Browsing by Author "Muyobela, Tamara Aggie"

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    Challenges experienced by social welfare officers in the rehabilitation of incarcerated child offenders
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2016-03) Muyobela, Tamara Aggie; Strydom, Marianne; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Social Work.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Children as estimated make up a third of the world population and Africa alone accounts for the highest percentage of children. However, it has been established that world over one million children are detained in prisons. This is an indication that besides other alternative/diversion options, children in conflict with the law are still incarcerated. The incarcerated child offenders undergo rehabilitation which is aimed at changing aspects regarded as the cause of criminal behaviour, such as attitudes, cognitive processes, social relationships, education and vocational skills. Paying attention to the various factors that may impede effective rehabilitation of child offenders is imperative for finding effective solutions that in the end contribute in preventing recidivism. This study therefore aimed to investigate the challenges experienced by social welfare officers in rehabilitating incarcerated child offenders. A literature study aimed at describing the legislation and policy utilized in child justice programs and theories applied in designing rehabilitation programs was done. Thereafter an empirical investigation was conducted. Quantitative and qualitative research methodology was employed and explorative and descriptive research designs were utilized. Purposeful non-probability sampling was utilized to involve social welfare officers employed at the Ministry of Community and Social Development in Zambia in the study. Twenty social welfare officers that met the inclusion criteria for the study were selected to participate. A semi-structured interview schedule was used to collect the data during the empirical investigation. Through analyzing the results the researcher made certain conclusions and recommendations with regards to the challenges experienced by social welfare officers in rehabilitating child offenders. The most important conclusions resulting from the research study indicated that social welfare officers are faced with a myriad of challenges in rehabilitating child offenders. The main challenge was the lack of resources which include: the lack of social work training among social welfare officers; the lack of human resources; the lack of organizational resources and the lack of coordination among stakeholders. The research study therefore recommends that the gap in organizational and human resources should be filled and especially that social welfare officers must be trained social workers. Furthermore, it is recommended that the Zambian government should enact legislation that mainly sets principles relating to the care and protection of children.
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    The rehabilitation of incarcerated child offenders : challenges faced by social welfare officers in Zambia
    (Stellenbosch University, Department of Social Work, 2017) Muyobela, Tamara Aggie; Strydom, Marianne
    A large number of children worldwide are detained. Social workers are rendering services to these children with the aim of rehabilitating them and reducing recidivism. This study aimed to identify the challenges experienced by social welfare officers in the rehabilitation of child offenders in Zambia. It seemed most of the challenges were experienced because of a lack of resources relating to people power, capacity building, trained social workers and facilities. For Zambia to curb the challenges experienced, the custodians of the child justice programmes should strengthen their resources.