed to supervisors, managers of organisations and policymakers to curb these potentially harmful supervision practices. The main conclusions drawn from these findings established that harmful supervision practise is indeed occurring and that supervision is no longer reaching its intended functions. This is due to the fact that the checks and balances in place are falling away, as they are being used merely as a formality. If supervision was returned to its all-encompassing purpose, supervisors and supervisees alike would reap the benefits of its practise. While time constraints and lack of training for supervisors are valid points as to why supervision is not happening correctly, this is not an excuse for this type of malpractice, which should be treated as a serious offence. Supervision is crucial for the benefit of practitioners, but if not carried out correctly is causing more harm than good.
Readiness for practice of newly qualified social workers: experiences of supervisors at social service organisations in the Western Cape, South Africa
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2022-03) Wolfaardt, Katelyn Anne; Engelbrecht, Lambert Karel; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Social Work.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The readiness of newly qualified social workers (NQSWs) for practice appears to be a growing area of research, however, there is little focus on the professional identities of NQSWs, and a lack of relevant literature on the readiness of NQSWs within a South African context. Global research indicates that NQSWs are being prepared in some skills and competencies, however, that they do lack skills and competencies in other regards. Readiness is a concept that is interpreted differently amongst various entities, and thus, it is impossible to satisfy all individuals’ expectations as to what constitutes an NQSW that is ready for practice. NQSWs enter a difficult working environment and experience stress and anxiety as they are new in the profession, posing additional needs and challenges when they are not fully ready for practice. Supervisors are in an ideal position to identify how NQSWs handle this transition into the workplace and whether there are specific tasks or challenges that they struggle with when entering practice. With little insight into this phenomenon within the South African context, it is difficult to understand how NQSWs can be better prepared and assisted in transitioning from being a student to a professional and enhancing their readiness for practice. In light of this, the researcher’s study aimed to gain an understanding of supervisors’ experiences of newly qualified social workers’ readiness for practice at social service organisations in the Western Cape, South Africa. This research followed a qualitative approach with the intent of obtaining insight and understanding into the experiences of social work supervisors on the readiness of NQSWs for practice. Descriptive and exploratory research designs were employed to gain a deeper understanding into the subjective experiences of social work supervisors on the readiness of NQSWs for practice, as there is a lack of research on this topic within a South African context. Social work supervisors as research participants were recruited through both purposive and snowball sampling methods. Fifteen participants were interviewed for this study with the researcher utilising semi-structured interviews via telephonic phone calls when collecting data. The researcher utilised a thematic content analysis approach when analysing the data that was collected during the interviews. Within this research, there are two literature chapters. The first chapter described and explained the global and local context of NQSWs within the realm of the developmental theory of professional identity. The second literature chapter analysed contemporary international and South African research on the readiness (both covert and overt) of NQSWs for practice. These chapters provided the foundation for chapter four which presented the empirical study. Within this, the researcher presented the data that was collected from research participants and analysed their relative narratives against existing global and local research. These results enabled the researcher to draw relevant conclusions and recommendations which were presented in chapter five of this research. The main conclusions that the researcher was able to deduce from the findings was that readiness is a concept understood differently and thus an NQSW will never be seen as ‘ready’ by all individuals in society, due to their variations in perceptiveness as to what constitutes as ‘ready’. As a result, supervisors deem different competencies as necessary for NQSWs to have when entering practice. NQSWs appear to both have, and lack, specific competencies dependent on the Higher Education Institution (HEI) that they attended and, as a consequence, which competencies they focused on enhancing throughout their social work training. Specialised supervision can enhance NQSWs’ readiness for practice and enable them to transition better into the profession, however, supervisors are not always able to provide this more intensive and supportive style of supervision to NQSWs due to their own workloads. HEIs are not preparing NQSWs sufficiently for the realities of practice. Consequently, vast differences in the social work training offered at HEIs are observed in South Africa - supervisors are aware of these differences, which influence their decision as to whether they would employ an NQSW. Ensuring the readiness of NQSWs for practice should, however, not only be the responsibility of one sole entity, but rather, should consist of a collaborative approach shared amongst HEIs, supervisors, social service organisations, social work governing and statutory organisations and NQSWs.
