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Submission information
Submission Number: 50
Submission ID: 803
Submission UUID: 08a384cd-02bb-4508-9af9-8aeba7b60c5a
Submission URI: /2025/abstracts
Created: Wed, 04/23/2025 - 06:16
Completed: Wed, 04/23/2025 - 06:35
Changed: Fri, 05/09/2025 - 14:00
Remote IP address: 41.133.84.126
Submitted by: Anonymous
Language: English
Is draft: No
Current page: Complete
Webform: Abstract
Presenters
Ms.
Nell
Sarie
University of the western caper
Sarie Nell is a social worker in privaate practice since June 2009 specialising in forensic social work, parental responsibilities and rights investigations determining the best interests of child. In 2021 she obtaine her Master's degree in Child and Family Studies Research Cum Laude at the University of the Western Cape in "Exploring the experiences of social workers in private practcie in care and contact disputes unsing the best interest of child standard". She has been a PhD student since 2022 with her title "Best interests of child in parental rewponsibilities and rights investigations: Developing Process Guidelines for social workers in Private practice".
Yes
Prof.
Dykes
Glynnis
University of the Western Cape
Professor at the University of the Western Cape.
No
Abstract
Proposed process guidelines for parental rights and responsibilities investigations in determining the best interests of the child in family law matters.
THEME 4: Social Work Education, Transdisciplinarity and Curriculum Development
SUB 4.1 Preparing future social workers for roles in in nontraditional social work environments.
Oral Presentation
This study focused on the lack of standardised process guidelines for especially social workers in private practice who deal with family law matters regarding the best interest of the child in parental rights and responsibilities investigations. The South African Children’s Act 38 of 2005 sets out the legislation and procedures for determining the best interests of the child in terms of section 14. However, it was not clear how these stipulations should be carried out and the result was inconsistency and confusion. The aim of the study was to develop process guidelines in determining the best interests of child standard in parental responsibilities and rights investigations in the South African context. A qualitative research approach and intervention design and development research design were followed. Data collection occurred through iterative phases through a systematic review online interviews with attorneys specialising in family law matters, pilot testing of revised process guidelines, and lastly, an online Delphi study with national and international experts to evaluate the effectiveness of the developed process guidelines which obtained a consensus rating of 95%.
The researcher will present the six phases of the process guidelines including a pre-investigation protocol, risk assessment, child assessment, parent-child relationship assessment, parental capacity, and collateral investigation. These phases also had related checklists that guide the social worker in private practice. Together these phases and checklists illustrates the structure of the guidelines and the kinds of tasks that the social worker will focus on throughout the phases of the investigation. The significance of the study and the guidelines are that designed for social workers who function in the legal arena pertaining to PRR investigations determining the BIC that had to rely on international guidelines that were not created with the Children’s Act 38 of 2005 in mind and the specific sections in the Children’s Act related to family law.
The researcher will present the six phases of the process guidelines including a pre-investigation protocol, risk assessment, child assessment, parent-child relationship assessment, parental capacity, and collateral investigation. These phases also had related checklists that guide the social worker in private practice. Together these phases and checklists illustrates the structure of the guidelines and the kinds of tasks that the social worker will focus on throughout the phases of the investigation. The significance of the study and the guidelines are that designed for social workers who function in the legal arena pertaining to PRR investigations determining the BIC that had to rely on international guidelines that were not created with the Children’s Act 38 of 2005 in mind and the specific sections in the Children’s Act related to family law.
Reviewer ONE Feedback
Mrs
Neo
Ravhuhali
Yes
Practice
Accepted
Reviewer TWO Feedback
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{Empty}
{Empty}
Yes
Practice
Pending Review