This blog is for current and former students of Dr. Susan Talley's Families and Social Policy class to continue the discussion started during class. You, your friends, and interested family members are welcome to post about current events and how it might affect families. The only rules are to be respectful of all perspectives and to think critically about the discussion.
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Role of Social Services
We have recently been talking about our role as social service workers. Where do you think we should step in when a family isn't doing well; or, what would be the best way to work toward healthy families?
This is a hard topic of concern. My biggest concern is for the children. if the well being of the children are being displaced then I feel it is necessary to help provide for the children. I wonder if some form of mandatory class on rearing positive families could be made by the government. I know that is a huge long shot, but I think awareness and knowledge are key to healthy families. Making some form of required intervention would make is a normal thing for families to have interventions. This may invade so much privacy and break policies on parent rights. It just seems like a relevant topic. It would be nice to provide some from of class at the hospital, so the moment that they become parents they will be aware of the responsibility. Abuse and neglect in families I assume is more common than Shaken Baby Syndrome, and the hospital provides a video to watch I think called the The Purple Cry. I am not sure what the best option is to do for these families that are struggling.
I agree that we need to focus on education and prevention rather than always waiting for a problem to happen and then trying to fix it. I was just doing some research on methamphetamine-exposed babies and how they should be identified early for the best chance in life. Because of stereotypes, many women who are not using drugs still get tested and many who don't fit the "drug user look" don't get tested even through their children need it. The author of the chapter I was reading recommended that all babies, from all walks of life and all appearances, get tested for drug exposure at birth. That was we're not singling out anyone for "looking" a certain way, and we're not missing those who don't immediately catch our attention because of how we think drug users "should" look or behave. I could see something like this applied to parent education. Maybe not a required class, since that would be very invasive and hard to implement, but possibly every baby could go home with a booklet or brochure with some easy tips included and information for more in-depth resources available in the community.
This is a hard topic of concern. My biggest concern is for the children. if the well being of the children are being displaced then I feel it is necessary to help provide for the children. I wonder if some form of mandatory class on rearing positive families could be made by the government. I know that is a huge long shot, but I think awareness and knowledge are key to healthy families. Making some form of required intervention would make is a normal thing for families to have interventions. This may invade so much privacy and break policies on parent rights. It just seems like a relevant topic. It would be nice to provide some from of class at the hospital, so the moment that they become parents they will be aware of the responsibility. Abuse and neglect in families I assume is more common than Shaken Baby Syndrome, and the hospital provides a video to watch I think called the The Purple Cry. I am not sure what the best option is to do for these families that are struggling.
ReplyDeleteI agree that we need to focus on education and prevention rather than always waiting for a problem to happen and then trying to fix it. I was just doing some research on methamphetamine-exposed babies and how they should be identified early for the best chance in life. Because of stereotypes, many women who are not using drugs still get tested and many who don't fit the "drug user look" don't get tested even through their children need it. The author of the chapter I was reading recommended that all babies, from all walks of life and all appearances, get tested for drug exposure at birth. That was we're not singling out anyone for "looking" a certain way, and we're not missing those who don't immediately catch our attention because of how we think drug users "should" look or behave. I could see something like this applied to parent education. Maybe not a required class, since that would be very invasive and hard to implement, but possibly every baby could go home with a booklet or brochure with some easy tips included and information for more in-depth resources available in the community.
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