Last Friday, Gauteng Department of Social Development's West Rand Region hosted a Family Preservation event, in Bekkersdal.
The department targeted elderly people between 60 years and above. Older persons are said to be affected the most by issues in their families as they take care of grandchildren and foster children.
Speaking to the families Social Worker John Bodiroa said, "We all come from families. Please talk about issues and manage anger. Our children are in jails due to crimes they committed because of anger", said Bodiroa.
He highlighted various parenting styles to enable them to deal with adolescent teens. He unpacked these as styles as follows:
- Authoritative parents - they encourage their adolescent to be independent while maintaining limits and controls on their actions.
- Authoritarian parents - they display little warmth and are highly controlling.
- Permissive parents - are very warm, but undemanding.
- Uninvolved parents - are not warm and do not place any demands on their teen.
"Please utilize departmental services which are for free. Adolescence is the most crucial stage where children commit lots of mistakes. Let us all groom children to be responsible", he said.
Family preservation programme allows the optimal development of children and to prevent them from being removed from their families. This premise is also embodied in legislation, since the Children's Act (Act 38 of 2005) indicates in Section 2(a). It states that one of the objectives is to promote the preservation and strengthening of families.
Children can be safely protected and treated within their own homes when parents are provided with services and support that empower them to change their lives.