Introduction
In social work practice, it is vital for practitioners to always take the person-in-environment stance. This perspective enriches social work practice because social work practitioners appreciate the significance of understanding a person and their behavior after taking into consideration the surroundings in the area of residence or work of the person. Hence the essence of the ecological model. Brandon has demonstrated physical aggression as one of the challenging behaviors that required addressing using therapy. The ecological model can be applied to understand Brandon’s situation regarding his problematic behaviors.
Use of The Ecological Model in Brandon’s Case
The model considers the intricate associativity of individual, relationship, community, and societal factors (Payne, 2020). The model might be used to comprehend the various conditions that expose Brandon to physically aggressive behavior and violence. Through the model, Brandon would be shielded from attempting violence. Brandon said that between the ages of 4 and 6, his father had frequently molested him sexually. In a way, Brandon’s upbringing and surroundings helped him adjust and grow. Because of his father’s actions, Brandon developed habits that changed their connection as father and son and the surrounding circumstances. The Social Worker can assist Brandon in repressing his feelings of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder via individual and family therapy and counseling by recognizing the impact of sexual abuse and the trauma it generates on the Social Development of Infants and Children. The social worker may assist Brandon in creating a new setting where he feels safer and less stressed by helping him construct a safe zone and writing a story based on his experiences from his point of view.
A social worker can easily transition from micro to macro levels regarding social treatment through the ecological model. For Brandon’s situation, an environmental perspective is a tool that the social worker can use to improve Brandon’s life. Through the introduction and sustenance of psychotherapy techniques in Brandon’s treatment, direct and indirect techniques are employed at the micro level producing a positive effect on the macro level.
Strengths Missed from Earlier Assessment
The capacity of Brandon and his mother to be receptive to meeting with a social worker based on prior sentiments is one of their strengths that the social worker could have overlooked while evaluating them. Because she did not want her kid to be diagnosed and was unsure whether she agreed with the use of psychotropic medications on youngsters, Brandon’s mother initially rejected educational or psychological testing in his situation. It was not until Brandon began his trauma-focused therapy that Brandon’s mother agreed to meet the agency psychiatrist. After the initial consultation, she decided to have Brandon meet the doctor. The mother believed her son would become a violent sexual offender due to his experience with childhood sexual abuse. It demonstrates the difference between a Social Worker training her and merely his instructor telling her what she has to do for her son.
Social Work Ethics and Values
Social work practitioners improve people’s lives, which has an overall effect of improving society as a whole. Social workers provide services through institutions such as the government, nonprofits, and private agencies. As they serve individuals and the community, they are guided by the NASW Code of Ethics. It is a guideline for the daily professional conduct of a social worker. In Brandon’s case, the social worker applied social work ethics and values through social justice and service. Social workers fight for the underdogs, the outcasts, and everyone who needs their voice to be heard. In addition to educating those who may not directly encounter prejudice about the problems of those who might not have the same degree of privileges in our society, social workers offer information, support, and other resources to those seeking equality. In Brandon’s case, the social worker is fighting the social injustice of sexual harassment. All social workers prioritize empowering individuals, families, and communities (Barsky, 2017). All other social work values flow from the value of service.
Review of Initial Identified challenges
At the start of his therapy, Brandon constantly feared for his physical safety but was frequently unable to identify the source of his fears (Plummer et al., 2014). As a result, he would become more worried, sleep poorly, and be physically aggressive. These are the initially identified challenges. Brandon would not have been able to compose his story to describe his abuse from his point of view if he had not met with the social worker. Brandon may have developed into a violent adult. Brandon’s sentiments would have stayed internalized if he had not been able to talk to his mother about them and build coping mechanisms. Therefore, he would still act aggressively against his mother and her partner at home and would not have modified his conduct at school. His language toward his female peers would also have become more sexually suggestive. By addressing every internal emotion Brandon is experiencing, his strengths have grown, making him more equipped to face his abuser whenever the time comes for him to test his parole and defend staying behind bars against his father. Although Brandon has said he still loves his father, he does not enjoy the fact that he has injured him so severely. After finishing his therapy, he can still attend support groups as required, and he is taking antidepressants at a low dosage to help him cope with what he has gone through.
References
Barsky, A. (2017). Ethics Alive! The 2017 NASW code of ethics: What’s new. The New Social Worker.
Payne, M. (2020). Modern social work theory. Bloomsbury Publishing.
Plummer, S. B., Makris, S., & Brocksen, S. M. (2014). Social work case studies: Foundation year.
write