One major reason family support is recognized is for the numerous and effective support it provides to individual and their families. Also, it contributes to the development and well-being of children, their parents and/or caregivers and the general community. Family support has grown from an individual perspective to family perspectives in providing services. The FRP provided twelve guidelines for providing accurate and effective services to clients and their families that will encourage inclusiveness in all areas. These guiding principles are recognized and practice daily in the programs provided by the Jane and Finch community and family center.
To examine how the premises and paradigms are operationalised in a family support program, I’ve
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decided to return to the Jane and Finch community and family center. The Jane and finch community and family center is one of the main community-based organization in the area. In my first interview, I found a lot of strains surrounding the residents of this area and the workers. So, before I went in for this interview, I conducted a little research on the challenges surrounding the community and whether the programs offered by the Centre meet the needs of residents; and how premises and paradigms are operationalized in one of their programs. The Jane and Finch community is located in the west end part of the city of Toronto. According to 2006 Canada census data, "63% of people living in the Jane and Finch area are recognized as visible minority; compared to 47% for the whole of Toronto"(Canada census, 2006). The majority of residents in this area are immigrants from diverse backgrounds. A research done by The North West Community Mental Health Network (NWCMHN) found that “the challenges residents face in accessing programs are discriminatory (racism and the stigma associated with being a resident of the Jane and Finch community); language barriers; cultural misunderstandings; time constraints; transportation; finances; lack of awareness and understanding” (NWCMHN, 2012). After my findings of these challenges, I was eager to learn about all the programs they offer to residents that meet their needs and how one of their programs work to overcome these challenges and incorporate premises and paradigms. The Jane and Finch community and family centre operate various programs and services to target residents of all ages. Some of these programs and services includes, Early Years’, Youth and Focus, Settlements, and Community Development. When I went in to the centre on a Friday morning, I met with a worker who gave me an overview of all the programs they run at the centre and the goal each program meets or is expected to meet for participant’s expectations. The Early Years’ program works with families with children ages 0-6years old. They focus on developing and celebrating the strengths and uniqueness of each child and their parents and/or caregivers. The program is operated for 6days in a week with early opens and late close in order to fit the availability of families. The Youth and Focus program provide access for youth in the area ages 13-30. It helps youth build their individual skills and help develop new skills to become great leaders in their community. The program works to prevent violence and drug misuse by promoting healthy lifestyle for a better future. Also, it offers after school service for youths to seek help with school work, life challenges and socialize with other participants. The youths are peered up with mentors to build close bond built on trust but also respectful and to provide informal advice and guidance when needed. The Settlements services work with new comers in the area and are working to settle in Canada. This program offers services in cultural, social, family support, legal etc. Also, for services that are not available in the area, they offer referrals to other agencies that can provide proper support to residents. The community development program works closely with residents for neighborhood change and support to build a strong and cohesive community.
Services are provided to the community based on the needs reported by residents and actions are taken with residents to empower them to be independent.
In the article "Key characteristics and features of community-based family support programs" by Dunst, he described family support programs as "community -based services to promote the well-being of children and families designated to increase the strength and stability of families, to increase parents' confidence and competence in their parenting abilities, to afford children a stable and supportive family environment, and otherwise enhance child-development." He went further to say that "family support programs are quite diverse and encompass a wide variety of efforts, activities, and initiatives" (Dunst, 1995).
