Some of the Challenges Families Experienced and How They Can be Prevented or Protected - Case Study Example

Case Analysis: Sociology Student’s Name Institutional Affiliation Case Analysis: Sociology Introduction Family life encounters a lot of challenges. There are issues such as domestic violence that negatively influence the children’s rights, development, and well being. Parents are supposed to provide support and protection to their children. It is the right of every child to get access to basic and secondary needs. Government, parents and caregivers are supposed to initiate a mechanism to protect the child’s life in society. Therefore, the paper relates Rachel case study in expressing and assessing the rights, development, and well being of children. Furthermore, the paper will also address some of the challenges families experienced and how they can be prevented or protected. Assessment of Dean’s Rights, Development and Well Being Dean, like any other Australian child, has the right to grow up in a good, safe and stable environment. He should be protected from neglect and abuse and ensuring his developmental needs are attended like for any other children. Dean lived with her paternal grandmother where he got positive security. The Rachel life has indicated different challenges encountered before and after imprisonment. This life has influenced her affectionate love with Dean compared to other children, Tasha and Braydon are leading to separation from primary attachment. It was connected to the nature of life encountered between Rachel and Dean’s father in their family life, relationship. In this position, the government needs to ensure the safety of such children like Dean through ensuring basic needs and other rights are achieved. This requires reinforcement when a child’s parent fails to protect or mistreat their children (Ferguson, 2010). The Australian government has established statutory child protections that are responsible for ensuring children’s rights are enacted. This statutory child protection right includes Children and Yong People Act 2008, Care and Protection of Children Act 2007 (NT), Children, Young Persons and their Families Act 1997 (TAS) and Children and Community Services Act 2004 (WA) among others. In the development and well being of Dean, there are fundamental principles that parent, paternal grandmother and the government should consider. It is a collective responsibility of the Dean’s caregiver to ensure like every other child, and he enjoys right to be safe from any harm. He is supposed to experience good life and protected from any external harm that may arise especially at a tender age. In assessing the right, development and wellbeing of Dean, the following issues are considered; Life and physical health; physical health is essential to determine the wellbeing of a child. This indicates that Dean has the right to a full and decent life like other children. It enables a child to enjoy life to fullest and interact with others freely. Love and care; Dean needs to be loved by his mother, Rachel to feel protected. The care and protection is the right of a child as they ensure he is safe and healthy. His mother, Rachel, is supposed to treat all children equally without showing favoring or discrimination. It is the right of the child to be taken care of in a safe and stable family environment (Ferguson, 2016). An alternative form of care is supposed to be initiated if the family environment, for some reasons, cannot and not in a full potential to provide safe and stable family environment. Every child is supposed to be in peaceful and safe environments that support his or her needs. In this case, Dean has been with his paternal grandmother legally through the court order. The power under the Acts on child protection provides paramount considerations in the children’s well being that seek the best interests in their lives. Mental well-being; it is the right of the child to be brought up in a good environment that ensure good mental health. The factors that influence mental well-being include maltreatment and exploitation, injury and abuse, neglect and negligent treatment and domestic violence. Dean has encountered some of these factors and hence influencing his life negatively. Therefore, it is the role of her mother to ensure his medical and mental wellbeing is achieved. Bodily integrity and safety ensures that children are protected from any form of violence. It is the role of the parent to ensure children are safe and out of any impending danger. The right to social relations helps children in interacting with parent and other children for social networking. It also enables children to receive social and moral support from parents and other community members. This is connected to the undesirability of withdrawing the children from the environment or neighborhood unnecessarily with which the child has been established. This affects the child emotionally and hence influencing his or her behavior in establishing a new connection with the new environment. In the determination of the child’s best interests, some issues are supposed to be considered. Parent, Caregiver, and government are collectively supposed to support the children through ensuring their rights and safety measures are achieved and maintained (Munro, 2008). The best interest of the child like Dean is ensuring he is kept within his family. There is need of preserving and strengthening the relationship that exists between the child, parents, and grandparents. This structure of the family is essential in the development of children (Bronfenbrenner, 1986). Dean has been brought up by the paternal parent even though he requires other family members in strengthening relationships. In the development and well being of the child like Dean, it is important to encourage, preserve and to enhance the sense of belonging. This covers racial, ethnic, and spiritual under religion and cultural identity. Others, such as traditions and values are essential to connect with the social life and community background. Preservation of these values plays a great part in the child’s life in realizing his or her background and understanding their cultural and spiritual sense and traditions (Garbarino, 2001). The well being of the children is developed through enhancing their capability in expressing their feelings and views. It is important to listen and act on the children feelings and opinions toward specific issues influencing their lives. The parent or caregiver is