NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
WRITTEN REPLY
QUESTION 715
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 25/07/2014
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 06/2014)
Ms H S Boshoff (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:
1) How many (a) social workers and (b) psychologists are provided in each
education circuit in each province;
2) What actions are taken to ensure that they are properly equipped to
assist learners experiencing difficult circumstances;
3) Whether (a) her department and (b) each provincial education
department provides a call centre where immediate advice and
assistance is given to callers in distress; if so, what are the
relevant details for each such call centre? NW799E
RESPONSE:
(1) The total number of social workers appointed in the respective
Provincial Education Departments is 138. The majority of social
workers are appointed at provincial district levels and only 49 of the
138 social workers are appointed at the circuit level in the Western
Cape and 47 appointed in special schools respectively in the Free
State and Gauteng.
The total number of psychologists appointed in the respective
Provincial Education Departments is 248. The majority of psychologists
are appointed at provincial and district offices but of the 248
psychologists, 49 are appointed at circuit offices by the Western Cape
Province whilst 98 of the total are appointed in special schools in
Free State, Gauteng Province and Western Cape respectively.
A breakdown of numbers per province is provided in the table below.
PROVINCE |NAME OF DISTRICT |SOCIAL WORKERS IN DISTRICT OFFICE
|PSYCHOLOGISTS IN DISTRICT OFFICE |NAME OF
CIRCUIT
|SOCIAL WORKERS IN CIRCUIT OFFICE |SOCIAL WORKERS IN SPECIAL SCHOOLS
|PSYCHOLOGISTS IN CIRCUIT OFFICE |PSYCHOLOGISTS IN SPECIAL SCHOOLS |
|Eastern Cape |Uitenhage |Nil |1 |n/a |Nil |Nil |Nil |Nil | | |Grahamstown
|Nil |1 |n/a |Nil |Nil |Nil |Nil | | |Fort Beaufort |Nil |1 |n/a |Nil |Nil
|Nil |Nil | | |East London |Nil |1 |n/a |Nil |Nil |Nil |Nil | | |Libode
|Nil |1 |n/a |Nil |Nil |Nil |Nil | | |Port Elizabeth |Nil |Nil |n/a |Nil
|Nil |Nil |5 | | |East London |Nil |Nil |n/a |Nil |Nil |Nil |2 | | |Sub-
Total: |Nil |5 | |Nil |Nil |Nil |7 | |Free State |Fezile Dabi |3 |1 |n/a
|Nil |2 |Nil |1 | | |Motheo |4 |2 |n/a |Nil |11 |Nil |5 | | |Lejweleputswa
|3 |0 |n/a |Nil |4 |Nil |0 | | |Thabo Mofutsanyana |1 |1 |n/a |Nil |2 |Nil
|0 | | |Xhariep |1 |1 |n/a |Nil |0 |Nil |0 | | |Sub-total: |12 |5 | |Nil
|19 |Nil |6 | |Gauteng |Johannesburg South |Nil |5 |n/a |Nil |1 |Nil |2 | |
|Johannesburg North |Nil |2 |n/a |Nil |Nil |Nil |Nil | | |Johannesburg
Central |Nil |3 |n/a |Nil |5 |Nil |Nil | | |Johannesburg West |Nil |3 |n/a
|Nil |4 |Nil |1 | | |Johannesburg East |Nil |3 |n/a |Nil |1 |Nil |Nil | |
|Gauteng North |2 DSD Appointed |5 |n/a |Nil | |Nil |Nil | | |Gauteng East
|Nil |1 |n/a |Nil |1 |Nil |4 | | |Gauteng West |Nil |2 |n/a |Nil |2 |Nil
|Nil | | |Tshwane North |2 DSD Appointed |3 |n/a |Nil | |Nil |2 | |
|Tshwane South |4 DSD Appointed |5 |n/a |Nil |2 |Nil |Nil | | |Tshwane West
|4 DSD Appointed |3 |n/a |Nil |4 |Nil |Nil | | |Sedibeng West |Nil |2 |n/a
|Nil |1 |Nil |Nil | | |Sedibeng East |Nil |1 |n/a |Nil | |Nil |Nil | |
|Ekurhuleni North |Nil |2 |n/a |Nil |4 |Nil |1 | | |Ekurhuleni South |Nil
|1 |n/a |Nil |3 |Nil |Nil | | |Sub-total: |12 |41 | |Nil |28 |Nil |10 |
|KwaZulu Natal |Amajuba |1 |1 |n/a |Nil | |Nil |Nil | | |Umkhanyakude |1 |1
