Welfare
Policy:
STUDY UNIT 1: Thinking
1.1 THEcritically
PURPOSE about
ANDthis
NEEDmodule and understanding
FOR THIS MODULE how it was written
• SOCIAL WORK DEF: The social work profession promotes social
Social change, problem solving in human relationships and the
empowerment and liberation of people to enhance well-being; ...
utilizing theories of human behavior and social systems, social
Workwork intervenes at the points where people interact with their environments. Principles of
human rights and social justice are fundamental to social work (International Association of
Schools of Social Work: 2000).
• South Africa and Unisa have adopted the social development paradigm of welfare, thus
supporting a people-centered approach to social and economic development.
• Social work plays a role in addressing the developmental needs of the South African society
through social work services that are provided within many sectors such as government
departments, businesses, non-governmental organizations, and in private practice.
• To implementing the developmental approach is to training social workers that will be able to
facilitate processes that will enhance the accomplishment of the visualized outcomes of people-
centered developmental policy.
• Community developers, people in the helping professions and social workers play a role in
addressing the needs of individuals, families, groups, and communities. It is also our task to:
Act as advocates and watch-dogs for the poorest and most marginalized members of
our society;
To help people identify the impact of social and economic oppression and exclusion;
To engage people in processes of social action to change socio-economic structures
and to empower them to improve their life circumstances.
Inequality results in extreme feelings of disappointment and conflict in the majority of
people who are excluded from the developing middle class – SEE TO THESE NEEDS
• The purpose of this module: Through the study of theoretical concepts learners will be able to
get the knowledge and skills to gain a basic understanding of social welfare, social welfare
policy, the development approach to welfare in South Africa, and the ethical code in social work.
• The purpose of the learning process in this module is:
To provide learners with theory that will contribute to their knowledge of social welfare
within the South African context.
To enhance the basic understanding of the key concepts of social welfare and the
historical development of social work in South Africa.
To equip them with the basic principles underlying the developmental approach in South
Africa.
, To equip learners with the necessary competencies (knowledge, values and skills) to
understand the importance of South African Constitution, human rights, and to apply the
fundamental concepts and principles of the ethical code for social workers.
1.2 THE LEVEL AT WHICH THIS MODULE IS DEVELOPED
The South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) has developed standards for qualifications in the
Health Sciences and Social Service fields. These requirements or standards are set out in policy
namely, the Higher Education Qualifications Framework that was developed during 2004 by the
Ministry of Education in South Africa.
This framework serves as a guideline for the development of higher education qualification
programmers at universities. It also provides the basis for integrating all higher education
qualifications into the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) and its structures for standards
generation and quality assurance.
A programmer at a university can be described a structured set of learning experiences that leads
to a qualification. In developing a module like this one, the level in the National Qualifications
Framework (NQF) at which these standards should be met needs to be identified. This module is
developed at NQF level 5. NQF Level 5 is the entry level of higher education. With regard to
knowledge we emphasize general principles and application at this level. This module complies
with the purpose of social work education and with the key outcomes as set by SAQA (South
African Qualifications Authority) and the HEQF (Higher Education Qualifications Framework).
Each qualification level has a level descriptor. Level descriptors provide a basis of differentiating
the varying levels of complexity of qualifications in the framework. This means that level descriptors
describe the generic nature of learning achievements and their complexity. They are broad
qualitative statements against which more specific learning outcomes can be compared and
located. So what are the level descriptors for NQF Level 5, what kind of learning will take place,
what are we going to develop on this level, what will you be able to demonstrate after completion of
this part of the course, and how are we going to measure or assess it.
1.3 THE OUTCOMES AND ASSESSMENT CRITERIA OF THE MODULE
Outcome 1 Outcome 2 Outcome 3 Outcome 4
You will be able to Learner/students will Learners/students will Learners will
demonstrate that you demonstrate an be competent in demonstrate an
have a fundamental informed demonstrating an informed
knowledge base in the understanding of the understanding or the understanding of
areas of welfare policy vision of a person- human rights, the
Historical development
centered approach to Constitution of South
of social welfare in
development, Africa and the Code of
South Africa.
democracy, and Ethics in social work.
empowerment in South
Africa.
