Family Assessment and Care Plan

Social workers have a unique role in providing support to individuals, families, and, ultimately, the entire community. They often assist in times of crisis and are well-equipped to work with people from all walks of life. Documenting the services social workers provide is essential in helping to ensure that those in need receive appropriate services. This essay will discuss the importance of establishing services in social work and how it relates to family dynamics. It will also analyze the family dynamics observed in the Southside Community Services (SCS) video and provide an appropriate assessment of the case.

Importance of Documenting Services in Social Work

Documenting services is an integral part of social work practice. Documentation provides a record of the services rendered, which can be used as legal evidence. Additionally, it allows for continuity between care providers, ensuring that all parties involved in a case can remain updated on its progress. Documentation can also increase accountability by providing an accurate record of client services and help inform best practices for future cases (Gross et al., 2019). Documentation is also valuable in providing education and training opportunities for both practitioners and patients. Documentation allows practitioners to review the course of intervention and make changes based on the outcomes of previous cases. Furthermore, written documentation can be used as part of patient education initiatives and studying social work research topics (Kirst-Ashman & Hull, 2018).

Family Dynamics Reflected in Southside Community Services Video

In the Southside Community Services video, there is an apparent tension between Mrs. Bargas and her daughter Amy. Mrs. Bargas expresses her fear that her daughter has been shutting her out, keeping her in the dark about what is happening. On the other hand, Amy argues that her mother has shifted their focus to taking care of her younger brother instead of concentrating on her own needs.

It is noteworthy that Mrs. Bargas and Amy have some reservations before they start talking with Linda. Mrs. Bargas is wary of Linda because she does not know what they might talk about, while Amy worries that her mother will not consider her feelings. This demonstrates an element of mistrust between the two family members and a tendency for Amy to feel as though her opinions are not valued. Additionally, Mrs. Bargas relies heavily on Amy for support, which can be a burden for a young woman.

Family Assessment

Family Description

The family discussed in the Southside Community Services video consists of Mrs. Bargas, her daughter Amy, and her son, who is not present for the interview. Mrs. Bargas is a single mother in her late 40s, and both Amy and her younger brother are teenagers attending high school. They live in a middle-class neighborhood, and Mrs. Bargas is employed full-time in a marketing job.

Social Support and Current Living Arrangements

The family has some extended family living nearby, such as Mrs. Bargas’ sister and parents, but they are not actively involved in daily family life. The family also has some close friends and neighbors who provide emotional support when needed. The family lives in an apartment in a suburban area of Florida.

Family Characteristics

Mrs. Bargas works hard and is dedicated to providing for her children. She is also a firm religious believer and is involved in her local church. Amy and her brother are both known for being good students and often help around the house with chores. They have also developed good relationships with their teachers and classmates.

Family Dynamics

Mrs. Bargas and Amy do not seem to communicate well with each other, and Mrs. Bargas often feels ignored. Amy has taken on the role of “mother” to her younger brother and feels overwhelmed by the additional responsibilities she has taken on. The mother and daughter are often in disagreement regarding handling the household tasks, with Mrs. Bargas trying to enforce her authority on Amy, who sometimes rebels against it.

Presenting Problems

The family has several presenting problems, most of which stem from their lack of communication and strained mother-daughter relationship. Specifically, they have the following issues:

1. Lack of communication: Mrs. Bargas and Amy rarely talk to each other, and when they do, it is usually unproductive.
2. Unresolved conflicts: There is often tension between the two family members due to unresolved conflicts.
3. Overburdening of responsibilities: Amy has taken on extra responsibilities for caring for her younger sibling, which can lead to burnout over time.

Prioritized Problem

The most pressing issue for this family is the need for more communication between Mrs. Bargas and Amy, which prevents them from addressing their other issues. The lack of communication creates a cycle in which disagreements remain unresolved, and tensions continue to rise, further straining the relationship between Mrs. Bargas and Amy.