|n/a |Nil | |Nil |Nil | | |Ilembe |1 |1 |n/a |Nil | |Nil |Nil | | |Pinetown
|1 |3 |n/a |Nil | |Nil |Nil | | |Ugu |1 |2 |n/a |Nil | |Nil |Nil | |
|Umgungundlovu |Nil |Nil |n/a |Nil | |Nil |Nil | | |Umlazi |1 |4 |n/a |Nil
| |Nil |Nil | | |Umzinyathi |1 |1 |n/a |Nil | |Nil |Nil | | |Uthungulu |1
|Nil |n/a |Nil | |Nil |Nil | | |Zululand |1 |3 |n/a |Nil | |Nil |Nil | |
|Uthukela |1 |1 |n/a |Nil | |Nil |Nil | | |Sisonke |1 |Nil |n/a |Nil | |Nil
|Nil | | |Provincial office |Nil |2 | |Nil | |Nil |Nil | | |Sub-total: |11
|19 | |Nil | |Nil |Nil | |Limpopo |Waterberg |Nil |Nil |Nil |Nil |Nil |Nil
|Nil | | |Capricorn |Nil |Nil |Nil |Nil |Nil |Nil |Nil | | |Vhembe |Nil
|Nil |Nil |Nil |Nil |Nil |Nil | | |Mopani |Nil |Nil |Nil |Nil |Nil |Nil
|Nil | | |Sekhukhune |Nil |Nil |Nil |Nil |Nil |Nil |Nil | | |Sub-total:
|Nil |Nil |Nil |Nil |Nil |Nil |Nil | |Mpumalanga | | | | | | | | | | |Sub-
total: |4 |6 |Nil |Nil |Nil |Nil |Nil | |Northern Cape |Pixley Ka Seme
(PKS) |1 |1 |Nil |Nil |Nil |Nil |Nil | | |John Taolo Gaetsewe (JTG) |0 |0
|Nil |Nil |Nil |Nil |Nil | | |Frances Baard (FB) |1 (1 LEFT JUNE) |1 |Nil
|Nil |Nil |Nil |Nil | | |AF Mgcawu (ZFM) |1 |3 |Nil |Nil |Nil |Nil |Nil | |
|Namaqua |0 |2 |Nil |Nil |Nil |Nil |Nil | | |Sub-total: |3 |7 |Nil |Nil
|Nil |Nil |Nil | |NORTH WEST |Bojanala |Nil
|2
|Moses Kotane East |Nil |Nil |Nil |Nil | | | | | |Moses Kotane West |Nil
|Nil |Nil |Nil | | | | | |Rustenburg |Nil |Nil |Nil |Nil | | | | |
|Letlhabile |Nil |Nil |Nil |Nil | | | | | |Madibeng |Nil |Nil |Nil |2
(TEMP) | | | | | |Moretele |Nil |Nil |Nil |Nil | | |Dr Kenneth Kaunda |Nil
|1 |Makwasi Hills |Nil |Nil |Nil |Nil | | | | | |Tlokwe |Nil |Nil |Nil |1 |
| | | | |Matlosana |Nil |Nil |Nil |Nil | | |Ngaka Modiri Molema |Nil |Nil
|Mafikeng |Nil |Nil |Nil |Nil | | | | | |Kgetleng |Nil |Nil |Nil |Nil | | |
| | |Rekopantswe |Nil |Nil |Nil |Nil | | | | | |Litchenburg |Nil |Nil |Nil
|Nil | | | | | |Zeerust |Nil |Nil |Nil |Nil | | |Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati
|Nil |Nil |Taledi |Nil |Nil |Nil |Nil | | | | | |Kagisano Molopo |Nil |Nil
|Nil |Nil | | | | | |Greater Taung |Nil |Nil |Nil |Nil | | | | | |Greater
Delareyville |Nil |Nil |Nil |Nil | | |Sub-total: |Nil |3 | |Nil |Nil |Nil
|3 | |Western Cape | | |Senior Psychologists |Psychologists | | | |
|Psychologists In Special School Resource Centre Outreach Teams
|Psychologists In Special Schools | | |Metropole Central |New Social Work
Supervisor Post |1 |1 |1-6 |6 |Nil |6 |6 + 4 |4 + 4 | | |Metropole South
|New Social Work Supervisor Post |1 |1 |1-7 |7 |Nil |7 |7 + 3 | 2 + 2 | |
|Metropole East |New Social Work Supervisor Post |1 |1 |1-7 |6 |Nil |6 |6
+ 3 |8 + 4 | | |Metropole North |New Social Work Supervisor Post |1 |1 |1-6
|7 |Nil |7 |7 + 3 |9 + 2 | | |West
Coast |New Social Work Supervisor Post |1 |1 |1-3 |5 |Nil |5 |5 + 3 |0 + 2
| | |Cape Winelands |New Social Work Supervisor Post |1 |1 |1-8 |8 |Nil |8
|8 + 2 |5 + 2 | | |Overberg
|New Social Work Supervisor Post |1 | |1-3 |3 |Nil |3 |3 + 1 |0 + 1 | |
|Eden & Central Karoo | |1 |1 |1-7 |7 |Nil |7 |7 + 2 |3 + 3 | | |Sub-
total: |0 |8 | 7 * | |49 |Nil |49 |21 **
(includes 4 in CSPID Teams) |31 + 20 *** | | | | | | | | | | |21 **
(includes 4 in CSPID Teams) | |NATIONAL TOTAL | |42 |101 | |49 |98 |49 |72
| |*KZN: Includes 3 Psychometrists (one each in Amajuba, Zululand and
Uthukela.
*WC: Total Number of Posts = 136
CSPID - Children with Severe and Profound Intellectual Disability in
