The experiences of social workers in referring cases to designated child protection organisations in Gauteng

Abstract

South African social workers face multiple challenges in working with children. The high rates of violence against children pose a strain on the country’s child protection system, which is already burdened with a shortage of social workers and a lack of government funding. Collaboration plays an important part in this system, and referrals ensure that vulnerable children are identified and able to access services. Social workers are mandated by the Children’s Amendment Act 41 of 2007 to refer cases to designated child protection organisations [DCPO’s] when they believe a child has been physically or sexually abused, or neglected, and may also refer any other case where they believe a child to be in need of care and protection. Once a referral has been made, DCPO’s have the responsibility to investigate the matter and ensure the child’s safety. However, DCPO’s are reported to not act sufficiently and to handle cases poorly, resulting in the system failing to protect children.

This study aimed to explore and describe the experiences of social workers in referring cases to DCPO’s in Gauteng. An interpretivist qualitative approach was utilised, whereby semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven registered social workers. This allowed the researcher to gain a holistic and in-depth understanding of social workers experiences in the referral process. Furthermore, an instrumental case study design was used to allow for close collaboration with participants. General Systems Theory [GST] was used as the theoretical lens that guided this study as it allowed for the different connections in the child protection system to be considered, and the system and its influences to be viewed as a whole, instead of focusing on the referral process in isolation.

The study revealed that social workers had predominantly negative experiences when referring to DCPO’s. These included receiving poor feedback and communication from DCPO social workers, experiencing a lack of action when referrals are made, and having feelings of frustration and helplessness during and after the process of referring. Some positive experiences were however mentioned. Social workers felt that the referral process in and of itself was an easy and straightforward one, and that some DCPO social workers were helpful and efficient once a case had been referred to them. When a referral was unsuccessful, social workers would escalate the matter within the DCPO to the supervisor or manager and would also at times approach the children’s court for assistance. Social workers also spoke about their common reasons for making a referral, such as child abuse, when they felt the best interest of the child was not being met, and when they felt that they have reached the limits of their professional mandate. Collaboration with other parties formed an important part of the referral process, and social workers felt that by building relationships with DCPO social workers and by an increase in training and supervision within DCPO’s, the referral process could be improved.

It is recommended that there be increased efforts to build relationships between social workers in DCPO’s and those in the community, and that future research evaluate the use of technology to assist with case management processes in DCPO’s. Furthermore, research and policy should be geared towards specialised training for social workers in the field of child protection, and an increase in supervision and support to those already working in DCPO’s.