Purpose

The main goal of social development is to promote social change and economic advancement of individuals, groups and communities. The approach emphasizes early intervention and prevention that is categorized into primary prevention and secondary prevention.

In order to achieve the desired outcome, namely an improvement in social functioning, services are rendered at different levels, these levels are on a continuum, so as they may seem to follow a distinct hierarchy, a client may enter the system at any of the levels and the levels may be overlap in practice.
These services providers and client must together determine the clients current social functioning and develop an intervention strategy that will enable the client to reach the optimum level of social functioning and be ready for integration to society.

Levels of intervention

Primary interventions
Primary interventions are direct services aimed at the general population with the purpose of stopping problems before they start. The interventions are intended to identify potential problems and prevent recurrence. Service delivery at this level is aimed at strengthening and building the capacity and self reliance of clients and clients system. At this level the client is functioning at an adequate level but there is possibility of at-risk behavior at a later stage.

Secondary interventions
Secondary interventions are services provided to specific populations that are thought to be at risk,services are provided at this level make use of developmental and therapeutic programmes to ensure that those who have been identified as being at risk are assisted before they require statutory services, more intensive interventions

Reconstruction and after care
The services provided at this level aspire to provide as transient as possible reintegration to community, it endeavors to ascertain that interventions provided are sustain and advanced to ensure that services recipients do not relapse to previous behaviours. It also looks at enable client and client systems to function optimal post social services/ social work intervention.

Guiding principle

Local harmonisation and consensus
The construction of local consciousness founded on recognition of and respect for the cultural, Linguistic and religious diversity to redress social divisions and political and economic disparities.

Community involvement and ownership
The principle emphasizes free participation on equal terms by all individuals, groups and communities in social political and economic activities.

Social Justice and Equity

The principle strives to ensure that all community members are treated fairly and just and to ensure there is social redress in the distribution of resources, status and power between groups or classes.

Appropriateness / Relevant Services

Municipality as it designs its basket of service should develop authentic social service methods and models of services delivery responsive to political, economic and socio-cultural settings.  The service as designed should be able to capture individuals, groups and community needs within the national framework as set by National Social Development strategy and white paper for social welfare of 1997.  These services should also take into account the Impact of and limitation of resource, be it human, capital and how they can be successfully utilized for the befit of the individuals, groups and general community

Co-operative governance

The principle refer to efforts made by Municipal social workers, Community Development officers to ensure that there is cooperation, Liaison, consultation collaboration and efforts to integrate and pull together resources for the development and advancement of the individuals groups and community being serviced

Empowerment and upfitment

The principle advocates for establishment of skills training and imparting of knowledge to community members, groups and individuals to be able to access work opportunities and to encourage self-empowerment.

Self-sufficiency and independence

The basic tenet of this principle is to acknowledge that people have the ability and with appropriates facilitation, they learn to utilize their inherent strength to rise to the occasion be self reliant and independent.

The principle in political development terms strives to give power to the people. It emphasizes the need for interactions to strengthen individual worth, dignity, and self-esteem. The Principle strives to inculcate skills that would enable individuals, groups and community to unearth resources that exist within themselves and the community and not depend on government.

In essence the principle calls for skills sharing and allowing individuals, groups and communities to be self-sufficient and independent, through tapping on indigenous resources that people have within themselves, groups and the general community.

Equitable

The principle encourages and seeks to promote equality of opportunities for all, whilst priority is given to the needs of those from disadvantaged groups.

Implementation and legislative roles

Legislative mandate

The implementation of social development services in Local Government is governed by the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa act No; 108 of 1996, which articulates the role of local government in Chapter 7 section 152 subsection 1(c, & e) which state the role of local government as being to promote social and economic development. Subsection 1(e) extols the role of local government being to encourage the involvement of communities and community organizations in the matters of local government.
Section 153 subsection (a) espouse the developmental duties of municipalities being to

• Structure and manage its administration, budgeting and planning processes to give priority to the basic needs of the community and
• Promote the social and economic development of the community.

