Holding two babies in mind: a narrative inquiry into the impact on a woman’s sense of self in the transition to twin motherhood

Over recent decades there has been a large increase in multiple pregnancies (Newman & Luke, 2000). However, there is little research into the experiences of mothers who transition to twin motherhood, despite this group being identified in quantitative research as potentially vulnerable (Choi et al. 2009; Hay et al, 1990; Sheard et al, 2007; Thorpe et al, 1991; Wenze et al, 2015). Four mothers of twins ranging from 20 to 30 months were invited to narrate their experiences of the transition to motherhood and the impact on their sense of self, filling a notable gap in the research field. Narrative inquiry was the chosen methodology, embedding reflexivity throughout the research process with an awareness of ethics and power dynamics in the research relationship and wider culture which has traditionally undervalued mothers’ experiences. Women’s stories were analysed using The Listening Guide (Gilligan, 1982), aiming to capture the complex and multi-layered nature of the psyche, expressed through a multiplicity of voices (Brown & Gilligan, 1992) and understood within social and cultural frameworks (Gilligan & Eddy, 2017). The reader is invited to engage in depth with each participant’s story, which represent a chorus of (twin mother) voices (Riessman 1993). Themes noticed across stories were: Being/feeling maternal, Fairy-tale versus reality, Silenced emotions, Overwhelm, Isolation, The critical voice, Negotiating mother/career, Dynamic of four and Voices that speak to culture. The findings support therapists to reflect on the unique complexities of becoming a twin mother, in the context of a psycho-social culture of the mother-baby dyad as norm. They also aim to ignite questions about clinical work with twin mothers as a unique subgroup in the field of perinatal mental health

A NEW CHILDREN’S ACT FOR SOUTH AFRICA: MAKING IT WORK FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES

Numerous civil society organisations as well as the National Children’s Rights Committee(NCRC) and UNICEF supported South Africa’s post-apartheid government to institutionalisechildren’s rights as a fundamental pillar of the new democracy. Towards this end, in 1995 thegovernment ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Child (1989) (the CRC). Drawing onthis international standard, children’s rights was enshrined in Section 28 of the SA Constitution(1996). Further to cover the particular vulnerabilities of African children, the government alsoratified the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (the ACRWC) in 2000.Collectively these instruments seek to ensure that children have a range of integrated political,civil, cultural and socio-economic rights. In addition to the general human rights to equality, abasic education and the right to dignity, children have additional socio-economic rights,including the right to family and parental care, or to appropriate alternative care when removedfrom their family setting; to basic nutrition, shelter, health care, social services and to beprotected from maltreatment, neglect, abuse and degradation. By ratifying the internationalchildren’s rights instruments and through its national constitutional provisions for children’srights, the SA government accepted an obligation to put in place mechanisms to realise theserights. However, the nation made these laudable commitments within a context of the hugeresource and capacity challenges required for their implementation

The Expanded Public Works programme: Opportunities and challenges for the ECD sector

The author reflects on the findings of a study commissioned by the Human Science Research Council (HSRC). A qualitative research methodology was used to explore the perceptions of service providers in the early childhood development (ECD) sector on job creation through government’s Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP). The EPWP is aimed at drawing significant numbers of unemployed people into productive work by increasing their capacity to earn a sustainable income through training. In response, the national departments of Social Development, Health, and Education developed a Social Sector Plan (SSP) for EPWP in which the ECD sector was identified as one of the key areas for expansion. From a developmental social work perspective, both Early Childhood Development and productive employment are important strategies to alleviate persistent poverty. This article is intended to create dialogue, further research and action towards realizing the potential of the ECD sector to create more sustainable jobs in order to improve the quality of people’s lives

An exploration into the meaning that trans* students attach to their experiences at a South African University

Universities are perceived as non-judgmental because of their tolerant environments and emphasis on producing well-rounded students. Despite transformative initiatives to create an inclusive culture, transgender and gender diverse students may still feel that they are treated unfairly due to stigmatisation or poorly implemented diversity policies. Studies have focused mainly on the gender binary practice of transgender individuals assimilating to cisnormativity. Yet, relatively little work has considered the implications of campus life where transgender students may experience discrimination because of gender-exclusive policies and practices (residence halls, bathrooms, public inclusion, training, and support). This study sought to address this gap. Data from a thematic analysis of qualitative semi-structured interviews were utilised to understand trans* students' perceptions and lived experiences at a South African university. Most of the participants revealed that a hostile climate for transgender students prevailed on campus and that the institution lacks resources and education on transgender issues. Findings reported three major themes: (1) Navigating the power of privilege and institutional systemic oppression; (2) Misalignment and invalidation of one's gender identity on campus; (3) The importance of understanding transgender health from a gender minority experience. Recommendations for creating greater inclusion for transgender students on university campuses are presented