supposed to provide direction and ensuring children understand the reason behind the best interest or view suggested. To support the children development and wellbeing, it is undesirable in interruption with their normal routine including education. There are issues such as trauma, oppression, and dehumanization that influence the development of children. Trauma indicates the context of unpredictability and terror in the child development and wellbeing. Severe disruption in the relationship of children with their families affects them in lifespan (Young-Bruehl, 2009). Dean as a child has expressed challenges in life, especially disruption in a relationship with his family. This has affected her mother Rachel, who was imprisoned. Trauma is also contributed by feeling unsafe and having existential disruption and harm. Oppression affects the children’s wellbeing in the development and hence denying their rights. It makes child’s experience powerlessness. Crippling fear contributes to helplessness and hence influencing the child’s sense of safety and security (Devaney, 2009). Dehumanization influences the child’s ability feel complete as a human being through the issues they are subjected by their parents or caregivers. This includes assaults on humanity, experiencing social exclusion from family activities and other human community (An initiative of the Council of Australian Governments, 2009). If the personal identity, personhood, and morals are undermined, the life of a child is greatly affected. Therefore, the child’s right, development and wellbeing are assessed in ensuring their security and safety. What Are The Factors That Prevent Rachel From Prioritizing The Needs Of Dean? Different factors prevent Rachel from prioritizing on the dean’s need. The disconnection that relates to the family breakup, imprisonment period and life challenges are the major cause that prevents Rachel from prioritizing on the Dean’s needs. Domestic Violence In the world, it is estimated that about 20 percent of the children are exposed to domestic violence and hence increasing abuse and neglect risks. The domestic violence among the parents affects the livelihood of the children as they neglect their responsibilities. The studies reveal that both adult and children is victim of domestic violence (O’Donnell, Scott, & Stanley, 2008). Furthermore, the exposure to this domestic violence contributes to subsequent emotional, behavioral and even social problems. The children reaction to what they observe and hear contributes in decreasing their parental confidentiality, warmth and caring as a family, the household associated with domestic violence has negative effects such children lacking protection feeling and seeking to engage in bad social behavior for activities. Rachel does not prioritize the needs of Dean as she associates him with Paul, his father. The Paul and Rachel relationship were not good and hence whenever she sees Dean, she remembers his father, Paul. Dean has been observing her mother reactions and how she has been attentive and responsive to other children’s demand. She engaged in their activities, such as playing together and reading them stories. Whenever Rachel engaged with the dean, her stressful life starts especially when he requests for something from her mother. This was contrary with other children that are Tasha and Braydon while she was negative to Dean’s approach. During this period, Rachel was eager for the dean to get back to his grandmother as she could not stand Dean’s presence. Making matters worse, Paul the Dean’s father was out of jail and hence wanted to visit them soon. The connection was worse and hence leading to family disconnection through relating to negative approach to domestic violence. Reportedly, the domestic violence data show that violence affects entire household and mostly between the intimate partners (Medora, 2016). The impacts are directed to children, hence influencing their social, behavior and emotional life. Parental History The history of the parent and their experience in their childhood, and early parental life influences their child upbringing. The childhood abuse leads to an adverse effects outcome. This includes substance abuse, experiencing depression, having low esteem and poor physical health. This makes the parents mistreat their children relating to their experiences and blaming them for the re-occurrence of the feelings. The connection between the negative lives of the parents’ childhood to parental-hood connects through the engagement of the family responsibilities (Geggie, Weston, Hayes, & Silberberg, 2007). Substance abuse as how Rachel has experienced might be the major contributing factor to having a negative attitude toward her son Dean. Even though she confesses that she reformed while in prison, it is evident that Rachel’s side effects of the substance abuse are related to her son. This makes her feel like Dean contributed for her to abuse the substances she used to take. Relating the event to the child’s life has a negative impact and hence leading to a disconnection between the parent and child relationship. What Are The Risks And Protective Factors That Exist In This Family System? The strength theory in social work practice emphasizes on self-determination and strengths. It shows clients, resilient and resourceful ability to face diversity. Strength theory indicates the Rachel commitment in protecting her children. The Australian government has developed different protective frameworks that promote the safety and well being of the children (Babington, 2011). The universal support for children entails provision of basic and secondary needs such as health, education, and shelter. The prevention interventions help in improving the children’s lifestyle and ensuring their safety (Winkworth & McArthur, 2006). Therefore, the protective factors depend on the situation and need of intervention that creates and builds the family system structure. There are various factors that are essential in determining and indication of protective factors in the family system. These factors are demonstrated as; The trend on the national indication of children’s healthcare, their development and wellbeing factor; these factors are essential in explaining the parents, caregiver or government contribution to the wellbeing of the children. The issue to be considered is the public healthcare contribution toward the children, their health status, and prevention and protection (Aubrey & Dahl, 2006). Children are