Reflections of newly qualified social workers on the execution of their management tasks in non-government organisations
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2021-12) Mtombeni, Tirelo Esther; Engelbrecht, Lambert Karel; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Social Work.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Social welfare organisations, both nationally and internationally are faced with the challenging task of adapting and converging to a socio-economic policy agenda as a result of global neoliberal reform. Due to socio-economic policy changes and expectations resulting from neoliberalism, social welfare organisations are shifting away from their traditional philanthropic ideology towards operating from business principles of cost-efficiency and management. The influence of neoliberalism within the social welfare context has been documented by various scholars. However, while research has identified the impact of neoliberal managerialism on social work practice, there has been little to no effort in exploring this from the perspective of newly qualified social workers (NQSWs), who are being increasingly expected to demonstrate management knowledge, skills, and capabilities in order to meet organisational targets. This study attempts to identify and explore the execution of various management tasks from the perspective of NQSWs in order to gain an understanding of what management tasks are expected, and how these tasks are executed by NQSWs. The study was particularly interested in the execution of time management, workload management, human resource management, financial management, risk management, change management and programme management as key tasks for the NQSW. The study approach was qualitative and interpretivist, adopting an exploratory and descriptive research design. Through a combined purposive and snowball sampling approach, fifteen NQSW participants from various non-governmental welfare organisations in the country participated in the data collection process by means of a semi-structured interview; due to COVID-19 restrictions, these interviews were conducted telephonically. Data was analysed thematic analysis and pattern matching was used for verification. The key findings indicate that NQSWs execute several important management tasks despite not necessarily being occupants of specific levels of management. The findings further indicate that NQSWs execute these management tasks over and above their frontline intervention responsibility. It is often in the process of rendering services that NQSWs find themselves executing specific management tasks. Participants identified several challenges in this informal management role. The recommendations with respect to the findings is that, regardless of one’s position on neoliberal management influence within the welfare context, this is a reality for up-and-coming social workers; training institutions would benefit from integrating management training into the curriculum, adopting a combined bureaucratic and empowerment management approach, that enables social workers to function in a neoliberal environment while retaining the values of the profession. Training institutions and NGOs needs to synchronise the preparation process with the expectations of practice within the work environment in order to ensure optimal performance of these tasks by NQSWs which is equally not at the expense of rendering effective services to the client system.
The role of social workers in facilitating financial capabilities development of vulnerable households
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2021-03) Bambeni, Ntobeko; Engelbrecht, Lambert Karel; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Social Work.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Financial capability is one of the important strategies for poverty alleviation, and the social work profession plays a significant role in interventions that are aimed at alleviating poverty. However, such role has not been adequately explored, especially in the South African context. This is despite social workers’ contribution to the facilitation of financial capabilities development during their daily interaction with service users. The objectives of this study were to provide an overview of the socio-economic context of households in South Africa, to describe and analyse poverty alleviation interventions in South Africa, to analyse theories of the facilitation of vulnerable households’ financial capabilities within a social development perspective, to empirically investigate the role of social workers in facilitating the financial capabilities development of vulnerable households and to present conclusions and offer recommendations to the Department of Social Development, the non-profit social welfare sector and the South African Council for Social Service Professions in terms of the findings of the study. A qualitative study was conducted utilising semi-structured interviews with 35 social work professionals (20 social workers, 10 supervisors and 5 social work policy managers) in order to gain in-depth understanding of the role of social workers in facilitating financial capabilities development. The data and empirical findings were analysed in line with themes as identified in the interview schedule, namely conceptual understanding of financial vulnerability, causes of financial vulnerability, sources of referral for cases of financial vulnerability, interventions of social workers, success and effectiveness of social workers’ interventions, challenges faced by social workers when facilitating financial capabilities development, relevance of social workers in facilitating financial capabilities development and capacitation of social workers. Subthemes and categories were identified in accordance with the narratives of the participants from the empirical data.The conclusions of the study were based on the findings in relation to the eight themes. Some of the findings indicated that the social workers provided interventions in the facilitation of financial capabilities through their roles of educator, advocate, communicator, enabler and negotiator. The findings also revealed that some of the social v workers’ interventions were successful and effective in bringing about the desired financial behaviour, and that this became possible through the cooperation of service users and relevant stakeholders. Despite the success and effectiveness of the interventions, the findings showed that social workers were also faced with challenges when facilitating financial capabilities. These challenges included lack of cooperation from non-voluntary service users and lack of appropriate skills and knowledge among social workers. The findings indicated the relevance of the social work profession in the facilitation of financial capabilities development due to the correlation between financial and psychosocial vulnerability. Furthermore, the study highlights the need for the capacitation of social workers in financial management and financial capabilities development. Based on the research findings, some of the recommendations include the capacitation of social workers through the provision of in-service training on financial management and financial capability and the inclusion of financial capabilities development in the social work curriculum. The key recommendation of this study is that the development of a curriculum for social work students and practitioners alike on the facilitation of financial capabilities development (financial social work) is absolutely vital in the context of South Africa’s social development approach towards social work service delivery.