According to Dunst, the goal of family support is...not to provide families with direct services but rather to enhance parent empowerment to enable families to help themselves and their children. In addition, "these programs provide services to families that empower and strengthen adults in their roles as parents, nurturers, and providers (Dunst,
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1995). Weissbourd description of family support programs includes three program parameters: premises, principles and practices. Whereas, Dunst description is composed of three broad program features including principles, paradigm and practices. This paper will focus on two of these parameters; how they are used in the early years’ program at the Jane and Finch community and family centre. While premises focus on reorienting policies and practices in ways consistent with the aims of family support, paradigms focus on "key elements of world views necessary for defining problems and strategies for addressing them" (Dunst, (1995). For the early years’ program, the workers use ecological approach as the program work towards the development of each child as individual, but also create inclusiveness with parents and/or caregivers to develop and retain close and healthy relationship with the children. It supports parents/caregiver’s own parenting style and encourage them to express their rights for the betterment of the children and their families. Due to the diversity of the program, the early years’ program promotes respect for all families so that they can be independent in their parenting. Since the program favour multiple parenting styles and other areas families believe will improve the program and their lives. The program consists of sessions that engage children with each other, their parents and other parents. Some of these sessions include; Peer Nutrition, It’s a Toddler’s World, Healthy Child Day, Baby and You etc. The program offers parents/caregivers education on healthy nutrition for individual family members which demonstrate their value of social support. In the early years’ program, the Jane and Finch community and family centre is grounded to accept participant’s experiences as a guiding tool in improving the program that will be beneficial to both participants and facilitators. Although workers are trained and knowledgeable about the program, they use a family-centered approach to demonstrate equal contribution to the program. They encourage parental growth and development which shows developmental perspective on parenting and a healthy development for each child involved in the program. It advice participants to express concerns and suggestions that they might feel will be relevant and beneficial to the program because each person is there to learn and teach including facilitators. The centre creates opportunities for participants to pass on their experiences and learning to other residents through volunteer, career opportunities etc. According to Dunst, “the prevention orientation of family support programs has been viewed as a major paradigmatic feature that distinguishes these efforts from the treatment focus of most traditional human services programs” (Dunst,1995).
In the early year’s program, the Jane and Finch community and family centre enhance greatly on empowerment model in working with parents/caregivers. Not only does it provide support… but it also implements self-supporting and lifelong skills that will enable parents be the decision makers for their families. In applying the family-centered model through activities such as “Breakfast with Dad”, the program establishes activities that gives equal opportunity to both mothers and father to play their parenting role in children’s lives. “Every family has strengths, and if the emphasis is on supporting strengths rather than rectifying weaknesses, chances for making a difference in the lives of children and their families vastly increased”
(Dunst,1995). The early year’s program recognises and incorporate each parent’s unique strength regardless of beliefs, background and/or ethnicity and this has played a great role in the success of the program and its positive effect on families. In conclusion, the Jane and Finch community and family centre has proven to be the strong support for many families and children in the area. They recognise the diversity of their community and work intensely each day to meet the needs of residents and provide platform for individual and family strength growth. The early years’ program is one of the effective programs offered by the centre that allow parents to grow and become good role model for their children through their developmental stages. In using the premises and paradigms mentioned above in the program, the centre demonstrates the importance of children’s physical, emotional and mental well-being when parents play the primary role in their lives with the guidance and education provided by the centre.
Downs, S., Moore, E., McFadden, E., & Costin, L. (2004). Child welfare and family services: Policies and practice. (7th. Ed., pp. 319-363) Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
As a social worker it is often complex to determine which theory to employ in practice, each client will warrant for an in-debt assessment of the presenting problem and goals the client desires to achieve. This paper will explore one family intervention model that can be applied to the Taylor family. The two theories analyzed are Cognitive Behavioral Family Theory, (CBFT) and Structural Family Theory (SFT); both theories can be utilized when assisting individuals or families. The social worker will focus on the Cognitive Behavioral Family Therapy model when applying treatment and interventions to the Taylor family case.
Gladding, S. T. (2010). Family therapy: History, theory, and practice (5th Ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson
The Presbyterian Homes & Family Services and the Family Alliance is a nonprofit organization offering community-based services for children, adults and families across the Commonwealth of Virginia. This organization resulted from the merger of the Presbyterian Homes & Family Services (PHFS) and the Family Alliance (FA). It is a clear proof of the benefits of applying the “master the art of adaptation” practice praised in Forces for Good by Crutchfield and McLeod.
