CALL US NOW 051 444 6143
DONATE NOW

Services – PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

SOCIAL WORK SERVICES

Free State Care in Action runs 16 social work offices in the Free State. For this purpose, the organisation employs social workers, social auxiliary workers, child and youth care workers as well as administrative staff members.

Social work is a profession concerned with helping individuals, families, groups and communities to enhance their individual and collective well-being. It aims to help people develop their skills and their ability to use their own resources and those of the community to resolve problems.

Services entail the following:

Prevention services

Social work is aimed at preventing social problems such as alcohol and drug abuse, HIV/AIDS, sexual abuse, family violence and child neglect. Preventative services are rendered in the form of awareness and counselling programmes to various target groups within the broad community. This includes holiday projects, family camps, job creation and nutrition projects.

We help with social relief and poverty alleviation like food parcels, soup kitchens, blankets and clothing banks.

More than 23 275 persons are reached by means of preventative services per annum.

Early intervention services

Early intervention services are provided to persons who are struggling with social problems. Assistance is provided in the form of therapeutic and counselling services and play therapy for children.

Persons with homogenous problems such as material need, marital problems, alcohol abuse or HIV/AIDS are assisted in groups as the need arises. In such groups, these persons also get the opportunity to learn from and support one another.

Statutory Services

Statutory Services are provided in cases where problems are of such a serious nature that statutory intervention in the form of the Children’s or Criminal Court is necessary. Statutory action is only taken as a last resort, and is preceded by intensive services. This entails that children can be removed from their parent’s care and placed in adoptive, foster or institutional care. Persons who are guilty of serious alcohol abuse may be referred to treatment centres.

Social workers also submit victim impact reports to the Criminal Courts.

Social workers of Free State Care in Action deal with more than 329 Children’s Court cases annually. Most of the children were placed in foster care. Currently more than 2268 children are in foster care within the organisation. Most of these children are cared for by family members.

families

CHILD AND FAMILY CARE

The protection of children, education of the youth, as well as, the upliftment and the empowerment of families to promote quality of life and personal growth.

EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT

The first seven years are the most important years of the development of a person, and Free State Care in Action places a high value on the early development of children.

ECD Centres

Nine ECD centres are operational for this purpose, and a total of 627 children are cared for on a daily basis. Some of these facilities function at a very high level and offer excellent pre-school education opportunities to children, of which the organisation is very proud. There is a strong focus placed on also offering quality pre-school care and adequate stimulation to underprivileged toddlers.

Head Office visits ECD centres regularly, provide guidance and monitor the quality of education.

The ECD centres are empowered by providing training to the management and staff. Volunteers support the facilities by maintaining buildings, as well as donating play materials and food.

Free State Care in Action also co-operates with the relevant state departments to ensure that the day-care facilities meet the standards and requirements determined. Grants from the national lottery commission have made it possible to raise the level of functioning of ECD staff through participation in an accredited training programme.

Parental Guidance

For the past 35 years Free State Care in Action has been presenting parental guidance programmes to strengthen parenting skills. During 2019 an exceptional parenting programme for Free State Care in Action was developed known as “Parental Authority in the Animal Kingfom”. The programme covers the following topics, among others:

  • Developmental stages of children;
  • Parenting styles;
  • Boundaries;
  • Discipline;
  • Repairing broken relationships and much more.

The programme is implemented in service delivery but is also offered on request at other organisations, churches, schools, etc. For more information and bookings, please contact Head Office.

DEVELOPMENT AND EMPOWERMENT PROJECTS

As indicated in its mission, Free State Care in Action is committed to also developing and empowering those who receive assistance. In this way they are enabled to function autonomously in the future.

Examples of development and empowerment programmes are:

Retirement

It is essential that people plan for their retirement in good time. These programmes are therefore presented to people above the age of 45. We cover fields such as finance, emotional and social functioning, religion, leisure activities and health.

Economic Empowerment of Women

Social workers of FREE STATE CARE IN ACTION developed this programme to empower women from disadvantaged communities economically. Information is provided regarding aspects such as budgeting, economical meals, utilising banking services etc.

Prevention of alcohol and drug abuse

This programme is aimed particularly at teenagers – “Going Somewhere Substance Abuse Awareness” programme was developed for Free State Care in Action.  The purpose of this substance abuse awareness programme is to equip youth with the knowledge, skills and attitude to prevent them from using psycho-active substances that has an effect on how they think, feel and behave.  The program is used in groups as well as in individual counselling.  The programme is also available on request from Head Office to be presented at other organisations, schools, churches, etc.

Staff:

In total we have 172 staff working in social work and day care facilities.

They are supported by a strong team of volunteers.

We have a permanent staff corps comprising of the following:

0
Social Work Staff
0
Day Care Facilities Staff

Management Skills

This programme offers training in basic management skills for community-based organisations.

Life Skills programmes

This includes various programmes that empower people with regard to self-esteem development, interpersonal relations, communication etc.

Prevention of HIV/AIDS

HIV/AIDS preventative programmes are presented for various target groups such as toddlers, school children, youths and adults.

Women outreach programme

This programme intends to optimise skills with regard to upbringing of children and home management.

Empowerment of women who are victims of family violence

This programme is used by social workers to make women trapped in a situation of violence more resilient and to enable them to escape from these circumstances.

Empowerment of women who are victims of family violence

This program is used by social workers to make women trapped in a situation of violence more resilient and to enable them to escape from these circumstances.

Independent living programme

“End of School” is a programme for school leavers developed for Free State Care in Action focusing especially on foster children.  The programme addresses relevant issues that is needed to approach the adult world.  Free State Care in Action enables every school leaver to live independent after school.