Expressing and Assessing the Rights, Development, and Wellbeing of Children - Case Study Example

Case Analysis: Sociology Student’s Name Institutional Affiliation Introduction Family life encounters a lot of challenges. There are issues such as domestic violence that negatively influence the children’s rights, development, and wellbeing. 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 children life in society. The paper provides assessments of the Dean’s rights, his development and wellbeing, factors that prevent his mother, Rachel, to prioritize on Dean and risks as well as the protective factors that exist in this Dean’s family system. Furthermore, the study elaborates three social theories that is attachment, anti-oppression and empowerment theories in assessing the Dean’s life. Finally, the study provides interventions strategies that should be applied in meeting the Dean’s needs. Therefore, the paper relates Rachel case study in expressing and assessing the rights, development, and wellbeing 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 wellbeing 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 life security as all his needs and protections were provided. The Rachel’s life has encountered a lot of challenges such as drugs abuse, domestic violence and imprisonment. This nature of life has influenced Rachel affectionate love with Dean compared to other children, Tasha and Braydon. This has contributed to disjointed primary attachment that was supposed to exists between Rachel and her son Dean. It was connected to the nature of life that was 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 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 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 wellbeing 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 [Mal14]. 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. This helps in assessing the nature of life that Dean, like any other children, is entitled to enjoy life wellbeing. Dean encountered different challenges such as lack of proper care, security and emotional support. This led to both physical and emotional challenges such as stress. 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 (Aubrey & Dahl, 2006). According to the Dean’s situation, his mother has to her love as well as caring for him as her child. He is supposed to be embraced as member of the family. The love and care from his mother would make him feel being welcomed to live with his sisters as a united family. Mental well-being; it is the right of 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 (Ferguson, 2016). Dean has been influenced both mentally and physically by the environmental factors he is facing. The effects are shown when his mother confesses she does not want to live with him and instead to get back to his grandmother. Emotional stress in Dean’s life occurs after realizing his mother is not interested on his wellbeing as her child. The gap arising between mother and son is so clear to influence Dean’s mental wellbeing. 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. Dean like any other child is supposed to be protected. This is responsibility of the parents irrespective of their differences (Young-Bruehl, 2009). Therefore Rachel, Dean’s mother and Paul his dad are responsible for Dean’s protection and safety. 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 (Young-Bruehl, 2009). This is connected to the undesirability of withdrawing the children from the environment or neighborhood unnecessarily with which the child has been established (Garbarino, 2001). This affects child emotionally and hence influencing his or her behavior in establishing a new connection with the new environment. Relating to Dean’s situation, he does not have access to his mother who neglect and does not want to be involved with him. This is tormenting as Dean feels rejected and the only love he gets comes from his grandmother. In the determination of the children 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). 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). This is essential in Dean’s situation whereby not only the grandmother is supposed to take care of him but also his mother has to contribute. She is reliable to his interests, love as well as care. Like any other child, Dean has the right to live with his family irrespective of the situation the family is going through. In development and wellbeing 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 (Young-Bruehl, 2009). 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). Dean is supposed to recognize his parent wellbeing like his sisters. This includes expressing his feelings and views and being listened to by his parents. The parental love includes guiding and showing the children the best interest they have for them. Now Dean requires the same from his mother and father as well as from grandmother who has played major role in Dean’s life. 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 experienced challenges in life especially disruption in a relationship with his family. This has affected his mother Rachel who was imprisoned. Trauma is also contributed by feeling unsafe and having existential disruption and harm. Oppression affects the children wellbeing in the development and hence denying them their rights. It makes children experience powerlessness. Crippling fear contributes to helplessness and hence influencing the children sense of safety and security (Devaney, 2009). Dehumanization influences 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). In this regard, Dean personal life, identity and moral values about family are greatly influenced. His association with his parents and especially his mother is not good. This makes him to lack family support, sense of security and safety like any other child living with their parents. 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 (Munro, 2008). 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 matter worse, Paul the Dean’s father was out of jail and hence wanted to visit them soon (Young-Bruehl, 2009).. According to family life context, social work and children protection rights has elaborate on how children are supposed to be treated. The domestic violence and family differences are not supposed to influence the child’s rights. The children protection ensure they are safe and should be provided with all essential basic needs such as education, food and shelter. Others include parental love and care whereby both parents are supposed to show their interest on the children’s life (Medora, 2016). Rachel has been clearly indicated to neglect his son and disassociating herself from him. This leads to children discrimination whereby she favors others at expense of their brother Dean. Parental history The history of the parent and their experience in their childhood, and early parental life influences their child upbringing (Young-Bruehl, 2009). The childhood abuse leads to adverse effects