Due Sunday by 3.00 pm

Scenario

Hypothetical Case Scenario

Michael Brooks Jr is a nine-year-old boy who lives with his mother and stepfather Jordan in Beaufort, SC. Michael’s mother, Cindy Robinson, divorced Michael’s biological father, Michael Sr, five years ago because he was hardly ever-present in their lives. He never played his role as a father and never provided for the family. He always missed his school meetings and basketball games, which made him feel like he was fatherless. The divorce and constant lack of peace in the house started affecting Michael psychologically, and he started doing poorly in his academics.

However, looking back, Michael feels he was better off with his biological father than his stepfather because he seems to be like his father. His mother works as a hotel clerk overnight, so she never has time for him. He now hates his mother and stepfather, and generally, he has no love for the world anymore. His stepfather started manipulated his mother, and soon she began to abuse him as well. Whenever he comes home late from school, his stepfather made him kneel on rice for thirty minutes with his bare knees. He does most of the house chores as well as works in the yard. Both of his parents are often drunk, and they frequently beat Michael whenever they come home drunk and find that he has not prepared a meal for them. This has been affecting Michael both psychologically and physically. He has sustained bruises on his knees, and sometimes he misses school because of fatigue.

On Thursday evening, June 4, 2020, his stepfather arrived home around eight in the evening and was drunk. As usual, he asked for food without even checking whether his stepson was okay. Michael was sick with a fever, and he had not prepared any meal that evening. His stepfather Jordan demanded food, and even though Michael tried to explain his condition, he did not listen and started beating him up. Michael screamed in pain for help, and his neighbor came to his rescue. He called the police who came and arrested Jordan for child abuse. Michael was taken to the hospital to treat his fever and the physical bruises he sustained from the beating. After release from the hospital Michael was put in a temporary foster home. He was taken to his first counseling session on June 6, 2020 and has been seeing the psychiatrist for the last three months. Michael’s mother had taken a night shift that day, so she would not return home until the following day. Upon hearing Michael’s side of the story, the police arrested the mother for the same offense of child abuse. Michael was handed over to Child Protection Services, who admitted him to a child welfare center in Brooklyn. Below are the intake and assessment form.