Abstract for presentation at Global Social Work 2004

While great strides have been made in family support programmes in relation to services for children and families globally, differences between developed and developing countries are evident. As an emerging professional service in countries such as Ireland, the debate around the conceptualization of family support in terms of its definiton, nature and implementation, exists. In Ireland, e.g, Family Suport Policy and Programme is a specialist training programme at the postgraduate level. The implication for its implementation is strengthened by the mandatory fieldwork component. For developing countries, such as South Africa, family support has yet to be recognized as a policy and practice priority within the repertoire of social services to children and families. This is not to say that services to children and families are lacking or non-existent. In fact, the non-traditional and less formal arrangements for the care and welfare of children and families was a customary practice for the majority of Black South Africans in comparison to the development of formalized, non-traditional forms of care previously provided by the state for white South Africans. The demands on the limited resources by the increasing number of people affected by HIV/AIDS supports the development and implementation of family support policy and programmes. Two models of family support gained popularity in recent years in South Africa based on the transformation of the child and youth care service, viz. family preservation and family group conferencing albeit it is limited to work with children in out of home placements. Critical to the success of these programmes is the participation of the community in the conceptualization, formulation and implementation of programmes. Family Support by its very nature espouses the principles of empowerment and participation. A comparative approach to family suport in Ireland and South Africa will be explored using the evidence-based approach. The article will elucidate the diverse socio-cultural contexts of the two societies. It will illustrate how communities, families and individuals can be empowered to build strength and capacity to deal with issues that challenge them (Group 1).