The administration and management of local child welfare agencies.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the administration and management of local Child Welfare Agencies. Appropriate and relevant knowledge and skills in administration and management processes are essential to ensure that Child Welfare Agencies function within the normative foundations of public administration. The Board ofManagement of the Agencies are voluntary in nature. The smaller and embryo agencies depend on untrained volunteers to provide both administrative and management leadership. Basic democratically determined administrative and management processes are necessary to make welfare services more economical, efficient and effective. The major objectives of this study were: - to examine the existing administrative and management structures and processes and their functions. - to determine the role of the Board of Management Committee structures and senior personnel in administration and management. - to determine the foundation principles of administration and management that guide the functioning of Child Welfare Agencies. This Study provided an opportunity for agencies to express their views on the existing situation and what the future ought to be like. The study viewed Public administration as a vast field of activity which can be classified into four (4) main groups viz: a. generic administrative and managerial, b. auxiliary, c. instrumental, and d. functional also referred to as line functions. Although this study focused separately on administrative and management functions, it should be noted that both dimensions ofgeneric administrative functions are performed along with the functional, auxiliary and instrumental activities. (v) In a Child Welfare Agency the Board of Management together with the middle and upper management of staff will determine the administrative and management processes of policy making, organising, staffing, financing, determining work methods and procedures and control. The aim of public administration is community welfare, therefore the administrative and management processes must be founded on normative foundations of public administration. The findings ofthis research will not only contribute to the established agencies but will be of great help to the embryo and developing agencies.