Role and functions

The core role & responsibilities of a social worker within the social Development will include

Promotion and preventions services

The promotion and prevention service are aimed to enhance the process whereby people are provovide with ways to and means to taking greater control of factors that impact their well being. Prevention services take into account individual, environmental and societal factors that contribute to problem development

Promotion and prevention services work towards the upliftment of all people and communities by promoting well being, encouraging people to make healthy choices and supporting them in these choices.

Prevention and promotion services are also where developmental social work services intersect with community development services, which addresses the needs of target groups whose problems are

Protection services

Services are aimed at safeguarding the well-being of individuals and families. Protection services are usually provided within the context of legislative and /or policy framework and include to a certain extend statutory services.

These empower designated people or institutions to take specific actions that are deemed necessary to protect the integrity and well being of the person within the social context of the family and community.

Protective services work towards having families, children and individuals living in a safe and nurturing environment where their rights are promoted and their well-being is ensured.

Continuing care services

Continuing care services care are those that maintain or improve the physical, social and psychological wellbeing of individuals who, for reasons, are not able to care for themselves fully. The goal of continuing care is to improve their independence and quality of life. Continuing care services work towards meeting the needs in the least intrusive manner possible and provide the greatest opportunity for lasting well-being and functional independence.
The Directorate or Department of Social Development will have a three tie system

The systems are as follows.

• Community support sub-directorate
• Research, monitoring  and Evaluation
• Indigent Programme

1. Community support sub-directorate

The sub-directorate community support will be comprised of the following areas of focus

I. Child Care
II. Tranversal Programme
III. Designated groups

I) Child Care

The focal programme child care is composed of the

a) Early Childhood Development
ECD services include the establishment and registration of facilities for children under the age of six years and monitoring and evaluation of services

Facilitate assistance to Facilities to children living  and working in the street such as registration of and provision of services in , shelters. Build capacity to owners and board members of this institution.
Develop a training and support programme for ECD practitioners

b) Protection services
Child protection services are aimed at preventing the abuse, neglect, abandonment, trafficking and prostitution of children.

Programmes are aimed at protecting and promoting the well being of children especially those in difficult circumstances. These include services to children who are victims of Child labour,and the commercial sexual exploitation of children services to children affected and infected by HIV and AIDS
These will include

• Children’s day campaigns,
• child Protection Campaign,
• 16 days of activism,
• 365 of action against violence on women and children,
• child advocacy,
• OVC programme
• Develop council policy on children (looking at development of centers for children,
• Develop council focal area on street children

II) Transversal Programs

The sub directorate will provide services on transversal services that covers

• HIV/AIDS meanstreaming
• Disability
• NGO support
• Youth development
• Drug awareness
• Social crime
• Facility based therapeutic services

III) Designated Groups

The sub- directorate will provide services on all areas within the designated groups and this will cover.

• Women
• men
• 365 days of activism programme
• Gender mainstreaming
• Care to older person (prevention of Elder abuse)
• Facility based therapeutic counseling
• Career Development(exhibitions and special Programmes)
• Life skills development
• Trauma and debriefing

2. Research, Monitoring & Evaluation

The sub-directorate research will oversee the social development information management this directorate will be responsible for develop reporting tool,

• Conduct research on behalf of all sub-directorates.
• monitor general Social Development performance
• This include impact assessment of all programmes that the Directorate perform
• It will conduct reporting tools and performance management and capacity management
• Analysis reports that are generated within Social Development
• Conduct training and capacity building programmes for internal staffing
• The directorate will be responsible for developing research proposal and

Special programmes

Indigent and poverty and poverty alleviation programme

• To promote and establish income generating projects
• To promote skills training / empowerment and capacity building
• To form partnerships  and to promote networking relevant stakeholders
• Conduct indigent verification and approval on indigent register
• Placement of indigents on the skills development programme
• Mobilization of indigents into cooperative
• Place and recommend indigents to be place in labour – intensive programmes
• Referral of indigents for further assistance (link with resources)
• Registration and investigation of household who are unable to pay for municipal rates taxes and services due to unemployment and income below two state old age pension grant.
• Conduct special registration programmes
• Indigent registration programme

