Family

It is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore the fact that contemporary society still faces a wide range of problems. A family, as a social unit, plays a pivotal role in the social development. Unfortunately, a certain percentage of families does not treat their children appropriately or is not able to afford their well-being. That is why CPS has quite much work regarding the solution of these problems. In fact, such families have to be addressed reasonably, jointly, and with a profound science-based approach. Therefore, the assessment and investigation of such cases is a subject of many researches. Collection of the related knowledge, experience, and empirical findings contribute much to the development of this discipline. One of the most reliable ways to obtain a maximum knowledge is a study because it is real-based and embraces much of practical evidence. Regarding that, the following paper focuses on the discussion and analysis of the case study in which the child suffers from a strict but ambitious and careful father.

To be more specific, the following study gives an account of family history and provides its background, community, and members’ personal information, among others. Moreover, a major attention is paid to the selection and justification of assessment instruments as the entire investigation is heavily dependent upon them. The paper also describes the strategy which is based on the results of assessment and explains a choice of certain activities. Furthermore, Concurrent Case Plan is included, since a case of non-compliance or deviation has to be considered as well. The study is based on a real case so that names, locations, and ethnicities are not mentioned in accordance with HIPAA policy. The case study obtains strictly academic purposes so that the family members are not criticized or offended within the following paper.

Family History

First of all, it is appropriate to give an account of a background of the selected family. It is a middle class family which lives in a small post-industrial town. The family does not have direct relatives who were imprisoned, underwent special anti-addiction treatment, or had any physical and mental disabilities. The family comprises husband, wife, husband’s mother-in-law, and a 6-year-old male child. The community is presented by average middle class citizens without any social deviations. In fact, it is mainly senior citizens who barely interact with the chosen family. A single exclusion can be presented by coffee shop owners who are of the same age as the husband and the wife, but their impact on the family cannot be regarded as negative. It is essential to admit that the child was not removed from the family because of CPS issues, since none of reasons can be observed in this case. However, as the wife admits, her husband tends to be too strict with the child as well as with her. Needless to say, it provokes certain resentfulness from the side of the mother-in-law regarding the relationships of the family couple.

To speak about the age of the family members, it is to be admitted that the wife is 30, the husband is 31, the child is 6, and the mother-in-law is 64 years of age. It is increasingly apparent that there are no late or early children, and the family can be regarded as a prosperous one. It is quite evident that the child was not separated from the family. It can be explained by the early age of the child and relatively sufficient well-being within the family. Thus, the only problem is regular tensions regarding the husband’s relationships with the wife and the child.

Therefore, the environment of the child cannot be regarded as the least restrictive. Although it exposes a minimum of danger, certain concerns have to be expressed before the situation can be potentially worsened. The child is given appropriate care, but his father is distinctly strict with him so that there is a real threat of a psychological trauma that is why counseling intervention is recommended. The child has both parents and grandmother nearby so that the boy is under adult supervision on a regular basis. Moreover, the family does not face any financial hardships, and the child is provided with a regular dining, health care, education, and entertainment. Generally speaking, the placement of the child is maximally suitable, with the exception of the father’s approach of raising.

As for diagnosis of any disabilities concerning the child, it should be admitted that none of developmental deviations were detected. The child develops in accordance with his factual age. He makes progress in reading, counting, and spelling of alphabetical letters. As the mother assumes, the child has an aptitude for foreign languages. It is certainly true to a particular extent as long as children of such age demonstrate a considerable capacity to memorize foreign grammatical forms and vocabulary. In regard to the diagnosis of the parents, the wife as well as the husband is totally healthy from the perspective of mental and physical health. Concerning the child’s grandmother, she has fluctuations of blood pressure which can be referred to peculiarities of senior age rather than to a particular disability. In other words, the grandmother is limited in her ability to look after the child taking into account her blood pressure. However, she plays a minor role in the upbringing of the child, since his mother is a freelancer and able to take care of the boy on a day-to-day basis.

