Description of the family
Working with families can be difficult because of the various interactions that occur within the group. Before working with actual clients, you can use case studies to practice your skills and how you would respond to complex scenarios. This assignment will allow you to apply social-work skills and strategies by analyzing a case study about a complex family scenario.
Read the following case study:
Carlos and Maria Hernandez have lived in your community for 6 months with their 4 children. Carlos is 35 years old, Maria is 30 years old, and their 4 children are ages 5, 7, 10, and 14. Their 14-year-old son was retained in first grade, and there was a possibility he would also be retained in the eighth grade. The family is living with relatives in a small house on the outskirts of the city due to their economic situation. Carlos was a factory worker, but he became unemployed when the factory closed down a year ago. For 6 months after the factory closed, Carlos tried to find employment with little result.
Carlos has taken to drinking and staying out late, and when he returns home, he hits Maria and the older children who try to intervene on their mother`s behalf. Relatives have asked the family to leave, so they cannot stay there much longer.
In Honduras, Carlos worked in construction and Maria had a garden that virtually fed the entire family. She also spent part of her time weaving and sewing garments to sell at the local market. Maria has a chronic cough and skin rash. She speaks very little English and has found occasional work cleaning houses, but it has not been enough to support her, Carlos, and their children. While Carlos is against seeking help, Maria has come to your agency asking for help, and you have been assigned as her case worker. prepare a service plan to help her obtain the services she and the family need.
Provide a description of the family. What do you know about their culture, roles, rules, and power structure?
Describe the specific concerns or questions you might have as you work with the family. What is the interplay between the micro, mezzo, and macro factors in the case?
Discuss the clash between the parents` specific values and those of Western society. What strategies will you need to employ to negotiate, mediate, and advocate on behalf of these clients?
Identify the beliefs, principles, and values that guided the social worker`s perspective in this case.
Select at least 1 behavioral-intervention strategy to assess a chosen client from the case study. How will you use that behavioral-intervention strategy?
How would you would collaborate with other professionals to achieve a better outcome for the family.
How could you advocate for the family`s rights on the micro, mezzo, and macro levels.