Research Articles (CFS)

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10566/6151

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Uncovering biogas outcomes: tales of hubris, hope, and failure from southern Malawi
(Wiley, 2026) Kalina, Marc; Kwangulero, Jonathan; Okwang, Jonathan Olal
The purpose of this article is to speak directly to biogas failure. Over the past two decades, immense amounts of money have beenspent by African governments, private individuals, and most conspicuously, international aid agencies and donors, on countlessbiogas projects in every country on the continent. Yet, despite the investments, biogas has not taken off, and the continent isstrewn with the ruins of hundreds of failed and abandoned biogas projects. Moreover, scholarly literature contains little feedbackabout what actually happens on the ground, and by extension, a lack of critical reflection as to why a biogas revolution that hasbeen perennially over the horizon has yet to arrive. Focusing on southern Malawi, and combining detailed, qualitative, narrativeinvestigation with owners and providers, with on-site socio-technical investigation, we unpack 61 in-depth case studies of small-scale biogas provision in order to provide narrative descriptions of the practical outcomes of biogas projects from the perspectiveof adopters and users, in addition to analysis of project outcomes across different models of project implementation. Our findingscenter the importance of active, engaged owners, but also reveal a connection between the structural nature of specific biogasprojects, the relationship of the user to the plant, and the project's resultant outcomes. So although owners matter, different pro-ject structures have the ability to create empowered, engaged biogas owners, or conversely, to place them in positions of limitedpower and influence which can exacerbate project weaknesses.
Draw-and-tell as a participatory action method for exploring family dynamics among South African communities
(Elsevier Ltd, 2026) Johannes, Chanté; Reid, James; Wareley, Shenaaz; Ngadhi, Collen; Nginase, Avukonke; Demetriou, Katerina; Roman, Nicolette Vanessa
South African family life is shaped by diverse household forms, intergenerational care-giving, unequal material conditions, and shifting patterns of communication and responsibility. This study explored how adolescents, parents/legal guardians, and community practitioners described family dynamics in two Western Cape settings. A participatory action research-informed qualitative design was used, supported by Human-Centred Design principles during the discover and define phases. Draw and tell activities were used as a data-generation tool to support participants in describing family relationships, care practices, responsibilities, emotional connection, and harm. Participants were recruited from Cape Town (n = 44) and the Saldanha Bay Municipality area (n = 32), giving a main analytic sample of 76 participants. Participants created drawings or paintings, annotated their artwork, and discussed their representations during facilitated group workshops. Audio-recorded discussions were transcribed and analysed thematically. Eight interrelated themes were identified: 1) family composition and relational boundaries, 2) communication and emotional distance, 3) attentiveness and recognition of need, 4) responsibility and provision, 5) gendered and peer-based care-giving, 6) receiving care and feeling supported, and 7) shared care and belonging, and 8) harm. The findings show that family dynamics in these settings are negotiated through both everyday practices and structural pressures. Visual material did not replace verbal accounts. Instead, it helped participants anchor their narratives in concrete depictions of family life, especially where relationships involved silence, loss, role strain, affection, or abuse.
Social work, child support grants and child care in the first 1,000 days, a case study of disposable nappy expenditure in Calvinia-West, South Africa
(University of Stellenbosch, 2026) Schenck, Catherina; Roman, Nicolette; Blaauw, Derick; Nell, Charlotte
The first 1,000 days after birth are a critical period in a child’s development, as this phase establishes the foundation of the child’s physical, cognitive, emotional and social welfare. South Africa’s child support grant (CSG), which aims to provide financial assistance to primary caregivers of children in low-income households, therefore has a substantial impact on children’s growth and development. A basic good that greatly “dilutes” the value of the CSG is disposable nappies. This case study reports on the spending patterns on disposable nappies by caregivers receiving CSGs during the first 1,000 days of the child. A survey using both quantitative and qualitative questions was administered to 193 caregivers in a Northern Cape township to investigate the purchasing patterns of caregivers using disposable nappies. The results show that caregivers spend close to the equivalent of the CSG on nappies, leaving very little for the nourishment and care of the infant. Recommendations to supplement governmental cash grants are thus made to the social work profession. These include co-designing comprehensive programmes for improving the care of children in their first 1,000 days and linking the community with the necessary professionals and resources to support these programmes. The study also highlighted the lack social work research in this critical stage of children’s lives.
