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 Family Interview Project   - 100 points Purposes: 1. To learn about family systems and structures, expectations, behaviors, and generational cycles in families and how these might link to parenting, socialization of children, and the treatment and possible maltreatment of children by interviewing a member of your family or another family.   2. To gain experience engaging in an interview process for information and to gain a deeper understanding of an individual and the family through the use of open ended questions. 3. To gain practice writing a family assessment. 4. To gain understanding of informed consent. Activity: Conduct an interview with a member of your family (parent, other relative, or other adult if a family member is not available) or someone willing to talk about their family experience and describe the person you interview and what you learned about their family.  Gain their informed consent. Interview areas: a. Describe the subject of your interview – demographics, relationship to you, and other pertinent information to give a context of your relationship with the person. b. Describe family history.  What was their experience as a child growing up, how was he/she socialized? c. What changes in society, the times have impacted this person and their family?    d. Describe the subject’s role in his/her family.   

·  What were the responsibilities of the parents in your family?

·  Describe the family traditions (religious, seasonal, extended family) .

· Explore the customs and practices related to child rearing and family life: child care and child socialization, dating and relationships, marriage, having children, rites of passage, beliefs about the role of children in the family, beliefs about guidance and discipline including corporal punishment.

·  How do parenting expectations differ by gender and age in this family?

·  What is role of parents, extended family, and other important adults in raising children?  

· Were there generational boundaries? What were the family rules?  Were the family rules explicitly taught or unspoken?

·  Any other aspects of family life that help you understand the family culture, parenting and child rearing.

e. What issues of cultural diversity are found in your family – ethnic culture, gender roles, social or economic class, sexual orientation, ability, nationality, language, religion, or other type of diversity.

Write up: Part one:  Write a summary of your interview. Write up:  Part two:  Analysis:  Analyze the interview experience and information using the following questions: 1. What challenges did you find with the interview process? 2. What was an interesting or surprising aspect of family culture you learn from your interview?   3. What has this interview taught you about the impact of one’s family and culture of origin on their values, beliefs about children and what does this have to do with the study of child maltreatment and the child welfare system? 4. What assumptions about family and child raising had you made prior to your interview?   Have any of your assumptions been challenged? 5. How does learning about families apply to issues of child abuse and neglect? 6. What are some challenges you may face working with a family from a culture different from your own? Protect confidentiality by using pseudonyms or disguising identifying personal information. Suggested Length:  5-7 pages.