Continuing Professional Development for social workers at MSA
20 May 2006
Because of the increasing need for placements of abused and abandoned
children and especially children orphaned by HIV/Aids, the Bethany House
Trust based in Krugersdorp has been facilitating the Alternative Parenting
Programme (which forms part of the Professional Parenting Programme).
Accredited by UNISA, this programme is unique in South Africa and statistically
the failure rate of foster care placements in families who have completed
this programme is five percent compared to the average of 65 percent. To
date, more that 200 parents have been equipped to provide alternative care
to children from traumatic backgrounds.
The programme’s success lies on the two legs of adequate training
and sufficient support to minimise the potential risk of placement failure.
By also applying it to volunteers, the risk of burn-out in helpers and
secondary abuse of children by well-intended adults is also minimised.
Monash South Africa was approached recently to become a strategic partner
to provide a venue for a Master Trainers course to equip social workers
to run the Alternative Parenting Programme.
The Master Trainers course, comprising five sessions, is now being facilitated
by Ms Rika Swanzen, developer of the programme, on the Monash campus during
May and June. A second course will commence in October.
The Master Trainer course benefits social workers by broadening the spectrum
of their knowledge and providing practical tools and techniques for conducting
training with this specific target group.
The Master Trainer Programme will also be accredited by the Council of
Social Service Professionals. The social workers who complete the course
can therefore also earn Continuing Professional Development (CPD) points.
More information can be obtained from Bethany House on 011 660 2763.
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