Strengthening parental capabilities: consensus-based guidelines for supporting parents of children with developmental disabilities – a modified hybrid Delphi study
(AOSIS (pty) Ltd, 2026) Magidigidi-Mathiso, Lumka; Frantz, Jose; Filies, Gerard
Background: Families of children with developmental disabilities (DD) experience compounding barriers to accessing coordinated, holistic support. Services are typically fragmented across healthcare, education and social sectors, particularly in resource-limited settings such as South Africa. To develop consensus-based guidelines for strengthening parental capabilities among parents of children with DD through an interdisciplinary approach integrating evidence across multiple fields. Methods: A modified hybrid three-round Delphi technique was employed with an expert panel (n = 10) comprising professionals with diverse backgrounds in paediatric disability care. Consensus was established through iterative questionnaires exploring capability domains based on Capabilities Framework. Results: Five key capability domains achieved strong consensus (≥ 80%): life enhancement, bodily health support, emotional wellbeing, affiliation strengthening and environmental control. Final round consensus ranged from 90% to 95%. Conclusion: Comprehensive consensus-based guidelines were developed for each domain, alongside an implementation framework that emphasises interdisciplinary collaboration. The study is contextually situated in South Africa; contextual adaptation is recommended before application elsewhere, given the small expert panel (n = 10) and single-country scope. Contribution: These guidelines provide a structured, capability-focused approach addressing the practical and emotional needs of parents of children with DD through coordinated professional collaboration. © 2026. The Authors. Licensee: AOSIS.
Developing context-responsive guidelines to manage recidivism in South Africa’s Department of Correctional Services
(Springer Science and Business Media B.V., 2026) Samuels, Jerome; Roman, Nicolette Vanessa; Mutiso, Moses Mutua
South Africa’s correctional system has long struggled with high rates of repeat offending. Yet the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) has operated without coherent, evidence-informed guidelines for defining or managing recidivism. This matter, without agreed definitions and measurement, is inconsistent; without clear policy guidance, program delivery is uneven; without shared data systems, the justice cluster cannot track what works. The present study addresses this gap through a two-phase qualitative design. Phase 1 drew on a scoping review of international recidivism management literature alongside semi-structured interviews with 29 purposively selected DCS personnel and external justice-sector stakeholders. Thematic analysis identified five critical areas of weakness: definitions, policy mandates, sentence planning processes, rehabilitation programming, and intergovernmental data-sharing. Building on these findings, Phase 2 used two consensus workshops: one with academic experts and a second with 30 multi-sector stakeholders at Goodwood Correctional Centre to refine and validate a set of draft guidelines. The process produced ten interlocking recommendations spanning definitional standards, a dedicated policy task team, RNR-based sentence management, mixed-modality rehabilitation, reformed visitation arrangements, employability pathways, wraparound community support, family mediation protocols, integrated information systems, and biometric identification. Across both workshop phases, one tension surfaced repeatedly: the pull between procedural precision and relational, human-centered support, and the need to assign ownership clearly enough that neither gets sacrificed for the other. The ten guidelines are structured into three implementation tiers: Tier 1 addressing definitions, policy, and training; Tier 2 covers programs, visitation, employment, and support networks; Tier 3 of the DCS implementation framework emphasises technology and digital systems to enhance recidivism management and to incorporate electronic tools for offender risk assessment, monitoring, and data administration, thereby enhancing the precision and efficacy of recidivism tracking. The objective is to establish a framework that DCS can effectively implement.
Adam cried bitterly: ecotheology in the lives of urban Malawians
(AOSIS (pty) Ltd, 2026) Kalina, Marc; Kwangulero, Jonathan; Tilley, Elizabeth
This article explores how urban Malawians construct moral and theological meaning of waste and how these constructions shape environmental practices, in densely populated areas of Blantyre. Challenging the assumption that environmental behaviour can be improved primarily through education, the study argues that moral action is grounded in contextual ‘immanent logics’ shaped by lived experience, social realities and religious belief. Drawing on interdisciplinary collaboration between theologians and environmental researchers, the project builds on earlier social-scientific studies of the problematisation of waste. It incorporates a second round of interviews to probe theological interpretations. Findings show that Christian frameworks play a significant role in shaping respondents’ understanding of waste, human responsibility and environmental order. Most participants interpret waste not as part of God’s original creation but because of human sin and misuse of otherwise good materials, often framed through narratives related to Genesis. Contrary to expectations, charismatic motifs such as spiritual warfare or divine healing were absent. Instead, respondents’ reasoning more closely reflected a wisdom-theology framework emphasising divine order, human responsibility and the moral contrast between peace and chaos. Eschatological beliefs, including anticipation of Christ’s return, were present but integrated into this broader moral logic rather than producing environmental disengagement. Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: The article concludes that environmental interventions in similar contexts are more likely to succeed when they engage existing theological narratives rather than relying solely on technical education. Framing ecological practices as participation in God’s created order and wisdom may resonate more deeply with local moral reasoning and encourage sustainable behavioural change.
