Suchergebnisse

Placement of children in alternative care is supposed to be a temporary and not a permanent arrangement. In the absence of a family reunification model in South Africa, most children stay for longer periods in alternative care than necessary. This article concludes that family reunification services should be holistic in order to be effective, which is possible in the framework of a developmental approach. Keywords: children in alternative care, child protection, family reunification, family reunification services, intervention research, rights-based approach

In order to push development to the grassroots and ensure citizens contribute meaningfully to development, many African countries have adopted the devolved governance system. However, it has been observed that the devolution of political powers has not translated equally to envisioned overall development. In Kenya County governments have achieved various milestones towards development demonstrated through the infrastructure, social amenities, and standards of living. However, corruption has been increasing mainly due to a lack of transparency. This paper sought to examine the contribution of transparency levels in County government service delivery. The study adopted mixed method approach using survey and in-depth interviews concurrently. Stratified multi stage cluster sampling was deployed. Quantitative data was collected using questionnaires and qualitative data using interview schedules. Data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics and a typological theory developed to explain the study results. The study findings showed that the level of transparency in the counties was low which affected service delivery. The study concluded that county governments should ensure that public participation and sharing of information is bidirectional to involve both users and management so as to improve service delivery.

Employee engagement is crucial in the delivery of public service efficiently and effectively. Employee engagement is essential as a foundation for service climate (Salanova et al., 2005). Measuring employee engagement is vital to identify the areas to be improved to increase the service quality. The most accepted Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES) is heavily applied to measure the employee engagement of Business to Customer (B2C) profit oriented organizations. Therefore, a customized measure for employee engagement is essential for public service. This paper describes the development of a customized scale based on UWES scale for assessing employee engagement in public service with reference to Divisional Secretariats in Sri Lanka. In developing and validating measures, qualitative and quantitative methods were utilized as recommended by Hinkin's (1998). Finally, a customized scale with 16-items was developed under vigor, dedication and absorption dimensions to measure the employee engagement of public service in Sri Lanka.

This article explores the challenges of social workers' involvement in recovery work of the 5.12WenchuanEarthquake (12May 2008). Six social workers working in three social work stations inSichuan,China, were asked to report the challenges they faced in working with disaster survivors. Findings reveal that the social workers faced many challenges. These include lack of government support, low professional status of social work, rapid changes in the social environment in disaster‐affected areas, lack of supervision, lack of cooperation and coordination among social service agencies, and lack of experience and knowledge in working with disaster survivors. The practical, educational and policy implications of the findings are addressed.

Abstract
This research provides a reconceptualization of service consumption in higher institution. It made use of a multi-stage development scale process, where survey questionnaires were issued out to 50 respondents which include students of Covenant University (B.Sc., M.Sc./MBA). The result of the exploratory and factor analysis shows the multi-stage process. The study showed an evidence of validity and reliability of the scales used. Findings showed that the institution had a positive response to the pre-purchase and service encounter stages while most respondents frowned at the post encounter stage, the institution should put more effort in post encounter stage so as to get a positive response in the nearest future.