Parents who are supported in their caregiving role are better able to nurture their children, who have a better chance to grow up to be productive, contributing members of society. Research has demonstrated that programs such as parenting education, support groups, and home visiting are effective and produce positive, significant results for parents and their children. (p. 75)
Child welfare system can provide resources such as child care services for single parents who lack education, which limits their employment. Such services can help the family become financially stable, and hopefully get out of living in poverty. Most services provided to families by the child welfare system have really complicated requirements that make it nearly impossible for them to receive all the necessary resources. For example, the child welfare system currently provides the family with a packet of resources, in which the family on their own must contact agency after agency for services, just to be notified that there are fees to receive services or there are long waiting lists. For the most part, families are then discouraged from asking for further assistance. The child welfare system needs to be able to address the underlying issues that disadvantaged families are dealing with, which may be playing a role in the child
The family unit is recognized as an importance in the field of social work. If a family is in need of temporary assistance, social workers are in full support of this, because
The Calgary Family Assessment Model (CFAM) is a well-known comprehensive and multidimensional template used by nurses to assess families. CFAM begins by having the nurse visit with the family and gain insight on the family’s functioning at a particular point in time. Interviewing the family allows the nurse to assess and identify potential issues. Furthermore, the CFAM consists of three main assessment categories, known as structural, developmental, and functional. Each of these categories contains several subcategories that allow the nurse to examine all aspects of a family’s functioning. The goal of the CFAM is for the nurse to openly discuss family issues, provide insight to families from an outside perspective and guide them towards their own problem solving tactics. CFAM allows families and nurse to develop a plan of care that is mutually agreed upon. The following paper illustrates a family assessment completed using the CFAM and applies nursing diagnoses and interventions relevant to the family’s current issues (Wright & Leahey, 2013).
Nichols, M. P. (2010). Family therapy concepts and methods (9 ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
It is important counselors provide the most effective treatment, especially with interventions and techniques, through empirical evidence of efficacy of counseling. It is the responsibility of counselors to integrate research and practice of intervention selected coincides with standards of care. In Washington State, regional support networks are established to determine membersh...
According to Richard Charles (2001) “the effectiveness of family systems theory rests not much on empirical research but on clinical reports of positive treatment outcomes, the personal benefits experienced by the families that underwent this kind of treatment, and the elegance of Bowen’s theory” (p. 279). Bowen’s family systems theory views the family as an emotional unit and is a theory of human behavior. Systems thinking is used to describe the complex interactions in the unit. However, the client’s ability to differentiate himself/herself from the family of origin is the basis for Bowen’s family systems theory. In addition, the primary focus for growth within the emotional system is differentiation of self.
Taylor, R. D., & Roberts, D. (1995). Kinship support and maternal adolescent well being in economically disadvantaged African American Families. Child Development, 66, 15851597.
Half the children in this country live in homes in which one or both parents work. Twelve million children in this country do not have health insurance, and over 4.5% of all children are victims of suspected child abuse or neglect (Doktor and Poertner). Believe it or not, these are all indicators of the demand for Family Resource Centers within our school systems. Many question whether Family Resource Centers are worth the money the state pours into them. However, in serving students, parents and teachers, there should be no question of their significance. Due to The Kentucky Education Reform Act in the early 1990's we have seen the development of Family Resource Centers in Kentucky, and they are fulfilling expectations and serve a valuable purpose in spite of some skepticism. Being a social work major and growing up in a school system under KERA, I know that family resource centers are important and that all parents, students and teachers need to be informed of all the good they do for a community. To address these points we will discuss the purpose of family resource centers the controversy that surround them and their effectiveness.
...list of support groups to assist in lifestyle adjustment and aid family in providing emotional support.
intervention. Families in Society. Vol. 88, pg. 42. Proquest Direct database. Retrieved February 25, 2015.