DR NOMVUYO LUKELELO

Dr Lukelelo is a lecturer in the Department of Social Work at the University of the Western Cape in Cape Town, South Africa. She recently obtained her PhD in Social Work at the University of the Western Cape. She also holds a Master of Arts degree in Social Work from Stellenbosch University and a Bachelor of Social Science in Social Work from UWC. Prior to being an academic, she worked for the Western Cape Department of Health for 10 years as a social worker and training coordinator in the HIV/AIDS/STI/ TB (HAST) Directorate.

Many HIV and AIDS interventions provide support for people living with HIV (PLWH) through targeted programmes focusing on the provision of medication for infected individuals but often neglect the needs of their children. In 2019, the colliding pandemics, AIDS and COVID-19, placed the global HIV response under increasing threat where access to social support services was limited. Ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 is one of the targets of Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG3) which aims to ensure healthy lives and promote wellbeing for all at all ages. Social workers play a crucial role in promoting well-being for all by providing social support for families and children affected by AIDS. Children affected by HIV and AIDS (CABHA) are identified as children in need of care which is required by law to be attended to by social workers. Social workers are, therefore, required to design interventions that will protect the rights of children in need of care.

Developing guidelines for social work intervention with children affected by HIV and AIDS. The main objective was to provide guidance to social workers and organizations rendering interventions to CABHA through a standardized framework for intervention. Using a two-phase intervention mapping research approach. The first phase focused on a needs analysis, and the second phase focused on developing guidelines for social work intervention with children affected by HIV and AIDS. The needs analysis phase aimed at identifying and describing the best intervention models for CABHA through a systematic review, and interviews with social workers and other stakeholders working with CABHA within the Cape Town metropole. Phase two used a twostage Delphi method where stage one consisted of experts in health, child and youth care, family interventions, community work, and research. Stage two consisted of stakeholders working with children and families affected by

HIV and AIDS at the individual, group, and community levels. Each stage of the Delphi method was used to debate, make changes and reach a consensus on acceptable guidelines from the relevant experts and stakeholders. The study resulted in the development of guidelines for interventions by social workers for children affected by HIV and AIDS. These guidelines include multi-stakeholder collaborations that embrace diversity, encourage social inclusion, and equip caregivers and communities of CABHA with skills to enhance their physical, social and economic well-being.