Theoretical Foundations of Social Work Practice and Practice Model Assignment

Assignment Task

Part A

Explain why theories are important to social work practice. 

Part B

Explain Critical Realism. Describe Structural Theory. 

Part C

Select one of the case studies provided and answer the following question. How could both of the theories described above inform your social work practice with the people and services described in your chosen scenario? 

Part D

Which theory resonated most with your values and practice and why? 

CASE STUDY

You are a Social Worker in a Housing Support Program that provides case management support to people who are at risk of losing their tenancy. The program you are working in is funded by the Federal Australian government. The house in question is owned and administered by a state funded housing NGO and all referrals into the program come from the NSW Government Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ). To be eligible for this program families have to have been homeless and also identified as needing support to sustain a tenancy.

A referral is received for a family with the identified issue in the referral being difficulty maintaining the property (squalor) and rental arrears. the Housing provider is requesting your service to help family put in place a payment plan and provide support to clean up the property in order to avoid breaches against the tenancy and possible eviction. The referral also states that a report has been made to Child Services due to concerns that the Children are not being looked after and living in poor living conditions.

The family are of mixed ethnicity. Kaylie (Mum) is First Nations from the (Noongar People); Rua (Dad) is of Maori descent, having moved from New Zealand to Australia with his family, as a child; Brayden (13); Dylan (11); Simone (10); Shyla (10); Taylor (9), Brianna (6) and Latrell (3). 

You make an appointment to go out and meet with Kaylie and Rua to undertake an assessment, Rua wasn't able to attend but you were able to meet with Kaylie at the house. During your assessment with Kaylie you were able to ascertain the following information;

• A large dog is present when you arrive. It walks with a limp and barks very aggressively at you on arrival.
• The property is a three-bedroom house with a small kitchen
• Kaylie and Rua have three biological children (Brayden, Simone and Latrell). Dylan, Shyla, Taylor & Brianna are Rua’s Nieces and Nephews who have been temporarily placed in their car as Rua's Sister is not able to currently care for them due to being in a long-term psychiatric hospital admission.
• Kaylie tells you that they have recently fallen behind on their rent due to having not received financial support for looking after the children temporarily and have had to get them settled into a new school. Kaylie says that they don't want to tell Child Services in case they decide to remove the children all together.
• Kaylie acknowledges not being able to keep up with the housework and being at times overwhelmed, She tells you that Rua is also feeling overwhelmed and has started to talk about feeling ‘really stressed and angry like before, say’s he can’t sleep or think stright’.
•  In talking with Kaylie and walking through the property you try and make a plan to conduct a 'clean up' and discard some of the items that aren't needed/rubbish but you start to realise that the items aren't 'rubbish', the family just has a lot of stuff due to having seven children living in the house.
• Kaylie eventually tells you that Rua isn’t present because he is doing ‘cash only’ labouring work for a local building firm. Kaylie says that this is intermittent, but they use it to buy groceries.
• Brayden is present during the interview, although it is a school day. He appears to be looking after Latrell, feeding him lunch, and playing a video game with him on his phone. You ask Kaylie why Brayden is home on a school day. She tells you he doesn’t like school ‘because of the reading’ and would rather ‘look after the young ones’.

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