Social work services for parents of adolescents with substance use disorders in Limpopo Province: Capricorn and Waterburg district

Abstract

Substance use disorders among adolescents are on the rise globally, including in South Africa, posing a huge challenge to their parents. Regardless of the challenges associated with substance use disorder among adolescents and its effect on parents, most studies on substance use focus on various areas, excluding social work services for the parents of adolescents with substance use disorders. Unleashing an improved understanding of social work services for parents of adolescents with substance use disorders is crucial. The study's main goal was to develop an in-depth understanding of social work services provided for the parents of adolescents with substance use disorder in the Capricorn and Waterberg districts of Limpopo. A qualitative research approach was employed where the social work services for these parents in Capricorn and Waterberg districts in Limpopo were explored and described from social workers and parents’ perspectives. A sample was acquired by implementing purposive sampling from a population of social workers rendering services in the substance use field and snowball sampling from parents of adolescents with substance use disorders. Data were collected through semi-structured, face-to-face interviews to discover the observations of samples of eleven social workers and nine parents. Tesch’s eight steps were applied to analyse the data. Data were verified by applying Guba’s model. Ethical considerations, such as informed consent, confidentiality, debriefing of participants, anonymity, information management and beneficence, were observed throughout the research. Substance use disorders among adolescents are on the rise globally, including South Africa, posing a huge challenge to their parents, such as financial implications, time constraints, and exclusion from services, psychosocial needs and lack of communication. The study findings confirm the lack of specific social work services provided to parents of adolescents with substance use disorders, although the social workers claimed that they provide such services; further findings reveal that the majority of the parents of adolescents with substance use disorders declared that they are excluded from accessing social work services in Limpopo. Recommendations for policy and future research are presented.

Bolwetsi bja tshomiso ya diokobatsi gare ga bafsa ba mahlalagading bo a hlatloga lefaseng ka bophara go akaretswa le Afrika Borwa, bo hlola tlhohlo ye kgolo yeo gape e tutuetsago batswadi ba bona. Go se setswe ga ditlhohlo tseo di amanago le bolwetsi bja tshomiso ya diokobatsi gare ga bafsa le khuetso ya bjona go batswadi, dinyakisiso tsa morago bjale tseo di dirilwego ka ga tshomisompe ya diokobatsi di lebeletse kudu mafelo a go fapafapana, go sa akaretswe ditirelo tsa mosomo wa leago go batswadi ba bafsa bao banago le bolwetsi bja tshomiso ya diokobatsi. Go lokolla kwesiso ye e kaonafetsego ya ditirelo tsa mosomo wa leago go batswadi ba bafsa bao ba nago le bolwetsi bja tshomiso ya dihlare-tagi go hlokwa kudu. Maikemisetso a magolo a nyakisiso ye e be e le go hlabolla kwesiso ye e tseneletsego ya mohuta wa ditirelo tsa mosomo wa leago tseo di fiwago batswadi ba bafsa bao banago le bolwetsi bja tshomiso ya diokobatsi ka dileteng tsa Capricorn le Waterberg ka profenseng ya Limpopo. Mokgwa wa nyakisiso ya boleng o somisitswe moo ditirelo tsa mosomo wa leago tsa batswadi ba bafsa bao ba nago le bolwetsi bja tshomiso ya diokobatsi ka profenseng ya Limpopo di ilego tsa hlahlobja le go hlaloswa go tswa go dipono ka bobedi tsa badirelaleago le batswadi. Sampole e ile ya tsewa ka go tsea mehlala ka morero go tswa go ditshaba ka bobedi tsa badirelaleago bao ba abago ditirelo lefapheng la bolwetsi bja tshomiso ya dihlare-tagi le batswadi ba bafsa bao ba lego mahlalagading bao ba nago le mathata a go dirisa diokobatsi. Sampole e hweditswe ka go phethagatsa go tsea dipoledisano ka morero go tswa go setshaba sa basomi ba leago bao ba abago ditirelo lefapheng la diokobatsi le go tsea mehlala ya kgwele ya lehlwa go tswa go batswadi ba bafsa bao ba lego mahlalagading bao banago le bolwetsi by tshomiso ya diokobatsi. Datha e kgobokeditswe ka dipoledisano tse di sego tsa rulaganywa gabotse, tsa go lebana le sefahlego go utolla dipono tsa disupo tsa badirela leago ba lesometee le batswadi ba senyane. Megato ye seswai ya Tesch e dirisitswe go sekaseka datha. Datha e ile ya netefatswa ka go dirisa mohlala wa Guba. Go hlokomelwa ga dikakanyo tsa boitshwaro tsa go swana le tumelelo ye e nago le tsebo, sephiri, go botsiswa ga batswasehlabelo, go se tsebje, taolo ya tshedimoso le mohola go dirilwe mo

nyakisisong ka moka. Bolwetsi bja tshomiso ya diokobatsi gare ga bafsa ba mahlalagading bo a hlatloga lefaseng ka bophara, go akaretswa Afrika borwa, a hlola tlhohlo ye kgolo go batswadi ba bona, go swana le ditlamorago tsa ditshelete, dithibelo tsa nako, go kgaphelwa ka ntle ditirelong, dinyakwa tsa monagano le leago le go hloka kgokagano. Dikutollo tsa dinyakisiso di bontsha ka ntle le pelaelo gore ga gona ditirelo tse di itsego tsa mosomo wa leago tseo di fiwago batswadi ba bafsa bao ba lego mahlalagading bao ba nago le di-SUD, le ge e le gore badirelaleago ba boletes gore ba fan aka ditirelo tse bjalo; diphetho tse dingwe di utolla gore batswadi ba bafsa bao ba nago le di-SUD, ba tsebagaditse gore ba kgaphetswe ka ntle le go amogela tsa ditirelo tsa leago ka profenseng ya Limpopo; ditshisinyo tsa pholisi le dinyakisiso tsa ka moso di dirilwe.