Contextually based model of an early childhood home-visiting programme for vulnerable children in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa
- Authors: Schmidt, Kim
- Date: 2022-10
- Subjects: Poverty -- South Africa , Orphans -- Abuse of , Children -- Social conditions
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/27380 , vital:66965
- Description: In South Africa, there are many vulnerable children. Vulnerability refers to the child’s potential to be harmed either physically or psychologically with multiple exposures to stress resulting in children becoming vulnerable (Matengu, 2018). Factors that place young children at risk of being harmed include poverty, being orphaned, not living with their biological parents or having a disability. In South Africa, more than 50% of children are impacted by these very factors (DSD, 2018). Vulnerable children can be supported through various interventions to overcome the challenges they face, in spite of the stress that they may experience. This results in a great need for prevention and early intervention services particularly during early childhood when children are most vulnerable because of their complete dependency on caregivers for care and protection. This study adopted an interpretivist, qualitative approach using an intervention research design to develop guidelines for a model of an early childhood home-visiting programme that supports the optimal development of vulnerable children, aged 0–2 years in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. Findings confirmed that vulnerable children need responsible caregiving and a nurturing environment yet they are exposed to risk factors such as extreme levels of poverty, ongoing and severe child maltreatment and poor physical health. In addition findings confirmed that there was support available to vulnerable children in the Eastern Cape province but that there were gaps in these services. Furthermore findings indicated that there is a need for an early childhood home-visiting programme, that such a programme should be implemented by a multidisciplinary workforce and that the guidelines for such a programme must include a range of practice principles and processes. In conclusion the study found that vulnerable children in the Eastern Cape province continue to be exposed to a complex range of risk factors with devastating consequences for their immediate and future well-being and that the gaps in services to vulnerable children further hinders their development. Lastly it was concluded that there is a need for a multidisciplinary team to implement a home-visiting programme and that such a programme would hold many potential benefits for the young and vulnerable child. Guidelines for a model of an early childhood home visiting programme were developed and refined to include five practice principles which outline processes in relation to the engagement and advocacy with stakeholders and role players, the recruitment and selection of a home-visiting workforce, the content of a training programme for a home visiting workforce, the implementation of the home-visiting programme and the monitoring and evaluation of the programme. This model draws together the disciplines of health, social work and early childhood education to provide transdisciplinary training to a home-visiting workforce that is then equipped to engage with communities and caregivers in support of ensuring that vulnerable children are able to achieve optimal development. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-10
- Authors: Schmidt, Kim
- Date: 2022-10
- Subjects: Poverty -- South Africa , Orphans -- Abuse of , Children -- Social conditions
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/27380 , vital:66965
- Description: In South Africa, there are many vulnerable children. Vulnerability refers to the child’s potential to be harmed either physically or psychologically with multiple exposures to stress resulting in children becoming vulnerable (Matengu, 2018). Factors that place young children at risk of being harmed include poverty, being orphaned, not living with their biological parents or having a disability. In South Africa, more than 50% of children are impacted by these very factors (DSD, 2018). Vulnerable children can be supported through various interventions to overcome the challenges they face, in spite of the stress that they may experience. This results in a great need for prevention and early intervention services particularly during early childhood when children are most vulnerable because of their complete dependency on caregivers for care and protection. This study adopted an interpretivist, qualitative approach using an intervention research design to develop guidelines for a model of an early childhood home-visiting programme that supports the optimal development of vulnerable children, aged 0–2 years in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. Findings confirmed that vulnerable children need responsible caregiving and a nurturing environment yet they are exposed to risk factors such as extreme levels of poverty, ongoing and severe child maltreatment and poor physical health. In addition findings confirmed that there was support available to vulnerable children in the Eastern Cape province but that there were gaps in these services. Furthermore findings indicated that there is a need for an early childhood home-visiting programme, that such a programme should be implemented by a multidisciplinary workforce and that the guidelines for such a programme must include a range of practice principles and processes. In conclusion the study found that vulnerable children in the Eastern Cape province continue to be exposed to a complex range of risk factors with devastating consequences for their immediate and future well-being and that the gaps in services to vulnerable children further hinders their development. Lastly it was concluded that there is a need for a multidisciplinary team to implement a home-visiting programme and that such a programme would hold many potential benefits for the young and vulnerable child. Guidelines for a model of an early childhood home visiting programme were developed and refined to include five practice principles which outline processes in relation to the engagement and advocacy with stakeholders and role players, the recruitment and selection of a home-visiting workforce, the content of a training programme for a home visiting workforce, the implementation of the home-visiting programme and the monitoring and evaluation of the programme. This model draws together the disciplines of health, social work and early childhood education to provide transdisciplinary training to a home-visiting workforce that is then equipped to engage with communities and caregivers in support of ensuring that vulnerable children are able to achieve optimal development. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-10
A qualitative evaluation of social work field instruction offered by universities in the Eastern Cape, South Africa
- Authors: Schmidt, Kim
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Fieldwork (Educational method) -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Social service -- Fieldwork -- Study and teaching -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , M SW
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/1272 , vital:26541 , Fieldwork (Educational method) -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Social service -- Fieldwork -- Study and teaching -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Description: This research study describes an evaluation of social work field instruction offered by universities in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Qualitative data was collected from agency field instructors, university fieldwork coordinators and social work students. This study’s findings indicated that field instruction needs a good foundation of experiential learning that is facilitated by report writing, journal writing and agency and university supervision. Findings also indicated a need for the screening, selection and training of agency field instructors. There was also an indication that universities should develop selection procedures to ensure that the best possible students are accepted into the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) programme. All findings indicated that field instruction programmes are most effective when there is a strong university agency partnership. The study concludes by making recommendations for future development of standards relating to field instruction programmes in the Eastern Cape and South Africa. Key words: Social work, evaluative research, field instruction, experiential learning, reflection, agency field instructor, university supervisor, university fieldwork coordinator, social work student, social work education, social work training.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
- Authors: Schmidt, Kim
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Fieldwork (Educational method) -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Social service -- Fieldwork -- Study and teaching -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , M SW
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/1272 , vital:26541 , Fieldwork (Educational method) -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Social service -- Fieldwork -- Study and teaching -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Description: This research study describes an evaluation of social work field instruction offered by universities in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Qualitative data was collected from agency field instructors, university fieldwork coordinators and social work students. This study’s findings indicated that field instruction needs a good foundation of experiential learning that is facilitated by report writing, journal writing and agency and university supervision. Findings also indicated a need for the screening, selection and training of agency field instructors. There was also an indication that universities should develop selection procedures to ensure that the best possible students are accepted into the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) programme. All findings indicated that field instruction programmes are most effective when there is a strong university agency partnership. The study concludes by making recommendations for future development of standards relating to field instruction programmes in the Eastern Cape and South Africa. Key words: Social work, evaluative research, field instruction, experiential learning, reflection, agency field instructor, university supervisor, university fieldwork coordinator, social work student, social work education, social work training.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
- «
- ‹
- 1
- ›
- »