A distorted process of care framework: why do South African women stay in abusive relationships?
(Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI), 2026) Roman, Nicolette V.; Johannes, Chanté; Wareley, Shenaaz
Abusive relationships are too often explained solely in terms of individual behaviour, as if a woman’s decision to stay were simply a matter of psychology or poor judgement. In South African communities, however, the reality is considerably more complex. The reasons women remain are situated within what can be described as a distorted process of care: a network of relational, material, and structural forces that alter the very meaning of care itself. This study aimed to explore these interconnections. Guided by an ethics of care framework, we employed multimodal qualitative methods to engage participants from four South African communities between August 2024 and July 2025. Participants (n = 262) were recruited through snowball, purposive, and convenience sampling. Data were coded using ATLAS.ti V8 and analysed thematically. Five interconnected themes shaped the framework. Distorted care described how caregiving could become coercive, shaped by fear, rigid gender roles, intergenerational abuse, and substance misuse. Care under constraint highlighted the material limitations, financial dependency, daily survival challenges, and self-sacrificing caregiving, that left women depleted. The silence of care captured emotional withdrawal, isolation, and the disabling effect of shame on help-seeking. Reclaiming care traced the tentative routes towards healing through ethical self-care, faith, forgiveness, and a conscious effort to disrupt harmful patterns. Woven throughout was structural failure, including absent family networks, the moral decline of communities, and institutional systems that consistently failed women. Remaining in an abusive relationship is not a sign of weakness. It is a negotiation, profoundly constrained, within systems of care that have been fundamentally distorted. Effective intervention should move beyond framing gender-based violence as an individual problem and address it as a collective one, restoring care as a shared social and political responsibility.
“He left us in the dark forest and unloaded us off the truck”: Work and health related vulnerabilities of female scrap collectors in rural Eastern Cape and the implications for women’s rights
(National Association of Social Workers, 2026) Schenck, Catherina; Xweso, Mzukisi
Social work has long been at the forefront of advocating for women’s rights, striving to ensure their access to dignity, economic empowerment and social protection. However, despite these efforts, many women in South Africa remain trapped in precarious informal employment, such as scrap collection, which exposes them to significant vulnerabilities. This study explored the work and health-vulnerabilities faced by female scrap collectors in the rural Eastern Cape communities. Using a case study design that incorporates both quantitative and qualitative data collection techniques, the research was conducted in two phases. The first phase developed a socioeconomic profile of the scrap collectors, while the second phase explored the specific work and health-related vulnerabilities experienced by women. Findings reveal that female scrap collectors face multiple hardships, including hazardous working conditions, and a lack of social protection, all of which undermine their rights to human dignity and decent work. The Longwe Women’s Empowerment Framework was employed to analyse the levels of disempowerment and identify strategies for promoting the economic and social empowerment of female scrap collectors. The study highlights an urgent need for policy interventions and social work advocacy to enhance the protection, recognition and empowerment of women engaged in scrap collection. © National Association of Social Workers Zimbabwe/Author(s).