CRIMES AND OFFENSES Offenses Involving Theft: Change Certain Sections Relating to Shoplifting as a Felony When Multiple Acts Are Committed Within One County Within Seven Days; Create Code Section That Makes It a Felony Offense to Use Receipts and/or UPC Labels Fraudulently to Commit and Further Shoplifting

The Act affects areas of the Code that pertain to theft by defrauding retain merchants. The Act provides that when someone shoplifts property exceeding a value of $100 from three separate retail stores within one county within seven days, that persons has committed a felony. Additionally, the Act makes it a felony offense to fraudulently use retail sales receipts and Universal Product Code (UPC) labels to shoplift. The Act provides penalties for the aforementioned offenses

CRIMES AND OFFENSES Offenses Involving Theft: Change Certain Sections Relating to Shoplifting as a Felony When Multiple Acts Are Committed Within One County Within Seven Days; Create Code Section That Makes It a Felony Offense to Use Receipts and/or UPC Labels Fraudulently to Commit and Further Shoplifting

The Act affects areas of the Code that pertain to theft by defrauding retain merchants. The Act provides that when someone shoplifts property exceeding a value of $100 from three separate retail stores within one county within seven days, that persons has committed a felony. Additionally, the Act makes it a felony offense to fraudulently use retail sales receipts and Universal Product Code (UPC) labels to shoplift. The Act provides penalties for the aforementioned offenses

CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIAL WORKERS IN PRACTICE: AN EXPLORATIVE INVESTIGATION

The paper starts with a brief autobiographical reflective narration of my own experience as asocial worker. The purpose is to demonstrate and contextualise the interaction, change andinherent ambivalences in relation to my own experience of post-qualifying learning. I qualifiedas a social worker in 1978. My first employment was with the Department of Social Welfare(Coloured Affairs) in the Western Cape. During the first week of my induction I wasintroduced to two important people, my supervisor and the “In-service training manager”(ISTM). My supervisor was responsible for supervising my day to day workload. The ISTMwas exclusively responsible for guiding and testing me on the content of a thick lever-arch filecalled the in-service training manual. The latter contained all the relevant legislation, policiesand departmental procedures that I had to study and know before becoming a permanentlyemployed social worker and public servant. Every Friday I would religiously go to the inservicetraining guru to be tested on the contents of the file. The ISTM was also kept informedby my supervisor about my performance on the job and would comment on my progress asindicated by my “stats”. The latter was a record of how many clients I had seen and what theresults achieved on each of these were. This process would continue until the in-servicetraining was satisfactorily completed

PROTECTING CHILDREN WHERE IT MATIERS MOST: IN THEIR FAMILIES AND THEIR NEIGHBOURHOODS

Globally, there has been a growing tendency to make civil society the primary participant and beneficiary of community-based intervention. In South Africa, since the publication ofthe White Paper for Social Welfare (1997), with its emphasis on developmental social welfare services, many social welfare agencies have been recognising the benefits of working in partnership with local communities. In the field of child protection, it has long been recognised and accepted that formal child and family welfare services will never be able to respond adequately to the increasing number and diverse range of child protection issues and challenges presenting in communities on a daily basis. The Child and Youth Research and Training Programme (CYRTP) (previously the Institute for Child and Family Development) at the University of the Westem Cape has introduced a neighbourhood-based child protection approach in a number of neighbourhoods around the country. This approach is aimed at building stronger families and communities to safeguard children. Important lessons are emerging from the implementing neighbourhoods. The aim of this article is to report on these experiences and to share some of the lessons learnt

SEPARATING SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES AND SOCIAL WELFARE GRANTS: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES

As a consequence of the fundamental reconstruction and development processes, including alarge-scale macroeconomic stabilisation strategy, South Africa’s economic growth hasconsistently averaged 3% over the last decade. It is expected that the government’s newAccelerated and Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa (AsgiSA) will increase theeconomic growth rate from its current level to 4.5% by 2010 and 6% by 2014 (Yemek, 2006).Yet with the majority of its citizens living in poverty (with less than $1 per day), South Africaremains one of the most unequal societies in the world (Statistics South Africa, 2004).Although there has been some improvement over the last decade, the stubborn legacy ofapartheid persists and can be seen in the concentration of poverty and underdevelopment inblack communities. Twenty four million of South Africa’s population of 45 million are blackfemales who live below the poverty datum line (Statistics South Africa, 2004). Using theexpanded definition of unemployment, Statistics South Africa (2004) estimated that 41% ofthe economically active population was unemployed in 2004. There is, therefore, growingconcern that the strategies employed thus far to raise the unacceptably low standards of livingof South Africa’s vulnerable populations, who continue to lack access to basic services andemployment opportunities, are lagging far behind what is needed