Applied Final Project Part 1: Create Your Parenting Case Study Topic

APPLIED FINAL PROJECT

The Applied Final Project requires you to create your own parenting case study and develop an evidence-based parenting action plan grounded in social science research.

PART 1: CREATE YOUR PARENTING CASE STUDY TOPIC

Using the planning table provided below, you will create a case study on a parenting topic of interest to you. Throughout the course you will conduct research on this topic, culminating in a Parenting Action Plan that proposes solutions to resolve your case.  

Step 1: Select a scenario that may be a cause for concern in parents.

You may use the list below or identify a scenario of your own with the permission of the instructor. Write your scenario of interest into the planning table provided below.

List of Scenarios

· Sleeping arrangements for newborn

· Immunizations for children

· Bedwetting

· Breastfeeding older children

· Special needs, such as:

·

· Down syndrome or other genetic disorder

· Learning disabilities

· Autism

· Attention deficit with hyperactivity disorder

· Physical-motor disability

· Language delay, speech, related issues

· Teen pregnancy

· Alcohol and substance abuse in teens

· Relationship problems in teens, dating, inappropriate, and/or risk-taking behavior

· Mental health issues (e.g. depression, anxiety, psychotic disorders)

· Behavioral issues in younger children

· Behavioral issues in teens

· Parental conflict and argument

· Military deployment

· Grandparents raising grandchildren

· Adoption/foster parenting

· Racial and cultural issues in parenting -Tiger moms, immigrant children, LGBTQ, biracial identity, religion

· Older child parenting and emerging adulthood (age 18-21)

· Use of media-cellphones, tablets, etc.

· Impact of domestic violence

· Bullying, cyberbullying

· Stepfamilies

· Impact of divorce

· Choosing daycare, preschool

· Healthy diet, eating disorders

· College/postsecondary readiness

Step 2: Select an age group to which the scenario applies.

After picking your scenario, select an age group (see planning table below) that you would be interested in learning more about. For example, if you are interested in “choosing daycare” as a topic, are you interested in daycare for infants, toddlers, or school-aged children? Note that your scenario may not make sense for some age groups. For example, you probably would not be interested in learning about daycare options for an 18-year-old.

Step 3: Select a socioeconomic status for your scenario.

Determine whether your scenario will apply to a family of lower, middle or upper socioeconomic status (SES) (see planning table below). SES can profoundly impact access to resources which, in turn, can impact outcomes. It is important to know what services are available and who can access them.  

Step 4: Family composition.

Using the planning table below, identify at least two details about the composition of the family. Who is living in the home? How many generations live in the home? What is the marital status of the parents? Are there siblings? Family composition can be a source of strength as well as a source of stress. Use this section to flesh out the details of the family in your scenario.  

Step 5: Identify the type of issue in your scenario.

Use the planning table to identify the type of issue(s) present in your scenario. Check all that you think could apply. This will help you to figure out where you can find information on your topic. For example, if you are dealing with a topic like behavioral issues that emerge in a child after military deployment of a parent, you might start looking for research in psychology journals that deal with military families, like “Military Family Therapy.”

Step 6: Identify possible sites of impact for addressing your scenario.

Using the planning table, identify possible sites of impact for your scenario. For example, if you are interested in “choosing daycare,” you would probably select “daycare” as a site of impact, but you might also select “home” if you are interested in how daycare impacts behavior in the home. You might also select “school,” if you think the quality of daycare has an impact on academic performance.

Step 7: Identify potential solutions to address your scenario.

Using the planning table, check off the potential solution(s) that could form the basis of your parenting action plan.

 

AFP Part 1: Planning Table

STEP 1: SCENARIO Write your chosen scenario below.	STEP 2: AGE GROUP OF INTEREST · Birth-3 yrs · 3-10 yrs · 10-13 yrs · 14-18 yrs · 18-21 yrs	STEP 3: SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS · lower · middle · upper	STEP 4: FAMILY COMPOSITION (Include at least 2 of these details) · Parental involvement? · Single, married, divorced? · Siblings? · Who is living in the home? · Employment status of parents? · Other?
STEP 5: TYPE OF PROBLEM · Schoolwork or Homework Issue · Behavioral Issue · Social Issue · Physical/Emotional Issue Other:________	STEP 6: SITES OF IMPACT · Home · School · Daycare · Parent Workplace · Public Spaces (e.g. playground, retail, grocery store, etc.) Other:__________	STEP 7: POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS · Home Plan · School Strategy · Community Support Groups · Behavioral Health Plan · Medical/Health Plan · Special  Programs/Supports Other:_______

STEP 8: Crafting your parenting case study topic

Write a parenting case study that incorporates all of the information in the planning table (Steps 1-7). Your case study should be 1-2 paragraphs in length. You may want to add details now or as your research progresses to make your case study more interesting.

Example:

The current case study involves a child with significant learning disabilities who is 8 years old and from a middle-class socioeconomic status background. The child has a 10-year-old sister with no known learning disabilities or behavioral issues. Parents recently separated, but both parents are actively involved with the children. A parenting action plan will be developed to address the child’s problems with schoolwork. I will discuss the case in the context of home and school (i.e. sites of impact), providing solutions that may include a home plan to address the parental separation as well as special programs in school and community supports (i.e. potential solutions).

Your Parenting Case Study will be evaluated according to the following rubric: 

	Criteria Met	Criteria Partially Met	Criteria Not Met
Scenario Selected	1	-	0
Age group	1	-	0
SES	1	-	0
Family composition (>2 details identified)	2	1	0
Type of Problem	1	-	0
Site of Impact	1	-	0
Potential Solution(s) Selected	1	-	0
Well-written and interesting case scenario	2	1	0

Sample Part 1 Submission

STEP 1: SCENARIO Write your chosen scenario below. For this scenario, I will be exploring how to choose a high-quality daycare within a limited family budget.	STEP 2: AGE GROUP OF INTEREST · Birth-3 years	STEP 3: SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS · Low socioeconomic status	STEP 4: FAMILY COMPOSITION (Include at least 2 of these details) · Aliza is a single parent, working a minimum wage job. As a parent to three children – two of who are school age and one infant, Aliza is overwhelmed with the prospects of childcare after parental leave ends. Although Aliza is a highly involved and loving parent, the family’s lack of social/cultural capital makes finding high-quality daycare difficult.
STEP 5: TYPE OF PROBLEM · Physical, emotional, and cognitive development for children in different daycare settings · Logistical and financial constraints for finding high-quality care for infants	STEP 6: SITES OF IMPACT · Home · Daycare · Community	STEP 7: POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS My research will shed light on the following: · Home Plan (e.g. how parents can support children’s learning in the home so there is consistency between home/daycare learning) · School Strategy (e.g. what criteria parents should keep in mind when deciding between different care options) · Community Support (e.g. what community or federal programs assist low income families with childcare)

The current case study involves Aliza, a young single parent who has three children at home. Two of the children in the home are school-aged, but the third is a typically developing infant who was born recently. Aliza’s family lives under the poverty level despite Aliza working long hours in a low-wage job. After parental leave is over, Aliza is in search of daycare for the baby. A parenting action will be developed to address the criteria Aliza should consider when deciding on a high-quality daycare. Additionally, the research will explore the physical/cognitive/emotional benefits of quality early childcare as well as possible federal/community programs for low-income parents. I will discuss the case in the context of home, school, and community (i.e. sites of impacts). The potential solutions may include a home plan to best deliver continuity in care between home and daycare; a school plan in terms of how to evaluate the best learning/care environments for children; and a community plan to find possible financial relief for low-income families trying to locate childcare.