Rethinking socio-cultural resistance: systemic factors behind successful and failed transitions to toilet-linked anaerobic digesters in Nepal and India
(Elsevier Ltd, 2026) Kalina, Marc; Boyd Williams, Natalie; Campbell, Ben
Toilet-linked anaerobic digesters (TLADs) are promoted as technologies that can simultaneously address household energy, sanitation, and agricultural needs, yet diffusion remains uneven, and project failures are frequently attributed to “socio-cultural resistance.” This paper challenges that narrative by examining why Nepal's domestic biogas programme achieved greater success in implementing TLADs than India's, despite broadly similar policies and rural socio-economic conditions. Using a sustainability transitions framework, we conduct a comparative case study of successful adoption in Nepal's Gandaki Province with non-adoption in Assam, India. The study draws on 57 household interviews, 15 expert-stakeholder interviews, and policy and programme documents. Findings indicate that while socio-cultural norms influence TLAD diffusion, they are not stand-alone determinants of household transitions. Instead, these norms interact with programme design, governance structures, institutional commitment, and wider policy environments, and are conditioned by local socio-technical contexts. These interactions shape how socio-cultural norms manifest in relation to technology adoption at the household level. We argue that failed transitions are too often attributed disproportionately to socio-cultural resistance—a framing that unfairly shifts responsibility onto households while obscuring systemic shortcomings such as inadequate targeting, weak institutional support, and misalignment between technologies and local contexts. A more balanced framing should acknowledge socio-cultural norms while situating them within broader socio-technical and policy environments. Such reframing could shift research and practice away from narratives of household blame and towards critical assessments of contextual fit, programme capacity, and policy coherence, supporting more equitable and context-appropriate transitions in sanitation and household energy systems such as TLADs
Visible space, invisible labour: waste work as assemblages in South African cities
(Springer Science and Business Media B.V., 2026) Loots, Olivia; Schenck, Catherina; Nell, Charlotte
This article sheds light on the often-invisible labour of informal waste reclaimers and the visible city spaces they occupy in South Africa. Using Deleuzoguattarian assemblage theory and Colin McFarlane’s, 2011 article on assemblages and critical urbanism as framework, we consider how various spaces for sourcing, sorting, and storing recyclable materials affect waste reclaimers’ lives and livelihoods. This is done by referring to original data from 1259 waste reclaimer surveys conducted in 25 South African towns and cities in 2023. By examining the rhizomatic dynamics between waste reclaimers, collected recyclable materials, and the spaces they occupy and work in, the article discusses how spatial constraints and opportunities shape waste reclaimers’ ability to act. It also delves into the broader implications of waste reclamation in the context of urban development and social inequality, underscoring the need for recognition of this essential work. This article provides a nuanced understanding of waste reclaimers movement in space, which is vital in reframing the public’s perception of their contribution, which in turn enhances their visibility and holds the potential to positively impact their livelihoods.
Understanding the relationship between family functioning and social cohesion in South Africa: a mixed-methods study
(Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI), 2026) October, Kezia Ruth; Roman, Nicolette Vanessa; Danga, Solomon
Understanding how family functioning shapes social cohesion in South African communities offers insight into relational dynamics that sustain neighborhood well-being. This convergent parallel mixed-methods study examined associations between family functioning and neighborhood social cohesion in Cape Town. Quantitative data (N = 662) were collected using the Family Functioning Questionnaire and the Neighborhood Social Cohesion Questionnaire. Correlations showed positive associations between family cohesion and trust (r = 0.20), expressiveness and tolerance/respect (r = 0.20), and democratic family style and neighborhood attachment (r = 0.21). Family disengagement showed a small negative association with tolerance/respect (r = −0.11) and a small positive association with practical help (r = 0.17), an unexpected pattern interpreted cautiously. Qualitative interviews (n = 20) provided contextual depth, describing how open communication, shared caregiving, and supportive family networks enhance trust, belonging, reciprocity, and responsibility. Thematic analysis produced five themes spanning cohesion, expressiveness, conflict/disengagement, democratic family functioning, and authoritarian parenting as adaptation. Triangulation indicated that cohesive, expressive, and democratic family processes align with stronger neighborhood connectedness, while conflict and strictness were often described as forms of regulation rather than uniformly harmful. Findings support strengthening family-based interventions, parenting programs, and community policies that reinforce both family well-being and social connectedness.