Assessment criteria: Assessment criteria: Assessment criteria: Assessment criteria:
o Learners should be o The historical o The meaning of o The history of the
Policy:
STUDY UNIT 1: Thinking
1.1 THEcritically
PURPOSE about
ANDthis
NEEDmodule and understanding
FOR THIS MODULE how it was written
• SOCIAL WORK DEF: The social work profession promotes social
Social change, problem solving in human relationships and the
empowerment and liberation of people to enhance well-being; ...
utilizing theories of human behavior and social systems, social
Workwork intervenes at the points where people interact with their environments. Principles of
human rights and social justice are fundamental to social work (International Association of
Schools of Social Work: 2000).
• South Africa and Unisa have adopted the social development paradigm of welfare, thus
supporting a people-centered approach to social and economic development.
• Social work plays a role in addressing the developmental needs of the South African society
through social work services that are provided within many sectors such as government
departments, businesses, non-governmental organizations, and in private practice.
• To implementing the developmental approach is to training social workers that will be able to
facilitate processes that will enhance the accomplishment of the visualized outcomes of people-
centered developmental policy.
• Community developers, people in the helping professions and social workers play a role in
addressing the needs of individuals, families, groups, and communities. It is also our task to:
Act as advocates and watch-dogs for the poorest and most marginalized members of
our society;
To help people identify the impact of social and economic oppression and exclusion;
To engage people in processes of social action to change socio-economic structures
and to empower them to improve their life circumstances.
Inequality results in extreme feelings of disappointment and conflict in the majority of
people who are excluded from the developing middle class – SEE TO THESE NEEDS
• The purpose of this module: Through the study of theoretical concepts learners will be able to
get the knowledge and skills to gain a basic understanding of social welfare, social welfare
policy, the development approach to welfare in South Africa, and the ethical code in social work.
• The purpose of the learning process in this module is:
To provide learners with theory that will contribute to their knowledge of social welfare
within the South African context.
To enhance the basic understanding of the key concepts of social welfare and the
historical development of social work in South Africa.
To equip them with the basic principles underlying the developmental approach in South
Africa.
, To equip learners with the necessary competencies (knowledge, values and skills) to
understand the importance of South African Constitution, human rights, and to apply the
fundamental concepts and principles of the ethical code for social workers.
1.2 THE LEVEL AT WHICH THIS MODULE IS DEVELOPED
The South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) has developed standards for qualifications in the
Health Sciences and Social Service fields. These requirements or standards are set out in policy
namely, the Higher Education Qualifications Framework that was developed during 2004 by the
Ministry of Education in South Africa.
This framework serves as a guideline for the development of higher education qualification
programmers at universities. It also provides the basis for integrating all higher education
qualifications into the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) and its structures for standards
generation and quality assurance.
A programmer at a university can be described a structured set of learning experiences that leads
to a qualification. In developing a module like this one, the level in the National Qualifications
Framework (NQF) at which these standards should be met needs to be identified. This module is
developed at NQF level 5. NQF Level 5 is the entry level of higher education. With regard to
knowledge we emphasize general principles and application at this level. This module complies
with the purpose of social work education and with the key outcomes as set by SAQA (South
African Qualifications Authority) and the HEQF (Higher Education Qualifications Framework).
Each qualification level has a level descriptor. Level descriptors provide a basis of differentiating
the varying levels of complexity of qualifications in the framework. This means that level descriptors
describe the generic nature of learning achievements and their complexity. They are broad
qualitative statements against which more specific learning outcomes can be compared and
located. So what are the level descriptors for NQF Level 5, what kind of learning will take place,
what are we going to develop on this level, what will you be able to demonstrate after completion of
this part of the course, and how are we going to measure or assess it.
1.3 THE OUTCOMES AND ASSESSMENT CRITERIA OF THE MODULE
Outcome 1 Outcome 2 Outcome 3 Outcome 4
You will be able to Learner/students will Learners/students will Learners will
demonstrate that you demonstrate an be competent in demonstrate an
have a fundamental informed demonstrating an informed
knowledge base in the understanding of the understanding or the understanding of
areas of welfare policy vision of a person- human rights, the
Historical development
centered approach to Constitution of South
of social welfare in
development, Africa and the Code of
South Africa.
democracy, and Ethics in social work.
empowerment in South
Africa.
Assessment criteria: Assessment criteria: Assessment criteria: Assessment criteria:
o Learners should be o The historical o The meaning of o The history of the
