3. Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs) - All submissions
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Item Supervision - the power to save? an exploration of the role supervision can play in a social worker's decision to resign in the child protection field(2016) Hunter, Kirsty AnneSocial work in South Africa is challenged by high caseloads, dangerous working environments and poor remuneration (Social Work Indaba, 2015). These challenges combined with high voluntary staff turnover rates (40.4% in 2006) have negative consequences for the protection of South Africa`s vulnerable children (Earle-Malleson (2009). In this context, supervision is often proposed as a potential cure-all for the tensions in social work. This study utilises an instrumental case study design to describe and explore child protection social workers’ perceptions of supervision and retention. The key aim of the study is to interrogate the role of effective social work supervision on a social worker’s decision to leave the employment of a child protection organisation in Gauteng. Twelve participants were identified through a combination of purposive and snowball sampling. Utilising a semi structured interview schedule, face to face interviews were conducted with each participant. The data obtained from the interviews was transcribed and analysed thematically. The research findings yielded concerning results on the supervision the participants had received with only 25% of the participants indicating that they found their supervision supportive and educational. High levels of organisational disengagement were noted, which created an organisational climate of neglect. This contributed indirectly to ten participant’s decision to resign as a lack of supervision heightened their frustrations with the system and their increased perceptions of child protection work as monotonous. A lack of a supportive and educational focus also closed off opportunities for participants to grow as social workers and learn adaptive coping skills. This led to some participants feeling emotionally overwhelmed. Both of these factors were cited as reasons for exiting child protection organisations. These findings reaffirm the importance of supervision as a reflexive process and provide insight into the targeting of interventions aimed at retaining child protection social workers in South Africa. Keywords: Child protection; retention; effective supervision; job embeddedness; social worker; disengagement; voluntary staff turnoverItem The perceived impact of the performance management system utilised in the Department of Social Development in enhancing service delivery : a case study of the Johannesburg Metro Region.(2014-07-21) Phungwayo, MsiziThe mandate of the Department of Social Development (DSD) is to provide welfare services. These services are targeted at every citizen in South Africa and most importantly the vulnerable and poor people of South Africa. In order to ensure that it fulfills its mandate, the Department of Social Development (DSD) has put in place a Performance Management System which seeks to ensure that the deliverables are achieved effectively and efficiently. It is often argued that services for the poor are sometimes poor services, yet government devotes ample resources to improve these services. Thus the implementation of Performance Management System is strategically geared at improving service delivery in government departments. The Department of Social Development (DSD) is one of those departments that have implemented the Performance Management System but the results reveal that it has not achieved the expected outcomes, There is heightened job dissatisfaction, poor performance and low morale. The study sought to investigate the perceived impact of the performance management system on service delivery. The primary aim of the study was to investigate the contributions of the performance management system of the Department of Social Development (DSD) in enhancing the delivery of social services. The study employed a qualitative approach and it was exploratory in nature. The study population consisted of social workers and managers. In addition, there were key informants drawn from the Human Resource section. A total of 15 participants and 2 key informants were selected using purposive sampling. Semi-structured interview schedules were used to collect data. There were separate interview schedules for social workers as well as the managers. Face to face interviews were conducted with all the participants. The collected data was analysed using thematic content analysis. Ethical considerations were adhered to, as the researcher observed and adhered to conducting the investigation without bringing harm to participants and allowing the participants free will to choose to participate in the study. The major findings revealed that there is no common understanding of what performance management is. The study revealed that the performance management system utilised in the DSD had a negative impact on service delivery. All the participants identified the performance management system as a management tool. Various challenges that undermine the effectiveness of the performance management system were identified. These challenges include the role of supervision was identified as being suppressed as proper supervision did not take place and political interference was also identified as a challenge that undermined the effectiveness of system. The work output of social workers was affected by these various challenges.Item Investigating institutional arrangements available to implement South African policy for older persons in KwaZulu-Natal(2011-11-08) Mabena, Mhlahlandlela MboboAccording to Lombard and Kruger (2009), the status of older persons has not changed considerably despite the promulgation of the Older Persons Act in 2005 and the adoption of the South African Policy for Older Persons in 2006. The researcher attempted to contribute to a better understanding of the problematic status of older persons through an exploratory study of institutional arrangements involved in the implementation of the policy using a case study approach. The network theory was used as a guiding theoretical framework. Findings from the study indicate a randomly related network affected by lack of robust, efficient and effective leadership and co-ordination. Formalization of network membership through written rules and a constitution that spells out the roles and responsibilities of network members, and continued interaction amongst network members is suggested to strengthen the network and the leadership. It is the conviction of the researcher that strengthening of the network will improve the implementation of the South African Policy on Older Persons, thereby improving the lives of older people.