The role of social workers in promoting entrepreneurship among the youth in Botswana
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2020-03) Jongman, Kgomotso; Engelbrecht, Lambert Karel; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Social Work. .
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Social work has been said to be a profession of many faces, it is deeply entrenched in socio-economic and to some extent political influences because it deals with policy that guides social welfare. With so many faces and too much influence from outside, there are a couple of roles that social workers perform and this array of roles that social workers perform can end up leading them to forget the core mandate of social work which is social justice and end up feeding the cravings of neoliberalism especially from government and donor organisations. Botswana has been classified as upper middle-class economy with a reasonable GDP per capita but it is clear that despite the high economic success and stable political environment, the country is still experiencing the challenges experienced by poor countries. There is high poverty incidents, national unemployment, and high unemployment among the youth. The youth are the most important because they make up to 70% of the whole population which means they should be given priority in a developmental intervention. Unemployment among the youth in Botswana is at 40% which is more than the national unemployment statistics which is at 20%. This high unemployment has led government to come up with different interventions since 1945 up until now. The aim of this study was to explore the role of social workers in promoting youth entrepreneurship in Botswana. The research objectives included the following: to contextualize social work in Botswana; to analyse theories of positive youth development within a social development paradigm and consider international and local perspectives; to synthesize theories of entrepreneurship based on theories of positive youth development within the context of social work in Botswana; to investigate the role of social work in promoting youth development in allied programmes in Botswana; to make recommendations to the Botswana Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Sports and Culture Development and to the academic community (University of Botswana and others) and other youth worker stakeholders regarding the role of social work in promoting youth development in entrepreneurship. These objectives also represented the chapter layout of the study. This research was ontologically cemented in the interpretivist paradigm, focused on understanding the narratives, dialogues and meaning; it was a exploratory and descriptive study, within a purposive sample section of the ministry of youth empowerment, sports and culture development where 21 social workers were interviewed. The primary research instrument within the case study framework was the semi-structured interview schedule, which through a reliance on such theoretical propositions, logic models, and pattern matching. The resultant empirical analysis explored the narratives of social workers when reflection on their roles in promoting youth entrepreneurship in Botswana. The social workers felt the ministry is more in achieving more numbers of those who have been given programmes without considering, the quality of service, talent, passion, environment where the youth are based. They further reflected on the lack of empirical evidence in terms of their interventions and this has made their work to be difficult because they cannot apply their skills and expertise as social workers and they end up being relegated to only performing clerical work of giving out forms and collecting forms without purposeful interventions which is aimed at social change, empowerment and social justice.
Die sienings van proefbeamptes met betrekking tot die bydraes van afwentelingsprogramme vir manlike jeugoortreders om hermisdaadpleging te voorkom
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2015-04) Du Toit, Deon Duncin; Engelbrecht, Lambert Karel; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Social Work.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Adolescence is the developmental stage between childhood and adulthood. This indicates a growth process the goal of which is maturity. This growth process is regarded as a turbulent phase as there are various adolescent developmental tasks to be mastered that bring about certain challenges. These challenges have resulted in youths engaging in risk-taking behaviour, such as antisocial behaviour and committing crime. Several factors or social problems in South Africa lead to the vulnerability of youths, which leads to crime. The purpose of this study was to investigate the perspectives of probation officers regarding the contribution of diversion programmes for male juvenile offenders to prevent re-offending. The research was done on the basis of an extensive literature review, which focused on the nature and extent of youth crime, the legal points of departure of the Child Justice Act (75 of 2008) and diversion programmes to prevent re-offending. A combined quantitative and qualitative research approach and an exploratory and descriptive research design was utilized in this study because the researcher wanted to develop a better understanding of the social problem or phenomenon and the perspectives of probation officers with respect to the contribution of diversion programmes for male juvenile offenders, as well as the factors that lead to re-offending in South Africa. The respondents consisted of all probation officers employed by government organizations in the Eden-Karoo Region who have the necessary knowledge and experience regarding the topic. A purposive, non-probability sampling was used. Data were gathered through a semi-structured questionnaire in 20 separate interviews. The composition of the questionnaire was based on the information obtained from the literature review. Based on the results arising from the literature and empirical research, appropriate conclusions and recommendations were made. The results were largely confirmed by the literature review, namely that diversion programmes contribute to the prevention of re-offending if correctly implemented, that significant resources in the intervention should be involved and follow-up care and monitoring after the programmes or interventions must take place.
