Non-clinical service practice standards in South African Social Work and Criminology

Abstract

This study entitled Non-clinical service practice standards in South African Employee Assistance Programmes was conducted by Moses Dumisani Kubheka following a discussion between the study leader Prof. Terblanche and the MSW class of 2012. It was however, discovered that EAPA-SA Standards document has merely been based on work study group and document analysis. The need for empirical study was therefore necessitated. The goal of the study was to explore through benchmarking the extent to which non-clinical services are implemented in the practice in a South African context. This research had an applied research goal since the findings will bring about improvement in the field of EAP. The study was approached in a quantitative paradigm. The study had an explorative and descriptive research purpose. A survey design was applied in the study and non-experimental design as no variable were manipulated. An on-line questionnaire was compiled after an intense literature review on non-clinical services was conducted. The questionnaire was designed using Qualtrics an IT software programme for on-line collection and analysis of quantitative data. (See annexure 4). No sampling was done as all registered EAPA-SA members for the year 2014 were involved in the study. Participants were provided with the link to access the on-line questionnaire and complete it anonymously. The data from completed questionnaires were cleaned and all which were 30 minutes and less were eliminated as the criteria that was set during piloting was 45 minutes and more. The total of 64 responses were analysed; interpreted and presented in a form of tables. It has been discovered through empirical study that, the majority of EAPA-SA membership is females form public sector. Some of the respondents are not directly involved on the production level, but occupies positions as managers and related fields, consultants responsible for training and lecturing in the field of EAP, while others are responsible for the EAP and wellness field in a combined manner. The majority of the respondents (60%) is aware of the EAPA-SA Standards document, however, respondents with more years of experience in the EAP field seem not to utilise the EAPA-SA Standards document, but solely rely on their experience. Reasons and views for non-utilisation of the Standards document, ranged from no access to the Standards document, not aware of the Standards document and the impracticality of the Standards document. Organisational consultation practice as a core technology is confirmed by most of the respondents (48%). A structured process during organisational consultation is confirmed by 45%. Some of the respondents responded that consultation is seen as Human Resource Management function and if practiced, its only in crisis situation. Dependents of employees are less involved during consultation. HR matters in general, seem to be the matter most frequently consulted about. Training seem to be practice by the majority of the respondents across all sectors. Reasons for no EAP training ranged from: not part of the policy, lack of knowledge, nor part of SOP, capacity limitation, no independent EAP section, not the role of the consultant and training is too expensive. First-line supervisors seem to be group mostly targeted during supervisory training and EAP services, confidentiality, role of supervisors and referral procedure seem to be the most common content of training. Moreover, data projector, training manuals and brochures seem to be the most utilised training aids, whilst role-plays, emails, case study seem to be less frequently utilised. Marketing of EAP in practice is done by internal EAP staff in almost all sectors. Marketing strategy is confirmed by the majority from full-time private practice, while application of the seven Ps of marketing mix is confirmed only by 37% of EAP professionals and mostly from the public sector which may be an indication of limited knowledge of theoretical concept. Meetings, brochures and internet seem to be the methods commonly utilised to market EAP.