Browsing by Author "Van Huyssteen, Josane"

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    The utilisation of group work by social workers at NGOs in the implementation of family preservation services
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2015-04) Van Huyssteen, Josane; Green, Sulina; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Social Work.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Social workers that render child protection services are, according to The White Paper for Social Welfare (Ministry of Welfare and Population Development, 1997) and the Integrated Service Delivery Model (Department of Social Development, 2006), required to render family preservation services through mainly preventive services and early intervention services. This implies that during the implementation of family preservation services, the social worker should focus on preventing the unnecessary alternative placement of children through immediate intervention that defuses the crisis situation, stabilizes the family, and teaches family members new problem-resolution skills, so they can avoid future crisis. A social work intervention method that could effectively enhance family preservation services is group work. Social workers rendering family preservation services, however make limited use of group work. Various studies done with regards to group work showed a definite decrease in the utilisation of group work by social workers at child and family welfare organisations, possible reasons for the decrease in the utilisation of group work were noted but no definite conclusions were drawn. Therefore a gap exists within research on the view of social workers with regards to the utilisation of group work during the rendering of family preservation services. The research study therefore investigated the perspective of social workers on the utilisation of group work during implementation of family preservation services. A combined quantitative and qualitative research methodology was used to involve social workers employed at non-governmental organizations in the Western Cape Metropole area in the study that was based on both an explorative and descriptive research design. For the aim of the research study, the researcher used purposeful non-probability sampling. Twenty social workers that met the inclusion criteria of the research study were selected according to their willingness to participate. A semi-structured interview schedule was used to collect the data during the empirical investigation and a pilot study was implemented to test the measuring instrument with two participants. A literature study aimed at describing the role and function of the social worker with regards the implementation of family preservation services as well the nature of group work when rendering family preservation services was completed. Thereafter an empirical investigation was done and the results from the empirical investigation were purposefully processed and analysed. Through processing and analysing the results the researcher was able to conclude with certain conclusions and recommendations with regards to the utilisation of group work during the implementation of family preservation services. The most important conclusion resulting from the research study indicate that child and family welfare organisations are struggling to effectively utilise the group work method during the implementation of family preservation services. The research study therefore recommends that social workers should receive thorough in-service training with regards to the possible ways of utilising the group work method more effectively during the delivery of family preservation services. Furthermore it is recommended that appropriate group work programmes be developed that are specifically aimed at family preservation services, in order to ensure that group work is effectively utilised by social workers when implementing family preservation services.
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    Utilising group work in the implementation of family preservation services : views of child protection social workers
    (Stellenbosch University, Department of Social Work, 2016) Van Huyssteen, Josane; Strydom, Marianne
    The largest area of service rendering in social work in South Africa pertains to child and family welfare. Policy directives indicate that services should be aimed at reducing child abuse and neglect while protecting the child and preserving the family unit. Group work is a cost-effective intervention strategy to be implemented to meet the high demand for child protection services. However, social workers face various challenges when utilising group work in service delivery. Yet because of the advantages of group work in addressing the social isolation of at-risk families, this intervention method should be incorporated into family preservation programmes.