Activities… Therapeutic Services

 

Therapeutic services, aimed at dealing with different case scenarios from a multi disciplinary approach, form an integral part of the service rendered of the M.T.R. Smit Children’s Haven. A social worker and a registered counsellor are responsible for therapy and are assisted by trained child care workers.

 

Furthermore, students from Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, as well as students from abroad, fulfill tasks such as:

 

- psychological tests and interpretation of the results,

 

- basic, short-term, supportive counselling to individuals or groups in the field of careers or health,

 

- identifying symptoms of more serious problems that need attention,

 

- referring clients to the relevant professionals such as a social worker, psychologist or medical doctor

 

The Children’s Haven also has the services of Dutch child care work students that render child care services. A counsellor, Mr. Angelo du Plessis, has been appointed to assist the social worker with therapy. The counsellor was appointed because of:

 

- The tremendous need that exists at the Haven for around-the-clock, on-site psycho therapy services and the need that exists for on-site psychological testing facilities,

 

- The dire need that exists for the continuous provision of group-based psycho-education programmes, group counselling and group-based psychological interventions.

 

- The difficulties experienced in obtaining and arranging cost-effective and accessible individual counselling for the many children at the Haven who are faced with challenges and issues for which professional help is required.

- Poor educational results and poor scholastic achievements. There are grave concerns over the Governments decision on exclusions, because they do not take into account children with special education needs who are included in mainstream schools. Insufficient attention has been paid to the need for adequate support mechanism to be in place to ensure that children’s needs can be met by mainstream schools. Children with special education needs that are placed in mainstream schools, have unmet needs and teachers are unable to manage their challenging behaviour.

 

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Scholastic Activities

 

Therapeutic Services

 

Physical Care

 

Medical Services