Abstract
M.A. (Clinical Social Work)
Domestic violence is a significant social issue in society and is escalating each day (Jouriles, McDonald, Smith Slep, Heyman, & Garrido, 2008). Research studies in South Africa demonstrate how approximately 25% of women are assaulted or abused by an intimate partner on a daily basis (Idemudia, 2009; Idemudia & Makhubela, 2011; Peltzer, Masego, & Mabeda, 2003). Adolescents and children are often exposed to this violence as they live within this same violent household (Garrido, Culhane, Petrenko, & Taussig, 2011). Research in the United States of America suggests that approximately 30% of adolescents reside in a violent household where domestic violence has occurred at least once in the past year (McDonald, Jouriles, Ramisetty-Mikler, Caetano, & Green, 2006). No research on this subject could be found in the context of South Africa. It is therefore evident that virtually no research has been conducted on the impact of domestic violence on adolescents who witness domestic violence in South Africa.
It has been argued that domestic violence could have negative consequences on adolescents and children exposed to it (Chan & Yeung, 2009). In some cases, adolescents and children who are exposed to domestic violence within the household are removed by a social worker and placed in alternative care (Children’s Act, 30 of 2005). Alternative care might include a placement in foster care, adoption, temporary safe care or a child and youth care centre (CYCC). This research is particularly concerned with adolescents and children who were placed in a CYCC after witnessing domestic violence.
The aim of this study is to consider both the adolescents’ and the social service practitioners’ (SSP) perceptions and experiences of the support services provided by the CYCC to adolescent witnesses of domestic violence. This study revealed that there are no specialised services at the CYCC to support adolescent witnesses of domestic violence. The services that are available seem to be generic and aimed at addressing problem behaviours in children and adolescents, rather than providing proactive, therapeutic support to deal with trauma such as witnessing physical and verbal violence between their caregivers or abuse in alternative care. The adolescents did not experience the services as being useful or sufficient. One manager, two social workers and one house mother shared sufficient information regarding the generic services that are delivered by the CYCC. The other SSP, including one house mother and two child and youth care workers, did not have any information relating to these services. In the end, there was a lack of alignment between the adolescents’ and SSPs’ views and perceptions of support services.