Goals and Interventions

The goal, in this case, should be to improve communication and conflict resolution between Mrs. Bargas and Amy. To achieve this goal, the following interventions can be employed:

1. Family counseling: Family counseling sessions will facilitate communication between Mrs. Bargas and Amy by providing a safe environment where they can talk and share their thoughts and feelings. Mrs. Bargas expressed concern about Amy’s lack of communication and how it affects their relationship. This highlights the significance of fostering open communication between the two parties. Through this process, Mrs. Bargas can better understand Amy’s experiences and help her constructively express her feelings. Moreover, both mother and daughter can work on developing healthy communication strategies to deal with their disagreements. This will create an atmosphere conducive to a more positive and productive relationship. Ultimately, family counseling can offer a platform wherein Mrs. Bargas and Amy can discuss their issues openly without fear of judgment or accusation, potentially leading to greater understanding and improved communication between them.
2. Individual counseling: Individual counseling sessions with Amy will focus on her feelings of being overwhelmed with taking care of her younger brother and other responsibilities. This will provide her an outlet to discuss her feelings and develop strategies to create a better balance between her needs and those of her family. The initial session will also prioritize fostering an open line of communication between Amy and her mother. Encouraging discussion about Amy’s schoolwork, extracurricular activities, and other concerns will allow Mrs. Bargas to understand better what is going on in her daughter’s life and support her. Mrs. Bargas must be willing to actively listen to her daughter and exercise empathy when exploring Amy’s feelings and experiences. Additionally, the session will work to note any areas of resistance or avoidance on either of their behalf that could impede their ability to communicate openly and honestly. Setting boundaries, setting timelines for topics that need to be revisited, and creating a safe space for discussion can all help in building trust. Individual psychotherapy or family therapy may be considered further down the line if further intervention is needed.
3. Coping skills building: Mrs. Bargas and Amy can learn better-coping mechanisms to address their conflicts more healthily. This can include learning techniques such as active listening, effective communication, active problem-solving, and effective conflict resolution. Mrs. Bargas and Amy need to take the time to discuss the issues that have been going on between them in a positive, non-judgemental environment. Mrs. Bargas expressed that she is feeling out of touch with her daughter’s life and Amy is feeling overwhelmed with responsibilities. Together they can start to work on their communication and conflict-resolution strategies by actively listening to each other and understanding each other’s needs. This can include setting aside dedicated time each week to share stories and updates, utilizing active problem-solving techniques, working on constructive ways of expressing emotional frustrations, and developing strategies for healthier conflict resolution. Additionally, Mrs. Bargas and Amy can both focus on implementing relaxation and stress reduction techniques, such as mindfulness practices, engaging in low-impact physical activity, and self-care to reduce stress levels (Armour et al., 2019). These strategies and techniques can help the two learn healthier ways to communicate better and manage their stress levels during the conflict.

Community Resources

The following community resources can be used in this case:

1. Florida’s Children First (FCF) organization provides a range of counseling and intervention services to families with children struggling with developmental, behavioral, and psychological issues (Rambler et al., 2022). FCF professionals are trained to provide comprehensive assessments, diagnose mental health issues, and suggest individualized strategies for improving family communication. Intervention programs tailored to meet the needs of each family are provided to encourage healthy family relationships while providing necessary support structures.
2. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) offers support through group meetings, educational programs, and resources that can help families navigate their mental illnesses. NAMI also offers various services, such as crisis intervention, skills training, and mental health advocacy (Rohrer, 2021). These services can help individuals and families learn to cope with the challenges of living with a mental health condition.
3. The Southside Community Services agency offers assistance and guidance to those in need with housing support, education opportunities, employment training, and other social service programs. Such services provide people with resources to help them make the best decisions for their individual needs and those of their families. These programs allow individuals to resolve issues through holistic means to prevent problem behavior in children.

In conclusion, this essay has discussed the importance of documenting services in social work and how it relates to family dynamics. It then analyzed the family dynamics observed in the Southside Community Services video and assessed the case. Documenting services is essential for providing an accurate record of services rendered and creating accountability with clients. In this case, the family has multiple presenting problems, such as a lack of communication, unresolved conflicts, and an overload of responsibilities. Counseling sessions with the family and individuals, coping skills-building activities, and support from community resources are proposed as interventions to address these issues.

References

Armour, M., Smith, C. A., Steel, K. A., & Macmillan, F. (2019). The effectiveness of self-care and lifestyle interventions in primary dysmenorrhea: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC complementary and alternative medicine, 19(1), 1-16.

Gross, D., Ilic, D., Choi, S., Goscha, R., Moos, R., Pieper, C., & Cella, D. (2019). The importance of documentation in clinical practice. BMC Family Practice, 20(1), 1-6.

Rambler, R. M., Rinehart, E., Boehmler, W., Gait, P., Moore, J., Schlenker, M., & Kashyap, R. (2022). A Review of the Association of Blue Food Coloring With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms in Children. Cureus, 14(9).

Kirst-Ashman, K. K., & Hull, G. H. (2018).Understanding generalist practice (8th ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.

Rohrer, A. J. (2021). Law enforcement and persons with mental illness: responding responsibly. Journal of police and criminal psychology, 36(2), 342-349.