This article is based on a study that was conducted at a university based in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. The research aimed to explore and describe challenges that are likely to limit the success of postgraduate research students, mostly focusing on the relationship between students and supervisors. The study adopted a case study design with qualitative data. A self-constructedinterview guide with open-ended questions was utilised as the main data collection tool from a sample of 34 postgraduate students from one faculty of the university in question. The study findings revealed that communication breakdown, poor feedback, non-availability of some supervisors and lack of ethical consideration were some of the major factors that contributed to negative supervisory experiences of the students who participated in the study. Based on the findings, the study recommended a number of intervention strategies that could be put in place for both students and supervisors to improve the supervision experience. Among these are the adoption of collaborative cohort model, supervisor training and communication guidelines.

Foster care is an important part of the child protection system; however, it seems that some foster children are not protected – they are abused and neglected. The aims of this article are to confirm on a small scale whether children in foster care are indeed being abused and neglected and to develop an understanding of factors contributing to the abuse and neglect of these foster children. A qualitative research approach was applied. Findings confirmed the occurrence of abuse and/or neglect and provided information on factors relating to foster parents and the foster care system itself contributing to this phenomenon.