Comprehensive Social Work Case Study: Roberto Torres

This case study presents a social assessment of Roberto Torres, detailing his demographic data, family history, educational background, employment, and legal history. The assessment highlights the client's presenting problems, which include the impact of urban poverty, lack of educational facilities, racism, and the incarceration of his brother. Roberto's family background reveals challenges such as single parenthood, poverty, and drug abuse. The assessment also explores Roberto's strengths, including his resilience, optimism, and ability to set goals, as well as his role as a support system for his family. The document concludes with an assessment summary that emphasizes Roberto's efforts to improve his family's living standards and the potential benefits of psychological assistance in addressing their struggles. The assessment is based on face-to-face interviews and utilizes a strengths-based approach.

SOCIAL ASSESSEMENT
FORMAT
Demographic Data
Client’s Name__________Roberto Torres______________ D.O.B.____1968________
SSN____________
Address________________________________________________________________
Telephone (h)__________________________(c)_______________________________
How long at current address: __________
Other recent addresses: ____________________________________________________
Gender: __Male______ Sexual Orientation: ____Not definite (as there is little
information on his gay lifestyle)____________ Race: ____Puerto Rican_________
Marital Status: _____Married__________
Children’s Names:
____________________________________Birthdate___________________________
____________________________________Birthdate___________________________
___________________________________ Birthdate___________________________
In case of emergency: ____________________ Telephone #______________________
Relation to client: ___Friend and mentor
_____________________________________________________
Referral Source: ____Community
centre______________________________________________________
Method of Evaluation
The client Roberto and the social worker engaged in face-to-face interviews thrice in a
fortnight and discussed about the presenting complaints of the client. The client also
shared information on his family history, educational background, health history and the
underlying conditions that made his family suffer and struggle for their existence.
Presenting Problem
Some of the incidents that have made Roberto seek assistance can be associate with the
prolonged urban poverty in America, lack of educational facilities for the family, poor
economic opportunities for the entire family in their initial years, racism, imprisonment
of his brother and insurmountable obstacles that have created a barrier to the progress of
the family members such as, his siblings and mother. Roberto explains that shortly after
his birth he and his mother came to Puerto Rico, where they lived in a small apartment
with his step dad, three sisters and brother. Roberto gives an insight into the physical and
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emotional turmoil that his family had to endure. He states that his sisters were expecting a
child …”when they were teenagers”, and their father left them soon. Roberto is also
affected by lack of justice for people who belong to his community. Roberto is also
concerned about the illegal activities that his brother Danny engages in. Thus, the vicious
cycle of single parenthood, poverty, drugs, prostitution, pregnancy and crime have
overwhelmed him.
Client’s Family
Roberto never got the chance to know about his biological father. His mother was raised
in the Island’s countryside, but left Robert’s father and fled to New York in 1968,
following which she remarried and had four children, three daughters and one son.
Continuous oppression from the society, lack of education and poverty made his mother
take up odd jobs such as, selling clothes or home-made pasteles on the street. It can be
deduced that that his step father Martin, was a gambler, drug dealer and alcoholic,
following which he was arrested and left them. Another major concern shared by him
was that his brother Danny was sent to the prison when he was 14 years old and kept
there for four years, during which he did not have any educational attainment. This in
turn worsened his life and made Danny resort to drug abuse and robbery due to which he
was frequently sent to the prison. Betty, aged 25 years is into prostitution and is also
involved in trade of heroin. Tati, the other sister is also a drug addict.
Roberto states that he has a wife and two kids and owns an apartment at Greenwich
Village.
Client’s Educational Background
Roberto was the only person in his family to have completed high school and graduation
from college. His educational background helped him seek a professional and reputable
job. However, he states that none of the other family members have been able to educate
themselves.
Client’s Employment History
Appropriate schooling opportunities have helped Roberto seek employment in an
organization that helps him design schools that provide equal opportunities to all
students. Although the job does not pay him a huge sum, he hopes to make a difference.
He wants to quit the job and embark on a business.
Client’s Legal History
Roberto does not have any legal history
Client’s Medical History
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Roberto has not mentioned about any medical history
Client’s Emotional/Psychological History
He had been through emotional turmoil in childhood and adolescence on watching his
step father leave them, his brother being taken to a jail, and his sisters being pregnant as
teenagers. Very brief information is available on his gay lifestyle. The struggle that the
Puerto Ricans have to face due to their socioeconomic conditions overwhelms him. He
also states that his difficult work life is draining him.
Client’s Support System
He acts as the support system for the entire family and always strive to provide constant
emotional and moral support to his mother, siblings and their kids.
Assessments of Client’s Strengths
An assessment of Roberto indicates that he is self-determined, resilient, optimistic and
able to face the adversities of life with grace. This makes him believe that he can control
his own destiny. He is also able to set specific goals for himself and his family, and
works towards reaching the goals. His optimistic attitude makes him believe that the
family will be able to overcome the difficult situations.
Religious and/or Spiritual Resources
It can be deduced from his statements on the Ten Martyr’s that Roberto and his family
are Jews.
Financial History
The current source of income for Roberto is his work at the school. However, he states
that teachers are paid low and aims to start a business for earning more money. His
mother did not have adequate finances in his childhood, and the family is still struggling
to save money for admitting the children to proper schools.
Recreational/Leisure Activities
He enjoys taking out his sister’s kids at parks and also loves to swing them. He also loves
to help the kids see their God and engages in sweet conversations with them.
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Client’s Personal Appearance and Hygiene
Roberto maintains his personal appearance throughout and always puts on clean clothes
and dresses appropriately. His condition is never unkempt.
Assessment Summary
The client Roberto is a strong personality, who although deterred by the sufferings and
struggles his family had to endure, takes all possible efforts to enhance their standard of
living and help them realize their dreams. His support system consists of his mother,
wife, three sisters and brother. The major benefit of having such close relatives and kin
around is that he will be able to realize his goals and help his family members lead a
meaningful and purposeful life. His education has also helped him identify the
discrimination that are made towards the Puerto Ricans. Personal insights provided by
him into his family’s dilemma and the love displayed by him towards his mother, through
a heartfelt poem suggests that psychological assistance to the client will help him avert
the intense suffering that he and his family members are going through, thus helping
them fight against all odds.
Signature____________________________________Date__________________
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Revised utilizing “Strengths-Based Social Work Assessment: Transforming the Dominant Paradigm” by
Clay Graybeal
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