Social workers' experiences of workplace violence
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2021-12) Fayo, Xola Lucas; Engelbrecht, Lambert Karel; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Social Work.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Studies across the globe have shown that workplace violence against social workers has become an endemic problem in both developed and developing countries. Workplace violence can therefore be classified as physical violence, verbal abuse, threats, intimidation, harassment, and/or aggression. Such traumatic experiences arising from workplace violence exposure are of particular concern where access to treatment and/or psychosocial support is often unattainable. Workplace violence against social work employees is a common occurrence in South Africa. However, there are serious limitations in the present literature on understanding workplace violence in the South African social service profession. The epidemic of workplace violence remains largely under-reported and under- researched; existing research studies focus primarily on healthcare personnel workplace violence. The primary goal of the research was to gain an understanding of South African social workers' experiences of workplace violence, to better understand the causes and implications of this phenomenon. Understanding South African social worker’s experiences of workplace violence is of great significance to address and prevent the phenomena of workplace violence in a social work setting. For purpose of the study, a qualitative research approach was implemented, along with the exploratory and descriptive research designs. Purposive and snowball sampling were employed to identify prospective research participants of the seventeen semi- structured interviews. From the seventeen social workers, experiences of workplace violence within the South African context telephonic interviews were used due to Covid-19 rules and regulations and as REC suspended face to face interviews. Gathered data was analysed using thematic content analysis. The key findings of the study revealed that South African social workers experience various forms of workplace violence in practice. It varies according to individuals, organisations, and communities. Workplace violence occurs in all five types of workplace violence namely, client-related workplace violence, co-workers related workplace violence, employer to employee workplace violence, and relationships related workplace violence and organisational related workplace violence. Factors contributing to workplace violence to name the few (see, for example, lack resources, lack of safety, inability to deal with the situational crises, lack of workplace violence policy, support, and measures Non-Governmental Organisations, favouritism, unfair treatment, bullying newly appointed employees and divisions within the organisation). It was found that workplace violence does exist in the social work profession, but it is just that no one is talking about it. It was found that newly appointed social workers are being bullied, picked up a lot and when addressing these unethical treatments to supervisors, the supervisor does nothing and senior employees get away with it. To address workplace violence, it is recommended that workplace violence policies, measures and support should be implemented in South African social work practice to safeguard social workers from workplace violence. It has been recommended that the social worker's safety should be the priority, provide resources, a collaboration between DSD and NGOs, apply professionalism and attend reported issues and the DSD need to educate the communities and clients about social workers role.
The utilisation of support groups for non-biological caregivers of children with FASD
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2015-04) Breytenbach, Bianca; Engelbrecht, Lambert Karel; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Social Work.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Non-biological caregivers often take children into their care when their own biological caregivers have failed to provide them with a safe and loving home. These children are often also affected with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). Learning of a child’s disability can be a big shock to non-biological caregivers especially if it is misunderstood, available professional help is scarce and intervention resources are not readily available. These non-biological caregivers are often not prepared for the financial, emotional and physical investment that is required to fully support the children and their development. This can cause various emotional reactions and implications that are challenging for the caregivers. It is critical to recognise parenting experiences and challenges as a means of developing and promoting intervention strategies and support that will respond to the needs of the children with FASD and their non-biological caregivers especially from a South African perspective. There is a need for social workers to take on responsibility for addressing FASD as they have the professional capacity to help families living with FASD to develop and maintain stable and nurturing households. One way in which this can be achieved is through the initiation and facilitation of support groups. The goal of the study was to gain an understanding on the experiences of non-biological caregivers of children with FASD and of the utilisation of support groups to help them cope better. The researcher made use of a combination of an exploratory and descriptive research design. By using both a quantitative and qualitative approach in a complimentary manner, the researcher was able to gain an in depth insight into the lives of the non-biological caregivers and how they experience this disability and support groups that are utilised as a means of helping them cope. Permission to conduct the study was granted by the committee for Human Research at the University of Stellenbosch. The literature study firstly investigated the implication of FASD on affected children. Secondly, the extents to which non-biological caregivers are affected by the consequences of this disability were discussed. After this the utilisation of support groups as a method of supporting non-biological caregivers, with the emphasis on a mutual-aid and educational approach as theoretical underpinning was described. The empirical study was completed with 16 participants through face-to-face, semi-structured interviews. An interview schedule based on the findings of the literature study was utilised. The criteria for inclusion were that participants had to have attended at least 5 support group sessions and had to be a non-biological caregiver of FASD children who had attended the support groups specifically related to this disorder. The results of this study mostly confirmed the findings from the literature study which showed that support groups play a vital role in providing necessary support to non-biological caregivers who are often unprepared for the realities of caring for a FASD child. Recommendations are aimed at the social work profession in South Africa who need to align itself in providing necessary support to non-biological caregivers through the use of support groups and various other methods of service rendering. Suggestions for future research are also made in line with how non-biological caregivers can be supported in their unique caregiver responsibilities.
