Social workers who protect children in South Africa carry a burden of trauma – better preparation could help

By Marinei Herselman, Lecturer, University of Fort Hare

When a child is raped, abandoned or removed from a violent home in South Africa, a child protection social worker is assigned to the wellbeing of that child. They listen to the details, assess the danger, make urgent decisions. Once the child has been placed somewhere safe, the social worker moves on to the next case.

I am a social work researcher and educator, and have worked in the field of trauma for more than three decades. Protecting children has been at…

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