Strengths Perspective The strengths perspective focuses on the strengths and resiliency in a family in order to overcome struggles and assist the family in reaching their full potential. The premise of this perspective is that every family has capabilities that can be built upon to triumph over adversity. These difficulties are seen as opportunities for growth in the family. Although this approach is strength based, it is important not to dismiss problems within the family, instead focus on the strengths that can be used to overcome problems (Anderson, 2013). This perspective moves away from the problem focused medical model and instead focuses on strengths in order to help families achieve their goals related to well-being. This approach views the person or family as the expert, having unique talents and resources. The social worker assists the family in building upon their strengths in order to achieve the family’s goals (Anderson, 2013). This perspective is in keeping with the Social Work value of self-determination because the family directs the goals and interventions in collaboration with the social worker. The focus of an assessment is on the family’s vision and drawing out the strengths to accomplish this vision; requiring that the social worker use a person in environment approach to capture an understanding of the family’s strengths and resources (Anderson, 2013). The strengths approach empowers the family to build upon their own resources and tends to produce a more positive, lasting change because the family has ownership in the plans and changes they are implementing. Additionally, this approach helps the family to continue to utilize the skills obtained when required in the future, furthering their capacity and gr... ... middle of paper ... ...ure in their family but they have many strengths to build upon. The family has a committed love for one another, and a genuine regard for each family members well-being. The family has significant support and is financially stable. Additionally, the family works very cooperatively and seem to derive great joy from interactions with one another. Although Kayla has faced many traumatic events in her very young life, she is a generally happy child and appears to trust her grandparents a great deal. Kayla exhibits that she feels very safe and secure in her grandparent’s home. She is also a very smart, articulate child which helps her to better process her past trauma. Although the family has barriers to overcome they are committed to the goals they have set and the strategies that are being utilized in order to build upon their strengths and overcoming their hardships.
The person-in-environment approach views a client’s problems by how they react to the environmental contexts within their environment and how they occur. According to Gordon and Richmond, it has been stated that the person-in-environment approach is the “cornerstone” of social work practice. (as cited in Rogers, 2016, p.24). A clients’ systems are the interrelated aspects of a clients’ lives where all parts come together to function. Social workers utilize and focus on a clients’ systems when applying the person-in-environment. A clients’ system is anything that they interact with and hold roles in their lives. These systems can be on a micro level which is the individual and their biology, personality, and genetics. The individuals’ mezzo level would include their immediate environment, family, school, friends, or work. A macro level would include the larger social aspects of a clients’ life such as government policies, discrimination, oppression, or social class. Social workers incorporate these interactions and how they impact clients’ and their presenting problems. This theory and approach are beneficial as it allows a social worker to find out what resources are available to the client during their time with the worker (Rodgers,
According to the Merriam Webster online Dictionary, the word “family” means a group of individuals living under one roof and usually under one head. The Walls family fit under that characteristic but they were far from the average family. The Walls children had to endure numerous hardships in life which later on enabled them to become successful and productive members of society. Although some people might argue that the Walls children would have been better off if they were removed from their home and placed under foster care, actually it was in the children’s best interest to grow up with their parents even if this meant having to overcome difficult times because of their parent’s lack of parenting skills.
She would mostly be alone and sit by herself being buried in books or watching cartoons. In high school she attended a program for troubled adolescents and from there she received a wide range of support from helping her get braces to helping her get information to attend community college. (59) Even with this she was already too emotionally unstable due to her family issues and felt like she couldn’t go through with her dreams to travel and even go into the art of culinary. She suffers from psychological problems such as depression and worries constantly about almost every aspect in her life from work to family to her boyfriend and just hopes that her life won’t go downhill. (60) Overall Kayla’s family structure shows how different is it now from it was in the 1950’s as divorce rates have risen and while before Kayla’s type of family structure was rare now it is becoming more common. This story helps illustrate the contributions of stress that children possess growing up in difficult homes in which they can’t put their own futures first they must, in some cases, take care of their guardian’s futures first or others around them. Again, this adds into the inequality that many face when it comes to being able to climb up the ladder and become successful regardless of where one
Social workers address people’s problems every day, but it’s the identification of people’s strengths that provides clues for how to solve their problems and improve their life situations (Saleeby, 2013, pp.17-20).