Care Centres receive services from transversal outreach teams
* One post for a Senior Psychologist (8) in each District plus an
additional post for a Positive Behaviour Co-ordinator (7) in 7
Districts (Overberg District does not have sufficient schools to
justify the additional post).
** Circuit-based Psychologists posts (49) + newly created posts for
Psychologists in IE Teams (21) serving an outreach function to
Mainstream Schools from the Special School/Resource Centres as base
school.
*** Psychologists based in Special Schools (31) + newly created posts
for Registered Counsellors (20) at each School of Skills
Total Number of Social Workers in WC: 49 Circuit Social Workers + 7
District Office Supervisor Posts + Head Office Manager Post = 57
Social Workers
Question 2: Provinces take the following measures to ensure that social
workers and psychologists are equipped to support learners:
In the Eastern Cape Psychologists and other therapists in both District and
Special Schools are encouraged to attend courses and workshops for
Continued Professional Develop (CPD) points and capacity building as
required by the Health Professions Council of South Africa.
In the Free State workshops are conducted to enable officials to address
barriers to learning experienced by learners. To ensure continuous
development and affiliation with respective councils they also participate
in different seminars, workshops, conferences etc. in order to gain
Continued Professional Development (CPD) points.
In Gauteng, the school-based social workers are members of the school-based
support teams (SBSTs). They receive training and support from the
provincial and district Inclusion and Special Schools and Psycho-Social
Support officials. The psychologists receive accredited training
coordinated by the Matthew Goniwe School of Leadership and Governance and
in-service training by Head Office officials on specific topics identified
during school and district visits. Regular meetings are conducted where
relevant issues are addressed. Individual and bilateral meetings are held
where behaviour is modelled.
In KwaZulu-Natal the Provincial office holds regular meetings with the
district where updated information on latest trends, support strategies,
intervention techniques, early identification, legislation and policies on
social ills and Psycho-social barriers to learning are discussed.
Individual support is given to Districts by Provincial officials;
Provincial and District offices partner with other government departments
and NGOâs to provide holistic support; District officials are trained on
intervention and support strategies using the HIV conditional grant funds
and Districts are provided with Psychological assessment and therapeutic
tools using funds from the HIV conditional grant .
In Northern Cape the officials attend training workshops and conferences at
national level and many are furthering their studies within the field.
In the North West Department of Education there are no Social Workers at
the level of Districts, Circuit Offices or Special schools. However, there
is one employed at the provincial office in the Inclusive Education Sub-
Directorate to coordinate social services. Learners experiencing social
problems are assisted by Social Services Officials in the Department and
some cases are referred to the Department of Social Development for further
management.