Assessment Instruments

Among a wide range of assessment instruments, the following methods have been chosen. First of all, it is a classical risk, safety, and family assessment. Apparently, this instrument is comprised of three mutually related assessments. Initially, risk assessment is conducted. It is based on a simple observation of the family, the analysis of the entire case and the family’s background. Afterward, safety assessment is required. The instrument studies certain evidence of CPS and similar issues. It is important to note that this stage does not presuppose any decision-making. It can be explained by the fact that the assessment of the family is the last step so that the appropriateness of particular activities has to be agreed with family conditions, previous evidence of child freedom restriction, and current situation within the family. Usually, this set of instruments is applied within 60 initial days of the case with consideration of reporting, screening, and investigation (Brittain & Hent, 2004).

In fact, this complex of methods is the most basic that is why it can be universally applied. Therefore, certain results can be expected in the chosen family’s case accordingly. A particular advantage of this instrument is based on the fact that the majority of empirical and theoretical works of literature considers this method to be particularly focused on the complex approach comprising solutions and investigation. It is a standardized instrument, and numerous frameworks and reports of past experience are available. However, complexity does not have to be perceived as an advantage only (Brittain & Hent, 2004). In fact, it implies various gaps so that this instrument requires sufficient attention and framework. Instead, this set of instruments is not culturally biased and equally works with different cultural or ethnic groups (Austin, 2013). Therefore, it is the most apt assessment instrument, especially at the initial stages of the cases analysis. That is why a second method of assessment is needed for a more profound evaluation of the case.

The second assessment instrument is a so-called consensus-based method. Apparently, this instrument involves opinions of multiple specialists in the related spheres. It can be applied multiple times until a right solution is found. The main principle of this method is accumulation of numerous professional opinions in order to create a profound picture of the case. By the same token, this assessment instrument is equally effective for different cases. In such a way, consensus-based instrument is both universally applied and easily customized. It may require the involvement of reliable specialists, but such situation is usually infrequent, since a strategically wrong suggestion is obviously seen in the entire complex of opinions (Austin, 2013). Moreover, the chosen case does not require the involvement of many professionals so that opinions of three or four specialists are quite sufficient, which does not belong to a group of especially risky evidence of child harassment.

Thus, this assessment instrument is appropriate regarding the terms of the case. There is a wide range of factors which can potentially become a core of the entire case. That is why the application of consensus-based method will help make the most accurate decision regarding the causes and further activities aimed at improving the situation. In fact, this instrument is frequently used by professionals who are strongly convinced that the collection of past experience is essential for the solution of the current cases. Therefore, this method is scientifically approved and has analogues. It is an actuarial instrument of assessment which is also based on the analysis of the past experience of similar cases. Moreover, this instrument is less empirical so that consensus-based instrument is obviously more applicable even though it can be limited in terms of availability of reliable professionals.

Assessment Results

As the complex of the described assessment instruments has identified, the main strength of the family is its financial and health well-being. In other words, the husband as well as the wife earns quite sufficient salaries. As a consequence, the family is able to afford insurance, medication, and any other special needs related to their well-being. Conversely, the family is in an evident need of vacation or even rearrangement of lifestyle (Federle, 2012). Family analysis has distinguished that the husband works quite hard so that the family barely spends weekends and holidays together even though the husband’s earnings will not decrease in case he stays with his family at days-off.

Taking this point into account, it should be admitted that the application of the assessment instruments was sufficiently effective. Apparently, reporting and observation were two main tools which helped to succeed in the identification of the family’s needs. What is more, these tools have directly highlighted a cause of this need. In fact, the husband seems to be quite ambitious as long as he devotes excessive time to his job and works unsocial hours. A high requirement to himself is reflected on his family that cannot be equally tough and down-to-earth. To return to the subject of assessment instruments’ efficiency, it is worth saying that with the help of family assessment, it was achieved a major result. It was analyzed a financial perspective of the family that correlated with the family’s frequency and capacity to spend weekends together. Moreover, observation has added the fact that the husband returns from work late nearly on a regular basis. Furthermore, consensus-based instrument has made a final decision which is supported by all four specialists involved in this phase of the investigation (Haet, 2014). As a result, such combination of assessment instruments was successful for the chosen case.

