The NCVV was part of the Dutch Reformed church until 1959 when there was a rift between the NCVV and the Dutch Reformed church. The social workers then took steps together with the volunteers to ensure the existence of the NCVV as a welfare organisation on its own. In 1960 social workers were established within the management of the NCVV and they were accepted in these positions. Since 1982 the SA
VF has rendered social services in Oribi Government Village. At that stage the SAVF was the only welfare agency that rendered a holistic service (individual case work, group work and community development) in Oribi. Services were rendered to all age groups and included, statutory and non-statutory services; services to the aged, parenting guidance programmes, leadership development, skills development programmes and crisis intervention. During 1994 we negotiated the freedom of choice of services by residents with the Department of Social Development and other organizations also joined in rendering services in Oribi. This in turn gave us the opportunity to render services in the whole of Pietermaritzburg. During 2004 the Department of Social Welfare and Population Development Ladysmith requested the SAVF to migrate their services to the Msinga area. At a meeting held on 17 May 2004 the SAVF was requested to extent services to the grey areas of Mabaso and Mchunu. Visits to the area was initially only once per week until February 2001. Our first Zulu speaking social worker who migrated to the Msinga area was employed on 1 March 2004. She was involved with the rendering of social services at the Hospice /home based care clinic, HIV/AIDS outpatient clinic, ARV counselling, foster placements of terminally ill in-patientsโ children, community projects (women /life skills /empowerment and income generating groups, soup kitchen at ARV clinic). During 2004 the Department of Social Development Midlands requested the SAVF to extend service delivery to the Nquthu area. It is a very traditional, vast and rural area with 8 tribal authorities. HIV/AIDS, poverty and unemployment as well as a large number of teenage pregnancies and child headed households are huge problems in this community. During 2005 a SAVF social work office as established in Utrecht which expanded services to an intake service in the Kingsley area. This service includes HIV/AIDS, poverty and unemployment as well as a large number of teenage pregnancies and child headed households are huge problems in the community. The SAVF Pietermaritzburg office renders social services to a large number of clients of various languages and culture groups. The focus of the Pietermaritzburg office is family preservation and protection of children through statutory intervention. The following problems receives attention: child abuse and neglect, behavior problems and un-controllability children, abandonment of babies, foster care placements of abandoned and orphan children, disclosed adoptions, poverty, unemployment, family violence, emotional (abuse) and alleged sexual abuse, trust investigations, placement of children in child and youth care centers. The SAVF only place children in alternative care when everything possible has been done to solve existing problems. Placement of children in foster care, CYCC, Secure CYCC and adoptions were done where no other alternatives could be found and in order to protect the concerned children.