SOWC 6101 WEEK 3 STUDENT REPLY

STUDENT REPLIES

STUDENT REPLY #1 Courtney Hardwick

The family system I have selected is families who have a child with a disability. Families who have a child with a disability can take several forms, as there are a variety of disabilities. A disability could be physical, mental, or both. It could present from birth or through an accident (Kirst-Ashman & Hull, 2018).

There are a few barriers or challenges this family might encounter. There could be financial challenges due to medical care costs and any special aid needed. There could also be mental challenges such as depression and anxiety experienced by either the disabled child or members of the family (Kirst-Ashman & Hull, 2018). Finally, there could be barriers regarding services or community resources that are available or accessible to the child (Xu, 2020).

A social worker might assess individual strengths to help address barriers and challenges (Kirst-Ashman &Hull, 2018). On a family level, the social worker can determine the family's current state and skills to start creating a plan (Samudio, 2015). This can also help in being able to empower the family in order to have a collaborative relationship with them (Xu, 2020). In terms of organizational, group, or community level, a social worker can connect a family with or facilitate groups for support. They can also work with the family on skills for adapting within their community (Xu, 2020).

Resources:

Kirst-Ashman, K. K., & Hull, G. H., Jr. (2018). Empowerment series: Understanding generalist practice (8th ed.). CENGAGE Learning.

Samudio, M. (2015, Winter). Doing family therapy as a new social worker: The Do’s and don’ts. The New Social Worker, 22(1), 6–7.

Xu, Y. (2020). Engaging Families of Young Children with Disabilities through Family-School-Community Partnerships. Early Child Development and Care, 190(12), 1959–1968. https://doi.org/10.1080/03004430.2018.1552950

STUDENT REPLY #2 Gina Christini

One example of a family system working with barriers and challenges could be a single-parent household. In a single-parent household, the main caregiver may face many barriers and challenges in raising their children alone.

There can be many barriers that come with this system. Being the sole provider in the family can be financially challenging, especially if the parent has limited job opportunities. The parent may struggle to provide for the basic needs of the family, such as housing, food, and healthcare (Kirst-Ashman & Hull, 2018).

On an individual-level intervention the social worker would conduct an initial assessment to gather information about the family's circumstances, including their financial situation, available support systems, and the parent's personal strengths and resources. This will allow the social worker to be one on one with the parent and understand the necessities from micro, mezzo, and macro (Kirst-Ashman & Hull, 2018).

On a family-level intervention the social worker may work with the parent to enhance their relationship with their children. The goal of a social worker working with a single-family household is to empower the family, strengthen their resilience, and provide them with the necessary tools for life.

On a group level, the social worker could organize group support sessions or workshops specifically tailored for single-parent households. A social worker can address the unique dynamics and reactions of members in contrived groups compared to members of family groups (Kirst-Ashman & Hull, 2018). These sessions would provide a safe space for parents to come together, share experiences, and offer support and encouragement to one another.

Resources:

Kirst-Ashman, K. K., & Hull, G. H., Jr. (2018). Empowerment series: Understanding generalist practice (8th ed.). CENGAGE Learning.