It is fair to admit that there has been no uncertainty about the choice of these instruments. It can be explained by the fact that they were standardized and approved by theoretical researches and in practice. In addition, the involvement of high-class specialists is a sound reason to approve of the given results. However, actuarial instrument could have been also implied as long as the evidence of such cases is comparatively frequent within many countries and ethnic groups. That is why some theoretical grounds should have been provided for the case.

As it has been already mentioned, the assessment instruments have made a distinct contribution to the investigation of the family. The insight into the family has been revealed to a sufficient extent. However, it was decided to conduct an interview with the husband in order to insure his desire of being ambitious in regard to his occupation (Hasday, 2014). The husband was absent and busy most of the time so that it was impossible to successfully conduct the interview. In fact, it could have clarified many issues, and the case would have been solved considerably faster. Generally speaking, the application of the assessment instruments can be regarded as successful because the investigation has at least false orientation. Provided that this approach is wrong, actuarial and consensus-based instruments can be utilized to achieve full insight into the family. Furthermore, the investigation is far from losing control over the case so that it is possible to take some time for experiments and conduct extra research. Thus, these are the most important findings of case assessment so that they are sufficient for the development of a certain solution plan which is worth discussing as well.

Proposed Tasks

With regard to the family’s case, it is suggested to convince the husband to try a new lifestyle. Initially, it is crucial to conduct the interview with him. It is supposed to include more questions than before, since the objectives of this interview are now quite different. During the interview, the husband has to be convinced that family can be also considered as an object of personal pride. Furthermore, every single human-being needs rest so that family weekends are pivotal for him. Apparently, this is a simple strategy which can be completed within twelve months. Needless to say, it does not have to be started proactively as it will cause unnecessary stress for the husband as well as the entire family. It should not be presented as an obligatory requirement for him so that he will be able to have freedom of choice and self-respect, which are extremely essential for an ambitious person (Goldstein, 2007).

The compliance and positive changes in the family can be assessed by the same assessment instruments. It is an appropriate decision, as the outlined instruments do not measure extents of standard deviation but give a general account concerning a particular way. In such a way, well-being of the family can be measured again and compared to its previous condition. Actuarial instrument can be also applied in order to insure the relevance of the strategy’s outcomes from theoretical perspective. Speaking about agencies which can potentially offer assistance of their specialists, first of all it is necessary to pay attention to family psychologists or counselors. In fact, the family needs someone who is able to talk to the husband and convince him. However, it does not have to be any medical or clinical intervention. The family needs reasonable participation of a professional third party which is capable of giving relevant advice.

As the family history was mentioned, the community comprises mainly senior citizens so that there is no such type of agencies in the nearest area. Nevertheless, some of such agencies are obviously available in a large town; thus, one meeting per week is quite possible. Thus, none of considerable obstacles for the family counseling can occur. Instead, it will bring a substantial benefit, since the husband will not feel much pressure concerning regular meetings with the psychologist. The suggested services can be provided at any phase of the case. The assessment of the case has not indicated any high probabilities of fast or unexpected worsening of the situation that is why the outlined strategy is not tied to a certain time frame (Westman, 2009). However, it should not last long itself with the husband only, since the wife and the mother-in-law are also expected to participate to form appropriate reactions on the husband’s behavior.

It is increasingly apparent that these services are quite flexible for the entire family. However, the hardest obstacle is a need to persuade the husband to find some free time to weekly attend meetings. In fact, it can be a part of the treatment (Ross, 2009). To the largest extent, family psychologists can talk to the husband without his initial acknowledgement about the session. Provided that the husband is convinced to visit the psychologist, he will not refuse to quit the session. To return to the point of potential obstacles concerning the services, family assessment has conformed financial well-being of the family so that it will not be an expensive service. The wife is a freelancer and the mother-in-law is retired that gives an extra opportunity to meet with their psychologists within the week regularly and on special occasions.

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