Napier provides a crucial exploration of the therapy of a family struggling with battles for the structure of their family and battles to define and grow their relationships with one another. Napier and Whitaker seamlessly and purposely work with each family member, educating and
Utilizing strengths based perspective with clients enables social workers to focus on the client and family strengths and abilities instead of focusing on the client and family’s problems, bad behaviors and pathologies. The strengths based perspective applies six principles that guide the social worker professional in assisting client’s with the strengths based model; we all have areas of strength, but sometimes it takes an unbiased third party to notice and help others clearly see what they are capable of achieving, even in the midst of their crisis.
The first framework that would be beneficial when working with this population is the Dual Perspective Framework. The Dual Perspective Framework is a model that charges the social worker with assessing and understanding the client’s world. While doing so, one must take into account the client’s relationship to not only their immediate family and community, but also to the larger societal system while considering and comparing values, attitudes, and behaviors (Prigoff, 2003, p. 80). Another way to explain the Dual Perspective was presented by Dr. Nimmagadda as part of the diversity section of this course (2015). The contrasting views are also known as the “Nurturing Environment” versus the “Sustaining Environment.” The “Nurturing Environment” can be identified as the individual’s family or immediate extended family, while the “Sustaining Environment” can be identified as how an individual feels other’s view them in the social environment (Nimmagadda, 2015). An individual can evolve and change according to their experiences and interactions in both environments.
Like any family, certain issues and forms of stress are constantly occurring within a family. Every family is unique in its ability to adjust and overcome challenges. The ongoing interactions of the family members influence its functioning ability and overall structure (Kaakinen, Gedaly-Duff, Padgett-Coehlo, & Harmon-Hanson, 2010). A family nurse has the power to promote wellness by ensuring the affective functions of the family are being met among the members of the Goldsmith family and family communication is strong for effective decision-making. Affective function is the relationships shared between the members within the family...
A major strength in the film was interviewing both the adults in the families and the adolescents in the families. By doing so, it gave the viewer a better understanding of how the meaning of family changes over time. The adolescents in the film had more individualistic meaning of family, they were more concerned with being personally satisfied then their parents had felt. Another strength in the film was interviewing a diverse group of families, such as, a single parent family, a blended family, and a family with parents who have not divorced. By hearing the stories of families from this diverse group, the viewer was able to see how different families functioned and the different roles that families
Family and individual characteristics afford the ability to overcome hardship (Seccombe, 2016). If family provides a safe environment of open communication, acceptance and commitment to one another through good and bad times it is a strong support system (Seccombe, 2016). Equally, an individual with self confidence, intelligence, common sense, creativity and independence has the resources to be resilient (Seccombe,
The Olson’s family experienced a shift in their life when John and Susan lost their jobs, and when their 3 year old daughter died in a car crash. According to Smith and Hamon (2012), a family is composed of many members who have their own roles and expectations, and when those roles or expectations are broken, families experience difficulties. (Smith, and Hamon 2012). Based on the Family Systems Theory, families need to be viewed as
A social worker must have the knowledge and skills to apply to intervention strategies that can address key issues through a wide range of tools (Miley, O’Melia & Dubois 2013, p. 7). To devise an intervention plan for the case study, Miley’s (2013, p. 112) four step model is utilised.
2. Aspects of human development, individual wellbeing, and sociological and environmental factors are important basis for devising appropriate interventions in casework. How could describe the family member’s level of wellbeing in terms of biological, psychosocial, spiritual and social and economic areas.
As Proverbs 6:20 says “My son, keep your father's commandment, and forsake not your mother's teaching.” The book The Successful Family” written by Ellen G. White, it highlights certain principles, morals and values which are vital for the successful development of the family unit. The book is made up of sections designated to each member of the family, in which each person has different responsibilities which must be carried out in order for the unit to work, these sections also help us to understand each member of the family as unique individuals, who have various needs and feelings
Weick, A., Rapp, C., Sullivan, W., & Kisthardt, W. (1989). A Strengths Perspective for Social Work Practice. Social Work, 34(4), 350-354.