Abstract
M.Ed. (Educational Psychology)
The proper functioning of the single-parent family is mainly
the lone responsibility of the single-parent. It would
seem therefore, that the single-parent (more than other parents)
is reliant on help and/or guidance in dealing with
the problems which he/she and his/her child(ren) face.
Although much research. has been done regarding single-parent
families, studies of available literature indicate a
lack of guidelines for single-parents concerning the effective
management of the crises of the single-parent family,
especially of the child(ren) involved. This void, together
with the increasing reality of single-parent families in
the South African society, motivated the author to undertake
this study. To accomplish the aims of this study, namely:
* to determine the specific needs which single-parents and
their children have;
* to ascertain whether single-parents would benefit from
attending a parent guidance programme; and
* to propose some guidelines towards developing a parent
guidance programme for single-parents,
a literature study and an empirical study were undertaken.
The literature study covers the phenonema of single-parent
families, parent guidance and relating themes, while the
empirical study serves as and extension and confirmation of
information surrounding the problems of single-parent families,
with emphasis on the child(ren) in single-parent families.
The empirical study comprises of three case studies
of children in single-parent families seen at the Institute
of Child and Adult Guidance of the Rand Afrikaans University.
Both the literature study and the empirical study reveal
that parents and children in single-parent families have
unique and unenviable problems and difficulties which
could, to some degree, be alleviated or even circumvented
if single-parents were to receive some form of guidance
concerning the proper and effective management of their and
their children's (changed) circumstances and relationships.
The proposals which are made regarding the content of guidance
programmes for single-parents, can be aummazLaed as
follows:
* After a divorce, parents should be encouraged and supported
to concentrate on the difficulties which their
children are facing, rather' than on their own.