Education & Early Social Work Experience (1967–2004)

1967 — University of Cape Town (UCT)
B.Soc.Sci — Sociology, Political Philosophy & Social Administration

1984–1987 — University of Cape Town (UCT)
Psychology 1–3

1993–1996 — University of South Africa (UNISA)
Social Work 1–4

1998 — University of Cape Town (UCT)
Social Work Honours — Clinical Practice

2005 — University of Cape Town (UCT)
Master’s in Social Work — Clinical Practice

Before to 2004 — Early Social Work Experience
Experience across government, community, disability, residential care and mental-health settings, including probation work, social groups for people with physical disabilities, support at a home for abused women, work with senior citizens, and group work with people living with chronic schizophrenia.

Clinical Internship
Child & Adolescent Unit, Red Cross Hospital, with additional sessions at Valkenberg Hospital.

Child Therapy & Clinical Practice

August 2004 – January 2009 — Guild Cottage NGO, Parktown, Johannesburg
Child Therapist at a treatment centre for abused children.

• Individual and group therapy
• Play therapy
• Individual assessments and IDP evaluations
• Section 16 reports to DSD
• Collaboration with hospitals, schools, case managers, DSD, Child Welfare, SAPS and courts
• Staff support and clinical input

Child Welfare & Social Work Supervision (2009)

February 2009 – July 2009 — Child Welfare Organisation, Athlone
Statutory Social Worker in the Hanover Park area.

• Intake and assessment
• Investigation of new cases
• Work with ECP workers.
• Support and regular group meetings

2009 — University of the Western Cape (UWC)
Supervisor for first-year social work students during their practical module and supervisor of third-year students undertaking community work.

Supervision, Assessment & Multi-Disciplinary Practice (2009–2013)

October 2009 – March 2013 — Cape Flats Development Association, Retreat

October 2009 – March 2010
Supervisor — Foster Care (Statutory)

March 2010 – March 2013
Supervisor — Assessment (Non-Statutory)

Responsibilities included:

• Allocation and supervision of cases
• Support and debriefing of social workers
• Assessment and case management
• Weekly HOD reporting
• Multi-disciplinary case meetings
• Collaboration with the Red Cross Child & Adolescent Unit
• Clinical assessment of complex cases
• Input into workshops and welfare meetings
• Participation in recruitment and selection of social workers
• Liaison with DSD colleagues

Statutory Social Work & Child Protection (2013–2020)

May 2013 – November 2020 — Badisa, Parow Branch
Statutory Social Worker.

Worked in the Assessment Unit in Ravensmead and later in the Parow and Panorama areas.

Key areas included:

• Risk assessment involving children at risk
• Family support and intervention
• Substance-use and relationship challenges
• Inappropriate discipline under the Children’s Act 38 of 2005
• Poverty-related challenges
• Family reunification
• Statutory social work and case management

September 2020 – November 2020
Family Re-unification Social Worker.

2020
Attended workshops organised by DSD and Badisa, as well as an online mediation workshop during the National Lockdown period.

Contract & Residential Social Work (2020–2025)

December 2020 – June 2025 — Contract Work

December 2020 – April 2021 — ACVV, Cape Town
Statutory Social Worker.

Worked across intake, assessment, child removal where necessary, court work, family reunification and foster-care services, while liaising with external stakeholders.

August 2021 – December 2021 — SACH
Residential Social Worker.

Focused mainly on statutory work, including DSD reports, IDPs and multidisciplinary collaboration.

February 2022 – June 2025 — SACH
Part-time Independent Contractor providing counselling, therapy and play therapy to children aged 6–18, including IDPs for children in the home.

August 2022 – October 2022 — Girls & Boys Town
Full-time Residential Social Worker in Kenilworth and Macassar.

Retained part-time counselling work at SACH alongside this position.

Private Practice & Clinical Social Work (2025–Present)

Current Focus — Private Practice

Developing a private practice based on clinical social work, therapy, and counselling.

Current clinical approach incorporates:

• Eclectic theoretical practice
• Person-centred approach
• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
• Support for clients experiencing change and life transitions
• Work with underlying histories of complex trauma.
• Individual, family and emotional wellbeing support

Continuing Professional Development