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Submission information
Submission Number: 117
Submission ID: 918
Submission UUID: 5892532f-636f-4f85-9c9c-e2ba0f075588
Submission URI: /2025/abstracts
Created: Wed, 04/30/2025 - 11:13
Completed: Wed, 04/30/2025 - 12:25
Changed: Sun, 05/18/2025 - 14:02
Remote IP address: 165.73.187.143
Submitted by: Anonymous
Language: English
Is draft: No
Current page: Complete
Webform: Abstract
| Title | Prof. |
|---|---|
| Lastname | Malan |
| Firstname | Hanelie |
| Hanelie.Malan@nwu.ac.za | |
| Mobile | 0838220887 |
| Institution | North-west university |
| Biosketch | Hanelie Malan, Associate Professor and Head of the Social Work Department at North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, holds a BA (Social Work), BA Honours (Psychology), MA (Industrial Psychology), and PhD (Social Work) from NWU. As programme manager of the Master’s in Social Work: Child Protection, she draws on extensive practice experience in child protection, child and youth care, and medical social work. With 10-years of teaching experience, she has presented internationally and published in peer-reviewed journals. Her research focuses on child protection, adoption, assessment tools, and the Signs of Safety approach. She is passionate about supporting social work educators and students. |
| Is there a Second Presenter? | Yes |
| Title | Dr. |
| Lastname | Manthosi |
| Firstname | Frans Lesetja |
| Frans.Manthosi@nwu.ac.za | |
| Mobile | 0618922490 |
| Institution | North-West Univeristy |
| Biosketch | Dr. Frans Lesetja Manthosi is a lecturer in Social Work at North-West University, Potchefstroom. His research focuses on foster care screening, child protection, and social work supervision. He holds a PhD in Social Work and has published in nationally accredited journals. A former German research fellow, he maintains an active international network. Dr. Manthosi developed a foster care model during his doctoral studies, which he seeks to apply in community engagement. His work aims to inform policy and practice, with a strong commitment to research that supports vulnerable children and strengthens professional social work practice. |
| Is there a Third Presenter? | Yes |
| Title | Mrs |
| Lastname | Moyambo |
| Firstname | Rhulani |
| rhulag@gmail.com | |
| Mobile | 0784532571 |
| Institution | North-West University |
| Biosketch | Rhulani Gracious Moyambo holds a Master of Social Work in Child Protection from NWU (2025). With 15 years of experience in child protection, she currently serves as Coordinator for Services to Families at the Department of Social Development, Waterberg District, Limpopo. Her extensive career spans roles in Child Welfare Middelburg, Sasolburg, and Polokwane Welfare Complex. She provides casework, risk and safety assessments, trauma debriefing, counselling, and professional guidance to social workers. Rhulani also holds leadership training from the University Alabama (DSD Executive Leadership Program) and the Limpopo University (Emerging Management Development Program). Her research interests focus on child protection services. |
| Title of Presentatation | The Missing Link in Risk and Safety Assessments: Parental Capacity for Change |
| Theme Selection | THEME 2: Social Work and the Achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) |
| Subtheme TWO Selection | SUB 2.3 Work with special and vulnerable populations (children, families, women, older persons, LGBTQIA+ etc). |
| Select your Presentation Type | Oral Presentation |
| Abstract | Globally, social workers are tasked with the removal and placement of children in alternative care when their developments well-being is threatened. However, beyond the act of removal, it is critical that social workers conduct a comprehensive risk and safety assessment with active involvement of the child’s parents, to evaluate parental capacity for change. Existing literature reflets a notable gap in examining the specific challenges associated with assessing parents' ability to change and the effective role of social workers in facilitating successful reunification. The study employed a qualitative research approach, underpinned by the ethics of care theoretical lens, and guided by an interpretivist paradigm, to explore how parental capacity to change is understood and assessed during risk and safety evaluations. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with nine social workers and eight parents recruited through purposive sampling from the Department of Social Development (DSD) and Rata in the Modimolle Waterberg District of South Africa. Findings indicate a lack of standardised risk and safety assessment tools, inconsistent application of existing assessments, limited parental involvement, and inadequate communication between social workers and parents. The study concludes that the implementation of standardised assessments protocols, improved communication strategies, and ethical practices that centre parental participation can significantly enhance the outcomes of successful reunification. |
| Title | Mr |
| Firstname | Luvuyo |
| Lastname | Teko |
| Does the Abstract fit the selected Theme? | Yes |
| What Area does this Abstract Focus on? | Empirical Research |
| Status | Accepted |
| Title | Prof |
| Firstname | Mbongeni |
| Lastname | Sithole |
| Does the Abstract fit the selected Theme? | Yes |
| What Area does this Abstract Focus on? | Empirical Research |
| Status | Accepted |