Social Welfare: An Integrated Approach To Social Care

“Social welfare is a system, sometimes referred to as an institution, comprising a wide variety of policies, programs and services that help people meet their basic needs” (Suppes & Wells, 2013:97). South Africa in the previous government during the times of apartheid had very little intervention in the provision and funding of social welfare, services and social security, it saw the family and the private market as natural mechanisms for meeting needs (residual approach). The present social welfare scene is significantly different from the past, South Africa adopted social development to social welfare, and it is concerned with harmonizing social and economic development it promotes participation in development i.e. creating opportunities

Elderly services focus on the promotion of the well-being of elders in all aspects of their life through the provision of a wide spectrum of services to allow them to remain living in the community for as long as possible. To provide residential care that suits the different needs of elders whenever required, Community care and support services assist our elders to remain living in the community for as long as possible and gives support to their care givers. With increasing diversity of community care and support services, a more integrated approach is adopted to facilitate access to services. In brief, there are three types of community care and support services, namely, elderly centre services, community care services and other community support services (SWD,

Role players in social welfare

According to Patel (2005:20) The welfare system is made up of various professionals in health, education and the social services. Such as social workers, social auxiliary workers, community development practitioners, youth development workers, probation officers, child and youth care workers, and social security personnel who focus on addressing income dimensions of poverty as well as contributing to upholding standards of living within society. Specific occupational groups focus their services on a specific target group, for example; child and youth care workers focus on children and the youth in order to promote their social ability and healthy development, by playing a role in their everyday environment and life experiences, as a result of development of therapeutic relationships, most importantly the relationship with the particular child or youth whom is the focus of attention. This argument is supported by the national association of child care workers whom states that “Child and youth care is based on (but not restricted to) direct, day-to-day work with children in their environment. Unlike many other professionals, child and youth care practitioners do not operate in a single setting or on an interview or session-oriented basis. Children and youth are worked with in their own environments, whether they are residential centres, schools, hospitals, family homes, or the street” (NACCW,