From the traditional nursing home to an EHPAD (elderly care facility). Institutional changes and psychological challenges of end-of-life care. History, organization, and paradoxes of the living-care environment
(Elsevier Masson SAS., 2026-02-26) Bouchard, Jean-Pierre; Nieuviarts, Nicholas; Albert, Francis
This article is the first in a series of four papers devoted to Établissements d'Hébergement pour Personnes Aînés Dependantes (EHPAD, French long-term residential care facilities for dependent elderly adults). The first volume (I) analyzes the historical and institutional transition from the former "retirement/nursing home" to the modern EHPAD, highlighting the contemporary paradoxes inherent in the "living-care environment": clashes between the home-like model and hospital-based approach, between security issues and freedom of movement, between managerial rationalization and the recognition of subjectivity. By integrating demographic data, legal frameworks, and assessment tools (AGGIR, PATHOS), the study examines their effect on the quality of life, the temporality of dying, and the psychic containment provided within institutions. The second paper will explore the subjective experiences of residents and their relatives — including transitions, consent, relational bonds, and loss. The third will propose a comprehensive approach to palliative care in an EHPAD, integrating psychological, social, and legal dimensions around the medical axis. The fourth will focus on clinical and organizational expertise within an EHPAD — addressing issues of sexuality, addictions, grief, behavioral disorders, and the environmental development of the living space. These interviews, undertaken and conducted by Professor Jean-Pierre Bouchard, a clinical psychologist, bring together a multidisciplinary group of professionals — clinical psychologists and researchers, a geriatrician and facility coordinator, a neuropsychologist and nursing home director, and a professor of private law and criminal sciences — offer a pluralistic, dialogical, and interdisciplinary perspective of the contemporary challenges in institutional care. Through a series of cross-disciplinary interviews, the reader is invited to explore the ethical, clinical, and existential complexity of palliative care in an EHPAD, examining how these institutions might once again become settings of life, relationships, and meaning, rather than mere systems of maintenance or dependency management. The authors advocate for the development — with the support of public authorities — of a genuine palliative culture of presence and relational care, centered on recognizing the individual in their vulnerability and desires. Grounded in the concept that subjectivity is at the very heart of care, this approach invites us to reimagine the EHPAD as a space of hospitality, where the elderly person remains a subject of history, memory, and temporality, even when faced with their own mortality.
Community-based primary care approaches to supporting families of children with developmental disabilities: experts' perspectives using the capabilities framework
(AOSIS (Pty) Ltd, 2025) Magidigidi-Mathiso, Lumnka; Frantz, Jose; Filies, Gerald
Background: Families raising children with developmental disabilities face complex, interconnected challenges requiring coordinated support across multiple professional domains. While interdisciplinary collaboration is widely endorsed in policy and practice guidelines, significant knowledge gaps exist regarding how healthcare professionals operationalise these collaborative approaches in real-world settings. Methods: A qualitative study was conducted using individual semi-structured interviews with 12 experts representing diverse disciplines. The study was grounded in the Capabilities Approach as both a theoretical lens and a methodological framework. Data were analysed using Braun and Clarke’s six-step thematic analysis, with the Capabilities Approach framework informing each analytical phase. Results: Five major themes emerged from the capability-guided analysis: facilitating emotional transformation, building system navigation competence, creating inclusive participation opportunities, strengthening family functioning and fostering adaptive identity development. Across all themes, participants consistently emphasised three critical mechanisms for effective interdisciplinary support: coordinated care delivery as capability enhancement, comprehensive emotional support as capability development and whole-family capability strengthening interventions. Conclusion: The findings highlight the significance of interdisciplinary approaches informed by the Capabilities Approach in providing comprehensive support for parents of children with developmental disabilities. Rather than traditional deficit-focused models, participants systematically described how they enhance family capabilities by functioning as capability facilitators who orchestrate conversion factors, build emotional capabilities while respecting family agency and create environmental modifications that expand family possibilities. Contribution: This study contributes a novel capability-focused framework for understanding interdisciplinary collaboration in developmental disability support, moving beyond traditional service coordination models to emphasise systematic capability enhancement approaches that build sustainable family strengths across multiple domains simultaneously.
Methodologies of care: a multimodal, participatory research approach with vulnerable families among South African communities
(MDPI, 2026) Reid, James; Johannes, Chanté; Wareley, Shenaaz; Ngadhi, Collen Mafira; Nginase, Avukonke; Demetriou, Katerina; Roman, Nicolette Vanessa
Multimodal methods provide valuable opportunities within Participatory Action Research (PAR), to foster meaningful participation, and amplify marginalized voices. However, conventional research approaches have not always adequately captured the complex realities of the lived experiences of families, and multimodal techniques have remained underutilized for the exploration of such experiences. This study aimed to explore the use of creative multimodal methods, within a PAR framework, grounded in care among vulnerable South African families. A qualitative design was adopted, incorporating human-centered design principles, within a PAR approach. The participants were recruited from the Saldanha Bay Municipality area (n = 70), as well as Mitchells Plain (n = 59). The multimodal methodology included Draw-and-Tell, painting, object and photo elicitation, I-Poems, and LEGO®-based activities. Data were annotated and transcribed verbatim, followed by thematic analysis. A total of 42 participants contributed towards the validation of the methods. The participants described experiences of deep emotional insight, self-reflection, and self-recognition, through engagement with the multimodal activities. The findings revealed that these approaches were: (1) credible, producing internally valid and contextually rich data; (2) contributory, generating original and applicable insights into family life; (3) communicable, offering accessible and structured ways for diverse participants to express their experiences; and (4) conforming, ensuring ethical engagement through inclusive participation. These findings demonstrate the potential of creative, arts-based, and participatory approaches, to advance methodological innovation in qualitative family research.
