'n Evaluering van die kostedoeltreffendheid van maatskaplikewelsynsprogramme vir die versorging van ouer persone in residensiele fasiliteite

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT:Since 1988 it became practice for welfare organisations to submit an evaluation oftheir welfare programme as part of their application for state funding for the next year.Included in this evaluation is a section on the cost efficiency of the programme. Afterthe first democratic election in 1994 a number of processes were started to developnew welfare policies for the country. In all of these processes cost efficiency is seenas a principle, but in spite of this, so it seems from the documents, is the evaluationof cost efficiency still a problem. The question therefore arises: What is the presentstatus of the evaluation of the cost efficiency of social services after twelve years ofprogram evaluation?Only a few studies on the methodology of the evaluation of cost efficiency within theSouth African context were found through the literature study. An exploratory studywas therefore undertaken to determine what the reasons could be why so littleprogress was made with cost effiency evaluation. The empirical study focussed onresidential facilities for older persons and was done within one welfare organisationin the Western- and Southern Cape. A sample of twenty managers was randomlyselected and fifteen respondents returned the questionaire. It is a potential dangerthat managers of residential facilities for older persons could see the evaluation of theservices rendered as just another administrative task, because of the very strong linkbetween evaluation and the application for state funding. The researcher thereforewanted to ascertain what the attitude of the managers is towards the evaluation of theirservices, and especially the evaluation of the cost-efficiency thereof.It was found that the managers are positive towards program evaluation and theevaluation of cost efficiency, but the majority of them responded that the lack ofguidelines and manuals is a deficiency. The lack of proper measuring instrumentswas also stressed. The research also shown that the managers conceptualize costefficiency mainly in terms of costs and not as a relation between the outcomes of theprogramme and the costs thereof. The managers of residential facilities uses the evaluation document that was send outby the department, because it forms part of the application for state funding. Thismeans that the level of program evaluation is actually determined by the department.It was found that this document focused mainly on the measuring of inputs and outputsand not so much of the evaluation of the outcomes of the programme. Based on theresults of the study the researcher proposed guidelines to promote the evaluation ofthe cost efficiency of social services.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University