case study

In recent years, increased attention has been given to screening children and adolescents for adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). ACEs include growing up in homes involving violence, abuse, neglect, mental health or substance abuse issues, parental separation, or incarceration. Researchers have found that ACEs negatively impact mental and physical health in adulthood and can limit life opportunities (CDC, 2020). Through screening, social workers can identify these experiences in a child’s life and then consider methods to prevent or mitigate the negative effects. Some screening tools have even been expanded to include related life events that contribute to toxic stress, in order to get a broader picture of a child’s experiences.

For this Assignment, you act as a social worker screening Juan Hernandez Jr. for ACEs and related life events. You then consider what you learned from the screening and how you would work with the family.

Reference: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020, April 3). Adverse childhood experiences (ACES). https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/aces/index.html

RESOURCES

Be sure to review the Learning Resources before completing this activity. Click the weekly resources link to access the resources.

WEEKLY RESOURCES

TO PREPARE: • Review the Learning Resources on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). • Review the Hernandez family case in the “Social Work Case Studies” interactive

media. • Download the Pediatric ACEs and Related Life Events Screener and use it to

complete this Assignment. BY DAY 7

Complete the Pediatric ACEs and Related Life Events Screener for Juan Jr.

Then, in a 1- to 2-page paper, analyze what you learned from the assessment and how you might use it in practice. In your paper, address the following:

• What plans would you make for working with this family based on the identified ACEs?

• How would you administer the ACEs assessment in this case or other cases involving young children?

NOTE. Please see attachment to complete assignment.

Pediatric ACEs and Related Life Events Screener

CHILD

Many families experience stressful life events. Over time these experiences can affect your child’s health and wellbeing. We would like to ask you questions about your child so we can help them be as healthy as possible.

Pediatric ACEs and Related Life Events Screener (PEARLS) CHILD - To be completed by: Caregiver

At any point in time since your child was born, has your child seen or been present when the following experiences happened? Please include past and present experiences.

Please note, some questions have more than one part separated by “OR.” If any part of the question is answered “Yes,” then the answer to the entire question is “Yes.”

PART 1: Please check “Yes” where apply. √

Child (Parent/Caregiver Report) – Identified

1. Has your child ever lived with a parent/caregiver who went to jail/prison?

2. Do you think your child ever felt unsupported, unloved and/or unprotected?

3. Has your child ever lived with a parent/caregiver who had mental health issues? (for example, depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, PTSD, or an anxiety disorder)

4. Has a parent/caregiver ever insulted, humiliated, or put down your child?

5. Has the child’s biological parent or any caregiver ever had, or currently has a problem with too much alcohol, street drugs or prescription medications use?

6. Has your child ever lacked appropriate care by any caregiver? (for example, not being protected from unsafe situations, or not cared for when sick or injured even when the resources were available)

7. Has your child ever seen or heard a parent/caregiver being screamed at, sworn at, insulted or humiliated by another adult?

Or has your child ever seen or heard a parent/caregiver being slapped, kicked, punched beaten up or hurt with a weapon?

8. Has any adult in the household often or very often pushed, grabbed, slapped or thrown something at your child?

Or has any adult in the household ever hit your child so hard that your child had marks or was injured?

Or has any adult in the household ever threatened your child or acted in a way that made your child afraid that they might be hurt?

9. Has your child ever experienced sexual abuse? (for example, anyone touched your child or asked your child to touch that person in a way that was unwanted, or made your child feel uncomfortable, or anyone ever attempted or actually had oral, anal, or vaginal sex with your child)

This tool was created in partnership with UCSF School of Medicine.

10. Have there ever been significant changes in the relationship status of the child’s caregiver(s)? (for example, a parent/caregiver got a divorce or separated, or a romantic partner moved in or out)

Please continue to the other side for the rest of questionnaire

How many “Yes” did you answer in Part 1?:

PART 2: Please check “Yes” where apply.