Understanding the relationship between family functioning and social cohesion in South Africa: a mixed-methods study
(Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI), 2026) October, Kezia Ruth; Roman, Nicolette Vanessa; Danga, Solomon Dribsa
Understanding how family functioning shapes social cohesion in South African communities offers insight into relational dynamics that sustain neighborhood well-being. This convergent parallel mixed-methods study examined associations between family functioning and neighborhood social cohesion in Cape Town. Quantitative data (N = 662) were collected using the Family Functioning Questionnaire and the Neighborhood Social Cohesion Questionnaire. Correlations showed positive associations between family cohesion and trust (r = 0.20), expressiveness and tolerance/respect (r = 0.20), and democratic family style and neighborhood attachment (r = 0.21). Family disengagement showed a small negative association with tolerance/respect (r = −0.11) and a small positive association with practical help (r = 0.17), an unexpected pattern interpreted cautiously. Qualitative interviews (n = 20) provided contextual depth, describing how open communication, shared caregiving, and supportive family networks enhance trust, belonging, reciprocity, and responsibility. Thematic analysis produced five themes spanning cohesion, expressiveness, conflict/disengagement, democratic family functioning, and authoritarian parenting as adaptation. Triangulation indicated that cohesive, expressive, and democratic family processes align with stronger neighborhood connectedness, while conflict and strictness were often described as forms of regulation rather than uniformly harmful. Findings support strengthening family-based interventions, parenting programs, and community policies that reinforce both family well-being and social connectedness.
Analysing the role and job creation potential of buy-back centres along the South African beverage polyethylene terephthalate value chain: a circular economy perspective
(SAGE Publications Ltd, 2026) Van Hille, Nicky; Van Hille, Robert Paul; Schenck, Catherina Johanna Rinie
The rate of plastic consumption is predicted to grow at an increasing rate beyond 2050, with plastic waste reaching as much as 873 million tonnes by 2050. The drive towards a circular plastics economy means that plastic waste represents a growing resource, with the potential to contribute significantly to job creation and economic activity, particularly in developing countries. However, this potential is not currently being realised, highlighting the need for strategic interventions. In 2020 extended producer responsibility, one mechanism available to enable the circular plastics economy, was legislated in South Africa. One of the requirements for producer responsibility organisations is to report on job creation. This study investigated the beverage polyethylene terephthalate (PET) value chain and identified the critical and poorly understood role of buy-back centres (BBCs) in the system. A survey of 52 BBCs, covering 8 of the 9 provinces, was conducted to understand material flows, operating and financial models and staffing requirements. The BBC sector is estimated to employ over 15,500 full-time equivalents, the majority (68%) unskilled or semi-skilled workers, and contribute over R1.66 billion in wages and salaries. Beverage PET accounts for approximately 19% of the material handled, directly contributing to over 3000 jobs. Key findings of the research were the difference between the various categories of BBCs operating in South Africa referred to as ‘aggregators’ and ‘pre-processors’ and the critical role played by ‘bakkie collectors’, as an essential link for informal collectors.
Social work practice following the COVID-19 pandemic: reflections from Brazil, India and Scotland
(SAGE Publications Ltd, 2025) Garcia, Maria Lúcia Teixeira; Spolander, Gary; Leal, Fabiola; Adaikalam, Francis; Gibson, Neil
COVID-19 impacted globally, on individual health, care systems and social reproduction. Excessive death, lockdowns and social policy change had immediate and long-term national and global implications. Attention has been given to the immediate consequences, including its disproportionate impact on parts of society such as older people, “black” and “ethnic minorities”, and migrants. This raises questions for social work about wider enduring lessons including social inequality and globalisation. Reflecting across three countries, we encourage debate on future professional lessons, recognising constraints the pandemic has imposed and the dilemma of relying on historical precedents, of which we now find we have none.
How the COVID-19 pandemic worsened intimate partner violence: findings from a South Africa high-risk community study
(KeAi Communications Co., 2025) Wang, Xichen; Zhang, Sheldon X; Bender, Annah K; Koegler, Erica L; Rich, Edna G; Price, Rumi Kato
Background: Researchers have been extensively studying the detrimental effects wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic on many aspects of human life. However, there is little empirical research from the Global South on COVID-19 and its impact on intimate partner violence (IPV). Objective: This study sought to explore whether the pandemic-induced effects, such as financial stress, physical health issues, and psychological distress, also increased IPV victimization. Methods: A structured survey was administered to 665 residents who self-identified as having experienced increased risks of human trafficking in low-income communities in Cape Town, South Africa, during January–October 2021, at the height of COVID-19. IPV measures were applied to those (N = 418) who reported having had an intimate partner in the past 12 months. Results: Most respondents were born in South Africa. Half of them reported having experienced IPV in the past year. The ordinal regression full model showed that housing insecurity (AOR = 1.67; CI, 1.03–2.70) and mental health concerns (AOR = 1.57; CI, 1.13–2.19) were significant predictors of IPV (p < .05), controlling for other sociodemographic measures. Race (Black, AOR = 0.20; CI, 0.09–0.43), gender (female, AOR = 1.80; CI, 1.17–2.76), and arranged marriage (AOR = 1.97; CI, 1.17–3.32) were also significantly associated with IPV victimization. Conclusion: Housing insecurity and mental health were the most important COVID-induced stressors in elevating IPV victimization during the pandemic. Furthermore, other structural factors, such as race, gender, and arranged marriage, were also strong predictors of IPV victimization in an already vulnerable South African urban community.
A conceptual model for strengthening family capabilities through a process of care
(Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI), 2025) Reid, James; Johannes, Chanté; Wareley, Shenaaz; Ngadhi, Collen; Nginase, Avukonke; Roman, Nicolette Vanessa
Family capabilities shape the well-being of individuals and families, particularly in diverse sociocultural contexts. However, existing frameworks often fail to capture the complexities of family dynamics, particularly in South Africa. This limitation is addressed in this study by developing a new conceptual model, through an ethic of care lens, to understand family. A Human-Centered Design strategy is employed, utilizing workshops to gather and deductively interpret data. A sample of 53 participants is recruited from two communities in South Africa. The Listening Guide approach is used to analyze the data, alongside thematic analysis, to identify overarching themes. The findings reveal tangible needs (material and physical requirements), as well as intangible needs (emotional and psychological support). The relation between these needs and harms highlights how care is shaped in families. While families endeavor to meet intangible needs, many fail to communicate these intangible needs, which also leads to harm. This is exacerbated when the primary caregiver within the family, the ‘glue’, has needs for care that are not met. In addition, the findings reveal the interrelatedness of care in family dynamics among family members, and help to explore the boundaries, capacities, and capabilities of what families do and how they care.
Messages for UK social work doctoral education: a narrative synthesis of global north social work doctorate literature
(Routledge, 2025) Santos-Petiot, Joanna; Spolander, Gary; Garcia, Maria Lúcia Teixeira
Social work, grounded in values of social justice, relies on doctoral education to advance evidence-informed practice. From a United Kingdom (UK) perspective, little is known about the challenges associated with social work doctoral degrees. This paper presents a narrative review of English-language social work doctoral education literature, situating it within the broader contexts of UK higher education and workforce dynamics. The review highlights six overarching themes: (1) diversity and inclusion, (2) mentorship to support doctoral study, (3) financial barriers and student debt, (4) distinctions between traditional PhDs and other doctoral routes, (5) the academy’s changing agendas of research productivity and scholarly engagement, and (6) curriculum and pedagogical development. The review reveals how neoliberal trends in higher education disproportionately impact marginalized students and constrain critical inquiry. The intersection of these challenges with the profession’s struggles with workforce retention, increasing managerialism and focus on technocratic competencies over critical engagement, emphasizes that the profession is at the fulcrum of several forces, which limit completion of doctoral programs. The paper calls for flexible and inclusive doctoral frameworks that align with the profession’s mission of fostering systemic change and social equity by addressing structural and workforce challenges to enhance access to doctoral education.

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