outcome. This includes substances 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 reoccurrence 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 negative attitude toward her son Dean. Even though she confesses that she reformed while in prison, it is evident that Rachel’s side effects on the substances abuse are related to her son. According to parenting capacity by Reder and attachment by Howe indicates the importance of the parent-children attachment. Reflecting on the Dean’s life since he was a child of about 6 months, he was brought up in a family that had no values. Both parents were involved in substance abuse and other unlikely behaviors and domestic violence that led to separation. Dean’s mother had to undergo rehabilitation while Paul the Dean’s father was jailed. From this perspective, Dean did not experience the attentive parenting and nurturing that he as the child was entitled. Furthermore, after rehabilitation, Rachel does not want to be responsible for Dean’s needs, she does not feel connected to him. The Rachel parenting capacity and attachment to her son are no more and hence creating more difficult and challenging life to Dean. 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 wellbeing of the children (Babington, 2011). The universal support to 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 determination and indication of protective factors in the family system. Relating to the Dean’s situation, there are different protective factors that are supposed to be enhanced in the family system. The application of the children’s right law, Rachel is supposed to cater for his son irrespective whether she loves him or not. As a parent she is reliable to his care, love and protection. Another instance is providing shelter and other social needs. This would give Dean Right to choose where to live, with grandmother or his mother. This is essential to prevent Rachel from deciding that Dean should live with his grandmother. The court order is another protective factor that contributes in improving the Deans life through affirming that he should live with his parents and siblings. Finally, the councilor provides concerns of the Dean’s life. the social worker advices Rachel to take care of his son to bond and improve their relationship. She is advised to accommodate Dean back into the family system and learn to love and care for him. What social work theories would help you to assess the situation? Attachment theory The attachment theory indicates personal development and importance of attachment in development. It is the foundation 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. Relating to the Dean’s situation, there is need of family and social attachment. Dean requires support attachment and formation relationship that is essential for his wellbeing and development. The attachment theory is most important in ensuring Dean’s family members bond together for connection. This enables Dean to experience attachment in his life from his family. Anti-Oppression theory Anti-Oppression focuses in 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). In Dean’s situation, the theory of anti-oppression seeks to show how he is required to be treated equally like any other children. As a child, Dean requires all the necessities the attention of society, family and parents. This helps in preventing oppressions of all manners including physical and emotional issues. 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 at an equality platform in contributing toward sharing of valued resources gain and taking access and control over the same resources. Considering the Dean’s situation, it is important to ensure the empowerment theory improves his self-esteem; self-efficacy and self-control. He is supposed to be empowered through loving and support from the family and society members. 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 condition and promoting social justice. System theory connects social work to the wellbeing in society and focusing to family issues specifically to children 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). According to the Dean’s situation, her mother Rachel attends counseling session that guides him on how to accommodate her son back. This session that are provided by social work ensures that Rachel improves his relationship with his son and bringing him back into the family systems. According to 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). System theory enables social workers in enhancing adequate support and protection to children (Aubrey & Dahl, 2006). According Rachel, her request to have Dean returning to his grandmother should be discouraged. She is supposed to take care of his son, learn how to live with him and accommodate him like others. 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 narrative therapy focuses on transforming the events that affects and influencing human life and how they relate with 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 capability of changing. Posttraumatic growth helps in gaining positive personal changes that occur to individual 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 on the family system to offer the required support to children (Aubrey & Dahl, 2006). This would also help in reducing the chances of neglecting and injuring children through transferring fear and anger. Cultural consideration helps in relating the personal life of Dean in relation to his family issues. The cultural approach provides proper intervention that would clearly relate to social and family issues. Culture guides on how families are supposed to handle and treat their children. It also guides on how parents should relate to their children especially the case of Dean and his mother. What are professional obligations in this context? What are some of the challenges? AASW - code of ethics guides and informs social workers ethical practices through elaborating on codes and principles in ethics. These principles are essential in providing values and responsibilities that relates to characteristics of social work profession [Aus101]. The Children's Protection Act 1993 identified that social workers are legally mandated to notify where there is suspicion that children are being abused or neglected. 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 [Aus101]. The mandatory reporting laws provides 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. Relating to Dean’s situation, social workers are supposed to provide him with support for justice. Rachel is supposed to take care of his son irrespective whether she loves him or not. It is important for the law to take its course as stipulated in the AASW-code of ethics and the Children’s Protection Act of 1993. 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 parenting course helps in reestablishing her life and providing 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. 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