Family Services Case Study

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Pages: 6

Project One: Description The Department of Family Services works with families facing a variety of challenges. Most of these challenges stem from one of two things: an individual or family’s lack of resources, or addiction. Social workers in the department frequently comment on the recent rise of cases dealing with addiction, specifically opioids and alcohol. During a staff meeting, a case manager within Protection and Preservation Services mentioned that it was very difficult to find treatment options for clients. She shared that when she wanted to recommend someone to a service she had to go research what was available, which was time consuming and not always effective. This is when the idea of a resource guide was created. The resource …show more content…
The first is a “Family in Need of Services” case (FINS), which is when a family meets certain criteria that allows them to be assigned a case manager. These cases typically involve unstable housing situations, or families who are not able to meet their basic needs. The second is a “CPS Ongoing” case, which is when child protective services can no longer provide management to the case, but the family continues to need assistance. Each case type provides its own unique set of challenges, but the latter typically involves a lot more clinical interventions, as the families are not always happy to accept the help being forced upon them. Project two documents a meeting with a client was growing frustrated with the department’s involvement with his family. The project is a process recording that will include sections on the background of the client, the purpose for meeting him, the interaction, and a reflection after the meeting. It will also include the case note submitted after the …show more content…
When you are deeply involved in a family’s life they start to open up and look to the social worker for advice, guidance or even just a listening ear. Even the clients who are angry or skeptical reach out in their own way. For project two, the client was incredibly unhappy and was determined to let that be known during his weekly meeting. Strategies were used to de-escalate the client, and the interaction became more appropriate. For this project the core competency “Engage with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations and Communities” was used. Additionally, “Demonstration of Professional Skill and Knowledge.” Throughout the interaction, no matter how heated it became, it remained professional and controlled, and this was able to happen because of developed skill and