Views of social work managers on the transformation management of non-profit social welfare organisations
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2015-12) Scott-Muller, Lionel Richard; Engelbrecht, Lambert Karel; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Social Work.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Transformation management is an essential competency that is required by social work managers for the effective transformation of non-profit social welfare organisations. Given the harsh socio-economic environment in which these organisations exist, particularly with the decline of the global economy, transformation management is critical for sustainability and survival. Moreover, the altruistic need in dealing with the decay of the moral and social fabric of society compounds the necessity for these benevolent organisations to survive. To this end, the landscape of effective social welfare service delivery in South Africa will immensely regress without their survival. In this regard, the transformation of the non-profit social welfare sector in this country has been characterised by being slow and underdeveloped. Despite the inception of democracy and the subsequent promulgation of a myriad of laws, policies and protocols, the malaise within the non-profit social welfare sector continues unabated. The burgeoning growth of social welfare dependants increases daily, crime and violence in the country is at an all time high and the levels of unemployment still escalates. What exacerbates these challenges even further is that social demands are particularly prevalent in historically disadvantaged communities throughout South Africa where poverty levels have continued to remain unchanged. The dire need to revitalise and renovate the social welfare sector by government is thus an urgency that cannot be ignored. Ultimately, it is the responsibility of the state to fulfil its social mandate of ensuring that the embedded human rights contained within the Bill of Rights and Constitution of South Africa is upheld. It is thus incumbent of this government to demonstrate the necessary political will in expediting beneficent social transformation in fulfilment of its mandated obligation. Transformation and development of the social welfare sector can no longer be seen as an ideal. Instead, it must be driven as an intentional and compelling priority by the state in order to accelerate the transformation of the ailing social welfare sector. It is within this context that the views of social work managers on transformation management of non-profit social welfare organisations become the primary focus of this investigation. A qualitative exploratory-descriptive design was chosen to explore the following objectives: to conceptualise transformation management; examine transformative management processes, dynamics and models; analyse transformative laws, policies and protocols; study transformed governance, management and operations and to empirically investigate the views of social work managers on transformation management of non-profit social welfare organisations. Research methods included conducting in-depth interviews with twenty social work managers followed by a focus group meeting with four more social work managers. Themes emerging from the data were then delineated into further sub-themes and categories providing rich contextual data which deepened insight and meaning of the topic being empirically investigated. As a result, the research findings provided evidence of the ailing social welfare sector and the compelling need for an integrated approach to be developed in accelerating the transformation of the non-profit social welfare sector. Based on these research findings, some of the core recommendations are: that the government provides the necessary leadership and political will to accelerate the transformation of the social welfare sector by reviewing pertinent funding policies, programmes and protocols; that non-profit social welfare organisations develop rigorous sustainable strategies such as the development of social entrepreneurship programmes, social media networks and websites to generate sustainable income and that a curriculum for transformation management practice be developed and included in the training of future social workers. The research confirms that transformation management is an essential competency that is required by social work managers for the effective transformation of non-profit social welfare organisations. Consequently, through the application of effective transformation management practice, the sustainability and indeed the survival of non-profit social welfare organisations in South Africa will undoubtedly improve.

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