Child (Parent/Caregiver Report) – Identified

√ 1. Has your child ever seen, heard, or been a victim of violence in your neighborhood,

community or school? (for example, targeted bullying, assault or other violent actions, war or terrorism)

2. Has your child experienced discrimination? (for example, being hassled or made to feel inferior or excluded because of their race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, learning differences, or disabilities)

3. Has your child ever had problems with housing? (for example, being homeless, not having a stable place to live, moved more than two times in a six-month period, faced eviction or foreclosure, or had to live with multiple families or family members)

4. Have you ever worried that your child did not have enough food to eat or that the food for your child would run out before you could buy more?

6. Has your child ever lived with a parent/caregiver who had a serious physical illness or disability?

5. Has your child ever been separated from their parent or caregiver due to foster care, or immigration?

7. Has your child ever lived with a parent or caregiver who died?

How many “Yes” did you answer in Part 2?:

This tool was created in partnership with UCSF School of Medicine.

1. Part 1: 1:
1. Has your child ever lived with a parent/caregiver who went to jail/prison?: Off
2. Part 1: 2:
1. Do you think your child ever felt unsupported, unloved and/or unprotected?: Off
3. Part 1: 3:
1. Has your child ever lived with a parent/caregiver who had mental health issues? (for example, depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, PTSD, or an anxiety disorder): Off
4. Part 1: 4:
1. Has a parent/caregiver ever insulted, humiliated, or put down your child?: Off
5. Part 1: 5:
1. Has the child’s biological parent or any caregiver ever had, or currently has a problem with too much alcohol, street drugs or prescription medications use?: Off
6. Part 1: 6:
1. Has your child ever lacked appropriate care by any caregiver? Has your child ever lacked appropriate care by any caregiver?: Off
7. Part 1: 7:
1. Has your child ever seen or heard a parent/caregiver being screamed at, sworn at, insulted or humiliated by another adult? Or has your child ever seen or heard a parent/caregiver being slapped, kicked, punched beaten up or hurt with a weapon?: Off
8. Part 1: 8:
1. Has any adult in the household often or very often pushed, grabbed, slapped or thrown something at your child? Or has any adult in the household ever hit your child so hard that your child had marks or was injured? Or has any adult in the household ever threatened your child or acted in a way that made your child afraid that they might be hurt?: Off
9. Part 1: 9:
1. Has your child ever experienced sexual abuse? (for example, anyone touched your child or asked your child to touch that person in a way that was unwanted, or made your child feel uncomfortable, or anyone ever attempted or actually had oral, anal, or vaginal sex with your child): Off
10. Part 1: 10:
1. Have there ever been significant changes in the relationship status of the child’s caregiver(s)? (for example, a parent/caregiver got a divorce or separated, or a romantic partner moved in or out): Off
11. How many "Yes" did you answer in Part 1?:
12. Part 2: 1:
1. Has your child ever seen, heard, or been a victim of violence in your neighborhood, community or school?: Off
13. Part 2: 2:
1. Has your child experienced discrimination? (for example, being hassled or made to feel inferior or excluded because of their race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, learning differences, or disabilities): Off
14. Part 2: 3:
1. Has your child ever had problems with housing? (for example, being homeless, not having a stable place to live, moved more than two times in a six-month period, faced eviction or foreclosure, or had to live with multiple families or family members): Off
15. Part 2: 4:
1. Have you ever worried that your child did not have enough food to eat or that the food for your child would run out before you could buy more?: Off
16. Part 2: 5:
1. Has your child ever been separated from their parent or caregiver due to foster care, or immigration?: Off
17. Part 2: 6:
1. Has your child ever lived with a parent/caregiver who had a serious physical illness or disability?: Off
18. Part 2: 7:
1. Has your child ever lived with a parent or caregiver who died?: Off
19. How many "Yes" did you answer in Part 2?:
20. Text1:
21. Text2: