The professional social work services within MES Jhb. consists of three programmes and is integrated with all the other services units within MES.

MES CMR

MES-CMR renders child and family services to all persons in need within the magesterial district of Johannesburg, as well as in Mofolo, Soweto. Services are rendered from 3 offices in the following areas, Hillbrow, Soweto and Mondeor.The services are holistic of nature as the focus is on the development of individuals, families and communities to help them to become self sustainable.

Services include:

• Family care and support
• Family re-unification
• Poverty alleviation
• Prevention of abuse and neglect
• Services to HIV/AIDS infected and affected individuals and families
• Foster Care screenings, placements and supervision
• Adoption Community development
• Groupwork Support to other MES units
• Holiday programmes
• Other statutory services
• Preventative services IKUSASA school support
• School feeding programme Relevant campaigns in the community

OUR KIDS 

This project started during 2005 in Forest Hill, Johannesburg. The main aim was to take care of children to prevent statutory removal and alternative placement. Children are cared for daily and the parents are educated in order to assist them to take proper care of ther children. Our Kids can care for 32 children in the community.

Activities at Our Kids:

• Life skills group
• Preventative campaigns at schools in the community
• Educating teachers at schools in order to promote the teacher-learner relationship
• Regular holiday programmes
• Educational sessions on financial planning for the parents
• Education of own teachers by an educational psychologist on boundaries
• Gender related education for the children
• Medical services and detal care with the help of professional volunteers

THE ASSESSMENT CENTRE

Services are rendered according to the MES model of service delivery. This centre is based in the heart of Hillbrow and serves as the link between Social Relief and Outreaches and Intervention programmes.

Intake and Prevention

• Counseling (families and individuals)
• Preventative groups (Teenage pregnancies, Prevention of abuse, HIV/AIDS, Life skills and Human Trafficking)
• A needs analysis ensures correct service delivery to clients. The Assessment Social workers conduct a full psycho-social assessment in order to be able to draw up a relevant individual development plan for the client with the rest of the multi-professional team.

Intervention

This occurs with the use of the social work methods of case work, group work, community work, administration and intensive research. Termination

Exit Strategy

All clients must exit MES when they are equiped and able to live a sustainable life. The multi-professional team will track the client’s progress with regular case conferences and decide with the client when he or she is ready to exit. Aftercare Clients adaptation in the community are monitored and they are exposed to support groups on various topics to assist them in the future.