Dominique CaswellSocial Worker. Counsellor.
13 years in addiction, recovery, and social work. Private practice based in Kenilworth, Cape Town.
Counselling · Assessments · Drug Testing · Family Support · Intervention
Areas of Practice
Clinical social work, counselling, and related professional services. Each engagement is tailored to the presenting need.
Individual Counselling
Individual therapeutic sessions
- Substance use and addiction counselling
- Mental health and behavioural concerns
- Relapse prevention and accountability
- Psychosocial reintegration — occupational, familial, and daily functioning
Family Support
Support for families affected by substance use
- Psychoeducation on substance use and its effects
- Boundary-setting and communication strategies
- Crisis support and relapse management
- Ongoing case follow-up
Assessments & Reports
Formal evaluations and professional documentation
- Substance use and psychosocial risk assessments
- Comprehensive psychosocial evaluations
- Formal reports for medical practitioners, legal counsel, and courts
- Progress and compliance documentation
Intervention & Section 33
Involuntary treatment admission under the Prevention of and Treatment for Substance Abuse Act
- Preparation of affidavits and supporting legal documentation
- Guidance on warrants of apprehension
- End-to-end procedural navigation for families and legal representatives
Home Visits
On-site assessment and case management
- Home-based monitoring and check-ins
- Post-crisis follow-up and stabilisation
- Inter-professional coordination with families and service providers
Treatment Referrals
Referral to appropriate levels of care
- Inpatient and residential treatment placement
- Referral to structured sober living environments
- Coordination with psychiatrists, psychologists, and allied health professionals
Unsure of the appropriate service?
Contact the practice directly. An initial discussion will assist in identifying the most appropriate course of action.
Dominique Caswell
Registered Social Worker with thirteen years of professional experience across government and private sectors, encompassing statutory social work, inpatient treatment settings, and private practice. Holds a Master of Social Work (MSW) and is currently completing a doctoral degree.
Practice is grounded in a thorough assessment of the individual's circumstances. Intervention is determined by the presenting need rather than a fixed therapeutic model, with an emphasis on practical outcomes and sustained change.
Private practice situated in Kenilworth, Cape Town. Services are available to individuals, families, employers, and legal and medical professionals.
0817267441
Registered Social Worker
SACSSP · MSW · PhD Candidate
Referral Sources and Client Groups
Persons presenting with substance use disorders, seeking structured accountability, or requiring an initial professional assessment.
Families affected by a member's substance use who require professional guidance, psychoeducation, or support in navigating available interventions.
Organisations requiring pre-employment drug screening, random workplace testing, or compliance documentation in accordance with occupational health policy.
Legal practitioners, medical professionals, and courts requiring formal psychosocial assessments, chain-of-custody testing, or court-ordered compliance monitoring.
Drug & Alcohol Testing
Urine drug and alcohol screening services are available as a standalone offering or as a component of broader case management. All results are formally documented and may be provided in report format for clinical, legal, or occupational purposes.
Enquire About TestingWhat's Available
Publications & Press
Academic Publications
Acts of Good Neighborliness as Pathways to Social Cohesion in South African Communities
Nicolette V. Roman, Olaniyi J. Olabiyi, Tolulope V. Balogun, Dominique Caswell, Janine De Lange, Anja Human-Hendricks, Fundiswa T. Khaile & Kezia R. October
Societies · Vol. 16, No. 2 — MDPI (Open Access)· DOI: 10.3390/soc16020066
Examines how perceptions and practices of good neighbourliness contribute to the development of cohesive communities. Qualitative study conducted across four South African communities. Themes include everyday mutual support, moral norms of care, social familiarity, trust, and intergroup cohesion across diversity.
Family Violence and Substance Abuse: The Transactional Roles
Dominique Caswell & Inge Sonn
Family Violence: Prevalence, Risk Factors and Perspectives (pp. 251) · Nova Science Publishers, New York
Examines the correlation between substance abuse and transactional family roles within the South African context, using systems theory as the overarching framework.
Narratives of Heroin Users in the Metro South in Cape Town, South Africa: A Subcultural Perspective
Dominique Caswell, Neil Henderson, Maria Florence & Shakierah Booley
Southern African Journal of Social Work and Social Development · Vol. 33, No. 2 — Unisa Press· DOI: 10.25159/2708-9355/8127
Qualitative study exploring a heroin subculture among people of colour in Cape Town's Metro South. Snowball sampling, 15 participants, in-depth semi-structured interviews.
Thesis
Experiences of Coloured Heroin Users in Metro South Area of Cape Town: A Social Work Perspective
Dominique Caswell
Department of Social Work, Faculty of Community and Health Sciences · University of the Western Cape
Explores the lived experiences of coloured heroin users in the Metro South area of Cape Town (Wynberg, Lavender Hill, Grassy Park, Retreat). Qualitative methodology using snowball sampling and in-depth interviews with 13 participants. Findings cover intimate relationships, surrogate family structures, and the social dynamics of street-level heroin use. Theoretical framework: social constructionism and symbolic interactionism.
Conference Papers
Using Vodcasts for Formative and Summative Assessment in 4th Year Social Work Practice
Neil John Henderson & Dominique Caswell
HELTASA Conference, Stellenbosch · University of the Western Cape
Co-presented paper exploring the use of vodcasts (video podcasts) as a tool for both formative and summative assessment in 4th year social work practice education.
Press
Drug Epidemic Overloads State Social Workers
"We don't work under the easiest circumstances" — Dominique Caswell, managing 180–200 cases at the time, three times the recommended national norm.
17 May 2019Drug Epidemic Overloads State Social Workers
Quoted as a frontline social worker on the systemic pressures of the drug epidemic on state services in the Western Cape.
17 May 2019Heavy Burden on Shoulders of State Social Worker Juggling 180 to 200 Cases
Caswell is highlighted as a social worker navigating an overwhelming caseload amid South Africa's worsening drug crisis.
17 May 2019Church Says Addiction, Not Homelessness, Is the Problem in Wynberg
Caswell's 2018 MSW thesis on coloured heroin users in Metro South Cape Town is cited directly as research evidence in this community news investigation into addiction and homelessness in Wynberg.
18 April 2023Radio Interview: Social Work & Child Protection Week
Pre-recorded telephonic interview with Heart FM News reporter and anchor Keenan Williams, speaking on the role of social workers in child protection — broadcast during South Africa's national Child Protection Week commemoration.
May 2025Contact the Practice
Enquiries are welcome by telephone or email. No referral forms are required. An initial consultation will be arranged to determine the most appropriate course of support.
Contact
Private practice. Appointments are required.
Services at a Glance
Contact the practice to discuss your requirements.