Child Care

Early Childhood Development (ECD)
ECD services include the establishment and registration of facilities for children under the age of six years and monitoring and evaluation of services
Facilitate assistance to Facilities to children living  and working in the street such as registration of and provision of services in, shelters.
Build capacity to owners and board members of this institution.
Develop a training and support programme for ECD practitioners

Protection services

Child protection services are aimed at preventing the abuse, neglect, abandonment, trafficking and prostitution of children.
Programmes are aimed at protecting and promoting the well being of children especially those in difficult circumstances.
These include services to children who are victims of Child labour, commercial sexual exploitation and services to children affected and infected by HIV and AIDS

These will include

• Children’s day campaigns,
• Child Protection Campaign,
• 16 days of activism,
• 365 of action against violence on women and children,
• Child advocacy
• OVC programme
• Child Dialogue

Psychosocial services

Generic Counseling services for community members to

• strengthening individuals coping mechanism
• empower individual to resolve their current problems
• create enabling environment for individuals to exercise their choices and make informed choice
• to eradicate psychosocial pathologies and manifestation of social ills

Referral to relevant service provider and continued interventions
Individual counseling
Group therapy
Community development /poverty alleviation

• HIV/AIDS
• Disability
• Career Development(exhibitions and special Programmes)
• Life skills development
• Trauma and debriefing programmes
• NGO support
• Youth development
• Drug awareness
• Social crime
• Gender mainstreaming
• Care to older person (prevention of Elder abuse)
• Facility based therapeutic counseling

Intervention programmes

Social Disaster Relief Programme

• The services are aimed at assisting household who’s property and belongings were destroyed by natural course be it fire and floods
• The interventions are aimed at assisting household regain the composure during a stressful period.
• Households are assisted with basic household utilities and a month’s grocery for the family to cope with their current distress The interventions are aimed at assisting household regain the composure during a stressful period.
• Households are assisted with basic household utilities and a month’s grocery for the family to cope with their current distress

Problem Statement

The department of Social Development strives to provide services that facilitate the protection, development, empowerment of human capacity and self-reliance contributing to a caring and enabling socio-economic environment. It looks at the improvement of people’s material condition of life especially that of the most disadvantaged. Central to the focus is to ensure that individuals and members of the community who encounter stressful condition and life challenging situations should have a safety net that allows them to temporarily cope with their situation.

• The household requirements that need to be procured
• Blankets
• Household utilities (pots. Dishes, cutlery, cooking utilities)
• Grocery
• Clothes

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to assist the household in distress to cope with disaster that has occurred.

To develop a policy and procedure that will be followed in the social disaster relief  
To ensure that resources are allocated for the carrying out of the policy 
The purpose of the policy document is to recommend to council that on annual basis a budget be put aside for Social Disaster Relief Fund.

Procedure in accessing Social Disaster Relief Fund

The application for relief should be submitted within 72 hours after incident occurred
Ward Councillor submits a letter to Dept of Environmental Management, Health and Social Development declaring the family to be in distress and in need of social assistance
The request must be submitted to Dept of Environmental Management, Health and Social Development.

The Social Worker will investigate the case and recommends the appropriate intervention.
Families may be referred to the provincial department of social development for further assistance;
in cases of death indigent burial programme will also be initiated.

Requirement to access the relief

• Proof of residence (including the affidavit)
• Docket of reported incidence (docket number from SAPS)
• Letter from neighbor, Priest, and ward councilor
• Investigation report (in case of fire and floods report from Fire and Rescue Department & Disaster Management)
• Social Workers report.

Nature of relief

• Household utilities (Pots. Dishes, Cutlery, Cooking utilities etc)
• A once off, month grocery according to dietary requirements and needs.
• Clothes
• Blankets

2. Indigent Burial

The department of social development also assist members of the community with burial of the loved one is they are unable to bury due to circumstance over their control
Applicant should bring the following

• Letter from the Ward councilor
• Copy of the Identity document for the applicant
• Copy of the deceased application form
• Affidavit

Criteria

• Applicants should be South Africans
• Should have identity document
• The deceased should be within the boundaries of Emfuleni
• We do not pay for storage
• We do not transport out of the municipality
• Burial are conducted between Monday and Thursday