Currently there are only 6 psychologists in the North-West Department. They
have been trained on Behaviour Management and Screening, Identification,
Assessment and Support (SIAS) to enable them to assess and assist learners
experiencing emotional/psychological difficulties. Counselling/therapeutic
rooms have been erected in some Full-Service Schools to enable them to
conduct assessments. The department has also provided transport to enable
them to travel around the province to assist learners and support
educators.
All psychologists in the Western Cape Education Department attended 3-day
CPD-accredited training congresses in 2008 (Behaviour Challenges and
Interventions); 2010 (Therapeutic interventions); 2012 (Supporting Learners
At-Risk) and the planned congress for December 2014 (Neurodevelopmental
Psychology â within Inclusive Education). In addition all WCED
psychologists received CPD-accredited training in Ethics for Psychologists
in 2011 and Suicide Prevention & Intervention during 2013. Furthermore, it
is mandatory for all registered psychologists to individually ensure that
they comply with the legal requirements of HPCSA policy for Continuous
Professional Development (CPD). This on-going training is to ensure that
they continually update their professional knowledge and skills for the
benefit of their clients.
In the Western Cape, case discussions form part of the process of equipping
social workers to manage difficult cases. These case discussions take
place amongst social workers at district level and within multi-
disciplinary contexts with psychologists and other role players.
Professional development needs of social workers are identified through
performance appraisals and addressed through professional training,
workshops, seminars etc. depending on the identified needs.
Question 3: Does (a) her department and (b) each provincial education
department provide a call centre where immediate advice and assistance is
given to callers in distress; if so, what are the relevant details for each
such call centre? NW799E
(a) The National Department has established a relationship with Child
line to provide counselling services and support through its call
centre. The number is 0800 055 555. The general Department of Basic
Education call centre number 0800 2002 933 can also be used.
(b) The following arrangements exist in provinces to provide call centre
or immediate advice and assistance to callers in distress:
Gauteng Province has a formal agreement with Childline to provide 6 trained
call centre agents on weekdays dedicated to address the issues of learners
or matters stemming from schools in general. The Gauteng Education
Department provides additional training to these agents through Matthew
Goniwe School of Leadership and Governance (MGSLG). The service benefitting
the GDE consists of the following:
⢠24 Hours and 7 days toll free crisis line;
⢠Six (6) counsellors on call for day time and with two (2) counsellors
on call for night shift, dedicated;
⢠On-call counselling for bullying, harassment, abuse, exam stress and
face to face counselling is also provided;
⢠Statistics reports on (number of calls, gender of victim and
perpetrator, age of victim and perpetrator, area and school).
The number in Gauteng is 0800 055 555. Â
The KwaZulu Natal Department has an operational Call Centre number 0800 20
4353 (free call). Requests for assistance are received via this call
centre. Calls received on this number are channelled via the Provincial
office to Districts for intervention and support.
In the Northern Cape there are no call centres. However, the NCDE is in
partnerships with FAMSA and NICRO who provide services. The NCDE also
targets both local and national radio stations and makes use of sister
departments like the Departments of Health and Social Development for
similar services
North West Province has a positive working relationship with Childline-
Northwest which offers counselling services to learners and parents and
refers cases of such learners to the Department for further intervention.
Where necessary, Childline also refers some cases to the Department of
Social Development. There is no dedicated help line for the NWED.
The Western Cape Education Department has a SAFE SCHOOLS CALL CENTRE [toll-
free number: 0800 45 46 47] for reporting crime and abuse, which aims to
assist learners and educators to learn and teach in a safe, crime-free
school environment. Issues covered may include: abuse of learners &
educators, alcohol abuse, arson, assaults, burglaries, child abuse corporal
punishment, drug abuse fraud, hijackings, HIV/AIDS, killings, racism, rape,
robberies, sexual harassment, shootings, teenage pregnancy, vandalism, etc.
The call centre operators link directly with the district support services
or contract external counsellors as required.
The Western Cape Provincial Government also offers a 24-hour telephonic
counselling service for children via CHILDLINE [toll-free number 08000 55
555] and a LIFELINE counselling service (calls charged at local call rates)
(021) 461 1111 or 0861 322 322.
In the Western Cape Education Department, Safe Schools provide a call
centre support service to learners, educators and parents. The number is
0800 45 46 47. The call centre staff liaise directly with district social
workers and psychologists if needed.
No other provinces have dedicated provincial call centre numbers.