Building a Positive Rapport between the Family and the Social Worker

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To establish a positive working relationship between the family and the social worker it is important to build rapport so that the family will feel at ease prior to doing any assessments or starting any work. The initial greeting with the family can be used to gauge the attitude about receiving services, the mood of each individual and the relationships between the family members (Collins, 2013). Ms. Guillory and Darius both appeared to be open and eager about the session that we were having that day. I engaged the family by using simple greetings and introductions. We started conversation when I realized that Ms. Guillory is a member of The Order of the Eastern Star, we immediately began to bond after learning that we shared a sisterhood. Then later I learned that Darius was a member of a junior Masonic organization so I had plenty to talk to him about as well. We all discussed our experiences in the Masonic family and shared stories with each other. After we made our connections we moved on to what they could expect of the session. I explained that everything that we discussed would be completely confidential unless there was any mention of someone being harmed. Being a nurse Ms. Guillory already knew and understood this rule. I had emailed Ms. Guillory a copy of the assessment so it was already completed. The purpose of the assessment was to glean information about the family that can be used for intervention. Collecting information is one of the many purposes of family assessments. Assessments are also used to determine what issues they want to fix and the changes that should be made. Other purposes include goal setting, determining family strengths and resources, and understanding the functioning of the family (Collins, 2013)... ... middle of paper ... ..."African American Elders, Cultural Traditions, and the Family Reunion." Generations Fall 2011 35.3 (2011): 16-21. Print. Newberger, Eli, M.D. "Pediatric Interview Assessment of Child Abuse." Pediatric Clinics of North America 37.4 (1990)(Aug. 1990): 943-54. Print. O'Keeffe, Gwenn Schurgin, and Kathleen Clarke-Pearson. "Clinical Report—The Impact of Social Media on Children, Adolescents, and Families." Clinical Report—The Impact of Social Media on Children, Adolescents, and Families. American Academy of Pediatrics, 28 Mar. 2011. Web. 10 Apr. 2014. . Jenkin, A. J. (2010). African american males' perceptions of factors affecting transition from middle school to high school. (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from http://ezproxy.uta.edu/docview/845610541?accountid=7117. (845610541).

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