the minor in the society, and hence they require a communal contribution in boosting their healthcare wellbeing (Geggie, Weston, Hayes, & Silberberg, 2007). The other issue is of the development factors contributing to issues related and required for children growth. This includes education support from both parent and government. The government has the role to play in ensuring all children are getting a high quality education through employing teachers, infrastructure, and protection. Authority and policy makers are supposed to initiate on the bills and Acts that supports children protection in education and health issues (Winkworth & McArthur, 2006). Therefore, the national trend indication of the children wellbeing and development provides more details on the contribution of government and parents in supporting and protecting children. The trends of children admission and emergency department in hospitals on neglect and injuries to children under the age of three years; this shows the rate of domestic violence and how it influences the neglect and injuries to children especially at under age of three years. Parents tend to turn to their children in case of the domestic violence (Aubrey & Dahl, 2006). The trend indicates that the higher the rates of children abuse in the families the more the children are not safe and unprotected. This is revealed by parent neglecting their children in hospitals without providing support and protection. The Australian government has to take the initiative of ensuring the injured and neglected children are protected and provided with all basic requirement and needs (Geggie, Weston, Hayes, & Silberberg, 2007). The trends of the child protection cases; the substantiated child protection cases in the Australian courts are overwhelming showing the disunity in families. The parents are neglecting their responsibilities and expositing their children to impending dangers. Protection and support of the children by their families requires being emotional and physical through the provision of both basic and secondary needs (Winkworth & McArthur, 2006). Government steps in with the tertiary need such as reinforcing the child protection rights through children protection Acts and Bills. The number of children experiencing out-of-home care; the trend of the increasing number of the children in out-of-home care has increased lately. This shows that street families have increased as children run away from their come due to lack of protection and support from their families. The family systems do not provide protective factors that are supposed to embrace the children and support them physically and emotionally (Geggie, Weston, Hayes, & Silberberg, 2007). Domestic abuse, substance abuse, and improper family structure lead to neglecting responsibilities. This affects children’s welfare and hence ending up in the street. What Social Work Theories Would Help You To Assess The Situation? Attachment Theory The attachment theory indicates personal development and the importance of attachment in development. It is the foundation’s ability for an individual in the formation of emotional and physical connection to another person providing social stability sense in security and development (Medora, 2016). It helps in supporting personality growth through association and attachment with close people during development (Babington, 2011). Attachment helps in sharing values from close relatives, society or community. In this case, Dean requires having his family for attachment building in social context. Social workers are supposed to relate the attachment theory with the family life issues as indicated in the Rachel’s case study. The most important consideration is ensuring family members bond together for attachment and connection. Therefore, Dean is supposed to experience attachment in his development from his family. Anti-Oppression Theory Anti-Oppression focuses on recognizing the existence of oppression networks in society and providing mitigation. In this theory, it equalizes the imbalances of power among the community and ensuring every member in the society is treated equally (Medora, 2016). In the society and community, there are certain groups and individuals that hold power compared to others. This cut across the gender, race and even social class among the community members. Some groups are considered minor and hence being oppressed in social works (Geggie, Weston, Hayes, & Silberberg, 2007). This translates to the nature of life that families are going through, especially as provided in the case study. Dean is expressing oppression from his mother, Rachel. This involves discrimination and lack of parental support and attention. Therefore, anti-oppression theory relates how community, society, groups and even families are supposed to cooperate and equalize all imbalances existing. Empowerment Theory This theory orient community, society, groups and families the process and consequences of exerting control and influencing decisions that affects their functioning. It relates the quality of community life in underlying empowerment theory to the social change (Medora, 2016). The empowerment theory indicates an intentional and ongoing process that is centered in the community, society, group and family units involving mutual respect, critical reflection, and member’s participation and caring (Winkworth & McArthur, 2006). It accommodates members’ contributions of every person on an equality platform in contributing toward sharing of valuable resources gain and taking access and control over the same resources. It is through the empowerment theory that self-esteem, self-efficacy and self-control are exercised. Therefore, Dean in the case study is supposed to reinforce through the empowerment theory to become a member in the Rachel family. This would help in boosting his self-esteem and self-efficacy. What Strategies/Interventions Would You Employ To Ensure That Dean’s Needs? Systems Theory System theory indicates theoretical and methodological social practices and structures that help in understanding how individuals relate to society and community. Social workers play major roles in the society with the aim of improving social conditions and promoting social justice. System theory connects social work to the wellbeing in society and focusing to family issues specific to child abuse and neglect. Social worker develops policies that tend to improve and promote the social life through engaging other professions such as healthcare (Aubrey & Dahl, 2006). The system theory concept provides methodology on which the social workers follow in ensuring social order and policies are articulated in community, society and family units. According to the case study, Rachel requires professional intervention through counseling to differentiate the feelings toward her son and Paul the Dean’s father. Furthermore, even if there are differences between the mother and son, Rachel is not supposed to show it plainly to children. This would contribute to creating family divisions and hence disagreement (Aubrey & Dahl, 2006). Furthermore, this experience would contribute Dean’s emotional torture. System theory enables social workers in enhancing adequate support and protection to children. This would help in improving the child safety and building a strong bond that support the strong family (Aubrey & Dahl, 2006). Dean has noticed that her mother is siding with other children and neglecting him. This is the worst experience that is being passed to Dean that would affect him emotionally and physically. There is a need to enhance building a strong family on the platform of equal opportunities, balancing parental love and support and safety. Narrative Therapy Narrative therapy helps an individual in separating from challenges or problem and encouraging to utilize and rely on skills to minimize these challenges or problems. The life challenges and problems occur every day and hence through narrative therapy, one is in a position of overcoming and minimizing their occurrence. The narrative therapy focuses on transforming the events that affect and influencing human life and how they relate to other people in society. It helps in guiding how an individual can distance from the issues affecting their lives (Moore, Noble-Carr, & McArthur, 2010). These issues affect individual emotions, experiencing anxiety and stressful life. Narrative therapy externalizes all the issues affecting an individual and develops self-compassion that helps in one feeling has the capability of changing. Post-traumatic growth helps in gaining positive personal changes that occur to individuals in society and family who have gone through traumatic events. In the case study of Rachel, there is need of separating issues and relating facts about the family system to offer the required support for children (Aubrey & Dahl, 2006). This would also help in reducing the chances of neglecting and injuring children through transferring fear and anger. Furthermore, it is important for Rachel to understand that Dean has the right to be supported both physically and emotionally like other children. Separating children does not contribute in healing process rather than developing traumatic conditions. What Are Professional Obligations In This Context? What Are Some Of The Challenges? AASW - code of ethics guides and informs social work ethical practices through elaborating on codes and principles in ethics. These principles are essential in providing values and responsibilities that relate to the characteristics of the social work profession [Aus101]. The approach of ethical practices, codes and principles elaborates on how social workers are supposed to relate to families, groups, and society and community units. Mandatory reporting describes legislative requirements that are imposed directly to the selected social class of people. The mandatory report provides a channel to cases relating to child abuse and neglect to authorities. The Australian state through parliament has enacted the mandatory reporting law that enhances social workers to undertake their mandate in reporting the cases of neglect and child abuse [Aus101]. The mandatory reporting laws provide some descriptions on social issues that are supposed to be undertaken in ensuring support and security of children are achieved. It focuses on community, society and family units on responsiveness to the children rights and support. The social work role is responding to individuals, families and group issues and helping them to cope with the social problems in life. The social workers engage the community, society and families in ensuring that social problems are sorted and solved peacefully. They have the mandate of ensuring smooth family, society and community running even though they face a lot of challenges. The main objective is improving the livelihood of their patients through articulating appropriate measures to cope and deal with challenges (Winkworth & McArthur, 2006). As a profession, the social worker provides counseling of patients, families and even broader aspect such as society and community. They associate and liaise with other different institutions workers such as healthcare professionals in ensuring the wellbeing and safety of the patient. Furthermore, government authorities use social workers in undertaking social research, social policy development and advocacy. Social workers are better positioned in addressing legal issues concerning social lives in assisting with hearing and testimonial presentation relating family issues of their patients. Therefore, social workers play a major social role in community, society and families. Conclusion Family issues such as domestic violence contribute to stress, neglecting children, abuse and lack of support and protection. Rachel has faced a lot of challenges in her life that later influences her family. Taking a parenting course helps in reestablishing her life and providing a good home and family to her children. This includes accepting her role as a parent, supporting and protecting her children, loving and dedicating her life to children. This is a great experience as she counters her past life from prison, substance abuse, and domestic violence. Therefore, the psychological therapy in parenting class helps her in realizing her potential in undertaking her full responsibility in upbringing her young family. References An initiative of the Council of Australian Governments. (2009). Protecting Children is Everyone’s Business. National Framework for Protecting Australia’s Children. 2009–2020, 6-36. Australian Association of Social Workers. (2010). CODE OF ETHICS. AASW Code of Ethics , 7-40. Aubrey, C., & Dahl, S. (2006). Children’s Voices: The Views of Vulnerable Children on Their Service Providers and the Relevance of Services They Receive. British Journal of Social Work, 36, 21–39. Babington, B. (2011). National Framework for Protecting Australia’s Children. 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