Advocacy for Family Well-being.

ANSWER

To address the advocacy needs of one of the families from the case studies (in this case, the Wilson-Joseph family), we can focus on both immediate and long-term needs, as well as advocating for comprehensive change in their community. Here’s a breakdown of how to approach each of these aspects:

Immediate Needs and Community Resources: The Wilson-Joseph family faces several immediate challenges related to immigration, poverty, and addiction. To address their acute needs, the following steps can be taken:

Basic Needs Assistance: Connect the family with local resources such as food banks, shelters, and organizations that provide financial assistance for essential needs like rent and utilities. Ensure the children have access to regular meals and safe housing.
Substance Abuse Treatment: Identify local substance abuse treatment centers and support groups that can provide the parents with the necessary help to overcome addiction. Engage in case management to ensure they receive ongoing support and access to rehabilitation programs.
Parenting and Child Supervision Support: Connect the parents with parenting classes and support groups that can enhance their parenting skills. Address concerns related to child supervision to ensure the children’s safety.
Mental Health Services: Assess the mental health needs of the family members, including the children who may have experienced trauma. Connect them with mental health professionals or therapists who specialize in trauma-informed care.
Legal Assistance: If immigration issues are a primary concern, refer the family to immigration legal services or advocacy organizations that can provide guidance on their legal status and potential pathways to regularization.
Child Welfare Services: Collaborate with child protective services to ensure the safety and well-being of the children. Monitor the family’s progress and compliance with service plans.

Long-Term Needs and Preventing Future Trauma: To prevent further trauma and promote long-term stability for the Wilson-Joseph family:

Education and Employment: Facilitate access to education and job training programs for the parents to improve their employment prospects. Help them secure stable employment to address the poverty-related challenges.
Substance Abuse Aftercare: Ensure the parents have access to aftercare services and support groups to maintain their sobriety. Advocate for relapse prevention programs and ongoing counseling.
Housing Stability: Advocate for affordable housing options and assist the family in finding stable, safe housing. Explore housing subsidies or assistance programs that can help them maintain their living situation.
Child Education and Support: Ensure that the children receive appropriate educational support, including counseling and tutoring if needed, to address the potential academic impact of their family’s challenges.
Community Engagement: Encourage the parents to participate in community activities and support networks to reduce social isolation and build a stronger support system.

Advocating for Community Change: As a social worker, you can push for comprehensive change in the Wilson-Joseph family’s community by:

Community Needs Assessment: Collaborate with local organizations, schools, and community leaders to conduct a needs assessment to identify systemic issues contributing to family instability and trauma.
Advocacy Groups and Coalitions: Join or establish advocacy groups or coalitions that focus on issues such as affordable housing, substance abuse treatment access, and immigration reform. Engage in advocacy efforts to influence policy changes.
Awareness Campaigns: Develop and lead awareness campaigns to educate the community about the challenges faced by families like the Wilson-Josephs. Advocate for more compassionate and inclusive community policies.
Policy Advocacy: Work with local policymakers and elected officials to advocate for changes in laws and regulations that address the root causes of the family’s struggles, such as advocating for affordable housing initiatives and comprehensive addiction treatment programs.
Community Partnerships: Collaborate with local service providers, schools, healthcare facilities, and faith-based organizations to create a network of support services for families in need.

In your advocacy work, uphold NASW ethical principles such as promoting social justice, respecting clients’ self-determination, and ensuring their well-being. By addressing immediate needs, preventing future trauma, and advocating for systemic change, you can contribute to the well-being and stability of the Wilson-Joseph family and the broader community they belong to.

Description

CHILD AND FAMILY ADVOCACY

Social change is a foundational part of the social work profession and social workers have an ethical responsibility to advocate for individual clients and for the larger communities in which they reside (NASW, 2021). Throughout this course, you have examined case studies that featured children and families who have experienced a range of traumas. In Week 4, you met Lin who experienced parental abandonment as an infant and then another set of relational disruptions when her mother reappears and removes her from the relationships and routines she built with her grandmother. In Week 7, you were introduced to Donte whose family had recently experienced a house fire, a major medical emergency, and job loss. Finally, in Week 9, you met the four Wilson-Joseph children whose parents struggle to provide adequate food and supervision because they are overwhelmed by challenges related to immigration, poverty, and addiction. What do you think these families need to address areas of concern and increase stability and well-being? What structural challenges do these families face that hinder this process?

In this Assignment, you serve as an advocate for one of these families by identifying supports to address immediate and long-term needs and reduce the likelihood of further trauma. You also explore ways to push for comprehensive change in the family’s community to create an environment in which all children and families can thrive.

Reference:
National Association of Social Workers. (2021). Code of ethics of the National Association of Social Workers. https://www.socialworkers.org/About/Ethics/Code-of…

To prepare:

Review the Learning Resources on child and family advocacy.

Review the Yang-Harris-Moore family from Week 4, the Brown family from Week 7, and the Wilson-Joseph family from Week 9, and reflect on each of the three families’ short- and long-term needs. Select one of the three families to feature in your Assignment.

Submit a paper addressing the following:

Describe the advocacy the family needs to address acute, immediate needs and identify community resources that could help stabilize the family.

Explain what kind of advocacy the family needs to address long-term needs and prevent trauma from occurring in the future.

Explain how you, as a social worker, could push for change in the family’s community. In your explanation, describe connections between this work and your obligation to uphold NASW ethical principles.

REFERENCES

Cohen Konrad, S. (2020). Child and family practice: A relational perspective (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press.
Chapter 14, “Epilogue” (pp. 391–397)
Johnstone, M. (2021). Centering social justice in mental health practice: Epistemic justice and social work practiceLinks to an external site..?Research on Social Work Practice,?31(6), 634–643. https://doi.org/10.1177/10497315211010957
National Association of Social Workers. (n.d.). AdvocacyLinks to an external site.. https://www.socialworkers.org/Advocacy
Nouman, H., Levin, L., & Lavee, E. (2020). Working through barriers: Shaping social workers’ engagement in policy practiceLinks to an external site..?British Journal of Social Work,?50(4), 1107–1125. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcz08
Document: Biopsychosocial Assessment of Lin Yang-Harris (PDF)
Media
Walden University, LLC. (2023). Case studiesLinks to an external site. [Interactive media]. Walden University Canvas. https://waldenu.instructure.com

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