SWSP2033 Social Work Theory and Practice

Running head: SOCIAL WORK 1
Social Work Theory & Practice
Name:
Institution:
Date:

SOCIAL WORK 2
PART A: Case Analysis
Brief summary of significant historical information
Due to drought situation in the country and in the area, there some tensions simmering
between the locals and the new people who are arriving lately. This is in search of better
housing and job opportunities. George is a 27 year old construction worker although currently
unemployed while his wife Mary is a stay at home although she is looking for time to
advance her education. They have two children a son and a daughter aged 8 and 7 years
respectively and have enrolled them to a new school. George has been looking for a big
construction job but due to drought related issues, the job hasn’t been forthcoming. The
Home School Liason officer (HSLO) has had some issues with the family and is looking for
how she can help the children as they seem disturbed (Baldwin, 2016)..
The community is filled with multicultural people including the aboriginals, the
Greeks and the Italians. The Torres Strait islanders and the Pacific Islander populations are
also in the community. It is a bit concerning that George moved the family from Melbourne
to a more affordable lifestyle in Ruralsville. The idea is that George could make ends meet
here than the more urbanized city of Melbourne. The child welfare department has had some
issues with both children after failing to carry packed lunch and sometimes having not carried
the necessary equipment that the teachers have in suggested that they bring(Carey, 2017).
As a child welfare officer, I have to take the case seriously as the children are either not
comfortable at home or are facing harassment from one of their parent and are afraid to speak
up (Craib, 2015). .
Consider the values, assumptions and ethical considerations in this case

SOCIAL WORK 3
The values shown in this case is that of children welfare and the ethical considerations
to be taken into consideration for the two children. The assumption in this case is that the
family is struggling to make a living due to the employment statuses of the family. I assume
that the father has been abusing the mother and the children are afraid to tell the teachers
what is going on at home (Coady, & Lehmann, 2016). Another assumption is also that
George is frustrated with his work and the way he has not been at work for so long. Ethical
considerations dictate that as a child welfare officer, the children should be taken to amore
conducive and secure environment that is free from all the dysfunctions in the family. The
education of Tom and Ann should be key and fundamentally of priority. It is necessary to
ensure that all these is good because the family is not having any income that is stable for
them to be having the best education.
What are the identified challenges and concerns?
They have always cited that their mother is sick of that mum had hurt herself and
could not bring the thing that were necessarily needed in school because their mother did not
get the thing ready by the morning. Social support for families in difficult life circumstances
is primarily aimed at helping to overcome stressful moments, ensuring normal family life
using internal and external resources. The direction of the family social support system
should focus on increasing resources and reducing the stress factors of its vital activity (Doel,
& Shardlow, 2017). A family that finds itself in difficult life circumstances, for the most part,
cannot itself overcome difficulties and problems that it faces. Often a significant number of
problems in such families arise through one problem that the family cannot overcome, and
the remaining problems are only a consequence. That is, in their work, a social worker should
have the skills to identify the main, key family problem. For this, it is important for a social

SOCIAL WORK 4
worker to be able to determine the cause and consequences, to be able to see the problem
from different points of view, to be able to walk away from emotions, to be able to be
objective when analyzing the information received.
After all, it depends on how well the key problem of the family will be identified, how
effective the work to get the family out of crisis will be. One of the pressing issues in
working with families is the relationship with the client, that is, with the family. It is a driving
force for change and success in working with a family that has found itself in difficult life
circumstances, but only when they are professional, and not friendly (Garbarino, 2017).
Professional relationships are characterized by a willingness to interact, mutual trust and
candor. In these relations, a social worker can act as an educator, active listener, assistant,
constructive critic, etc. Only provided that family members are confident of the openness of
the social worker, they are more willing to listen and listen to his recommendations (Gould,
& Taylor, 2017).
Considering the application of theory to practice, how does a theoretical framework
support the work with this family
The idea is that George could make ends meet here than the more urbanized city of
Melbourne. The child welfare department has had some issues with both children after failing
to carry packed lunch and sometimes having not carried the necessary equipment that the
teachers have in suggested that they bring. By listening to and trying to understand the
family, the social worker will be able to raise the level of self-esteem of family members and
encourage them to take new actions to overcome the difficult life circumstances in which the
family finds itself. One of the negative factors that reduces efficiency, and in some cases