Bydrae van maatskaplike werkers tot die aanpassing van die pleegkind in middelkinderjare in 'n pleegsorgplasing
Date
2009-12
Authors
Swanepoel, Santerien
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch
Abstract
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING:
„n Beskrywende studie met „n verkennende inslag is in die studie gebruik om meer kennis en begrip oor die bydrae van maatskaplike werkers tot die aanpassing van „n pleegkind in middelkinderjare in „n pleegsorgplasing, te verkry. Die navorser het bewus geraak van die toename in die gebruik van pleegsorg vir „n sorgbehoewende kind in middelkinderjare, sowel as die tekort aan literatuur in Suid-Afrika oor die bydrae wat die maatskaplike werker lewer tot sodanige aanpassing binne „n pleegsorgplasing. Die genoemde aspekte het gedien as motivering vir die studie. Die bydrae wat maatskaplike werkers het tot die aanpassing van „n pleegkind in middelkinderjare in „n pleegsorgplasing is ondersoek. Die doel van die studie is om ʼn beter begrip te ontwikkel vir die bydrae wat maatskaplike werkers tydens pleegsorgplasing tot die aanpassing van ʼn middeljare pleegkind kan maak.
Die literatuurstudie het die aard van pleegsorg ten opsigte van die pleegkind in middelkinderjare weergegee, waarna pleegsorg as „n proses beskryf is: van voorkomende dienste tot permanensieplasing. Spesifieke aandag is gegee aan die pleegkind in middelkinderjare se ontwikkelingsproses asook die bydrae wat die maatskaplike werker maak tot die aanpassing van die pleegkind in middelkinderjare in „n pleegsorgplasing.
Aangesien die literatuur meestal konsentreer op die maatskaplike werker betrokke by „n pleegsorgplasing van „n pleegkind in middelkinderjare, het die steekproef bestaan uit 22 maatskaplike werkers wat by twee nie-regeringsinstansies in die Wes-Kaap en Suid-Kaap werksaam is. Die deelnemers is ten minste „n jaar reeds as geregistreerde maatskaplike werkers werksaam en het ook ondervinding in pleegsorgplasings.
In die studie is daar gebuik gemaak van die kombinasie van ‟n kwalitatiewe en kwantitatiewe navorsingsbenadering, te wete „n geskeduleerde, semi-gestruktureerde vraelys wat beide oop en geslote vrae inhou wat uiteengesit is op inligting wat verkry is uit die literatuurstudie.
Die ondersoek het „n bygedra gelewer tot die uitbreiding van kennis en inligting in die maatskaplikewerkpraktyk ten opsigte van die bydrae wat maatksaplike werkers lewer tot die aanpassing van „n pleegkind in middelkinderjare binne „n pleegsorgplasing. Die resultate het grotendeels die literatuurstudie bevestig, te wete dat maatskaplike werkers „n breë spektrum van dienslewering tydens die pleegsorgproses implementer, asook die ouderdom en ontwikkelingsvlak van „n pleegkind in ag neem tydens „n pleegsorgplasing. Eersgenoemde dienste word gerig tot die pleegouers, biologiese ouers, asook die betrokke pleegkinders ten einde dienslewering in die verband te bevorder. Maatskaplike werkers se aandeel in die aanpassingsproses van „n pleegkind in middelkinderjare blyk wisselend te wees. Beperkte tyd en „n groot werkslading verhoed maatskaplike werkers om op „n kontinue basis ondersteuning vir die aanpassing van „n pleegkind in middelkinderjare, sowel as vir die pleegouers in „n pleegsorgplasing te bied.
In die aanbevelings is daar gefokus op drie areas insluitende, die bydrae van „n maatskaplike werker, pleegkinders en pleegsouers. Die behoefte aan meer opleiding in die gebied van pleegsorg en ondersteuning in „n pleegsorgplasing, aan maatskaplike werkers, pleegouers en pleegkinders is geïdentifiseer as die sentrale temas.
