SOCW 6215 WU Identifying Community Resources for Stabilization Essay

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