As aanbeveling vir verdere navorsing kan gefokus word op verskeie faktore wat bydraend is tot onsuksesvolle aanpassing binne „n pleesorgplasing met die oog op „n in-diepte beskrywing van hierdie fenomeen, asook die daarstelling van riglyne aan die hand waarvan die aanpassingsproses van pleegkinders en pleegouers tot groter effektiwiteit bevorder kan word. Dit beteken ook dat die rol van die maatskaplike werker met betrekking tot die tersaaklike onderwerp aangepas kan word ten einde sodanige aanpassing meer effektief aan te spreek.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: A descriptive study with an exploratory design has been used in order to obtain more information and insight on the contribution that social workers make with regards to foster children in their mid-childhood years‟ adjustment within foster care placements. The researcher became aware of the increase in the use of foster care for vulnerable children in their mid-childhood years, as well as the shortage of literature in South Africa with regards to the contribution that social workers make towards these children adjusting to a foster care placement. The abovementioned aspects lead to the motivation for this study. The contribution that social workers make towards foster children in their mid-childhood years‟ adjustment within foster care placement was studied. The aim of this study is to gain insight into the contribution that social workers make towards foster children in mid-childhood years, adjusting within foster care placements. The literature study gave a description of the nature of foster care with regards to a foster child in his/her mid-childhood years. Foster care was described as a process: from preventative services to permanency placement. Specific attention was given to the foster child in mid-childhood years‟ development process as well as the contribution that social workers make towards a foster child in mid-childhood years‟ adjustment within a foster care placement. As the literature focused mainly on the social worker‟s contribution to the foster child in mid-childhood years‟ adjustment within a foster care placement, the sample consisted of twenty-two social workers working at two non-government organisations in the Western- and Southern- Cape regions. The participants have been registered as social work practitioners for at least one year and have had at least one year of experience in the process of foster care. A combination of both a qualitative and quantitative research methodology design was used in this study that consisted of a scheduled, semi-structured questionnaire which held both open- and closed ended questions. These questions were based on information retrieved from the literature study. The study made a contribution to the expansion of insight and knowledge in the social work practice with regards to the social workers‟ contribution to foster children in mid-childhood year‟s adjustment within foster care. The results of the literature study relatively confirmed the results of the study with regards to social workers‟ broad scale of service delivery during a foster care placement, as well as the consideration for the age and developmental phase of a foster child during the process of a foster care placement. First mentioned services are focused on the foster parents, biological parents as well as the foster children in order to enhance service delivery. Social workers‟ contribution to the adjustment of a foster child in mid-childhood years within a foster care placement seems to vary. Limited time and work overload prevent social workers to continuously support foster children in mid-childhood years as well as their foster parents. The recommendations focused on three areas including the contribution of a social worker, foster children and foster parents. The need for more training in the field of- and support in the area of foster care with regards to social workers, foster parents and foster children was identified as the fundamental themes. It is recommended that future research should focus on several contributing factors to ineffective adjustment within foster care placements with the aim of in-depth description of this phenomenon. Furthermore, the creation of guidelines concerning the enhancement of the adjustment process of foster children and foster parents that will lead to successful foster care placement is also recommended. This means that the role of the social worker with regards to the subject matter should adapt accordingly in order to enhance the adjustment within foster care placements.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: A descriptive study with an exploratory design has been used in order to obtain more information and insight on the contribution that social workers make with regards to foster children in their mid-childhood years‟ adjustment within foster care placements. The researcher became aware of the increase in the use of foster care for vulnerable children in their mid-childhood years, as well as the shortage of literature in South Africa with regards to the contribution that social workers make towards these children adjusting to a foster care placement. The abovementioned aspects lead to the motivation for this study. The contribution that social workers make towards foster children in their mid-childhood years‟ adjustment within foster care placement was studied. The aim of this study is to gain insight into the contribution that social workers make towards foster children in mid-childhood years, adjusting within foster care placements. The literature study gave a description of the nature of foster care with regards to a foster child in his/her mid-childhood years. Foster care was described as a process: from preventative services to permanency placement. Specific attention was given to the foster child in mid-childhood years‟ development process as well as the contribution that social workers make towards a foster child in mid-childhood years‟ adjustment within a foster care placement. As the literature focused mainly on the social worker‟s contribution to the foster child in mid-childhood years‟ adjustment within a foster care placement, the sample consisted of twenty-two social workers working at two non-government organisations in the Western- and Southern- Cape regions. The participants have been registered as social work practitioners for at least one year and have had at least one year of experience in the process of foster care. A combination of both a qualitative and quantitative research methodology design was used in this study that consisted of a scheduled, semi-structured questionnaire which held both open- and closed ended questions. These questions were based on information retrieved from the literature study. The study made a contribution to the expansion of insight and knowledge in the social work practice with regards to the social workers‟ contribution to foster children in mid-childhood year‟s adjustment within foster care. The results of the literature study relatively confirmed the results of the study with regards to social workers‟ broad scale of service delivery during a foster care placement, as well as the consideration for the age and developmental phase of a foster child during the process of a foster care placement. First mentioned services are focused on the foster parents, biological parents as well as the foster children in order to enhance service delivery. Social workers‟ contribution to the adjustment of a foster child in mid-childhood years within a foster care placement seems to vary. Limited time and work overload prevent social workers to continuously support foster children in mid-childhood years as well as their foster parents. The recommendations focused on three areas including the contribution of a social worker, foster children and foster parents. The need for more training in the field of- and support in the area of foster care with regards to social workers, foster parents and foster children was identified as the fundamental themes. It is recommended that future research should focus on several contributing factors to ineffective adjustment within foster care placements with the aim of in-depth description of this phenomenon. Furthermore, the creation of guidelines concerning the enhancement of the adjustment process of foster children and foster parents that will lead to successful foster care placement is also recommended. This means that the role of the social worker with regards to the subject matter should adapt accordingly in order to enhance the adjustment within foster care placements.
Description
Thesis (M Social Work (Social Work))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009.
Keywords
Theses -- Social work, Dissertations -- Social work