For this assignment you will critically analyze a case of child maltreatment from the documented account below:
Allison, D. (1993). Bastard out of Carolina. New York, NY: Plume. (Available in bookstore or online. This novel was reprinted in 2005. You may use either printing.)
In 10 pages, address the following:
Describe the family unit depicted in the case. Provide details about each family member and their diversity characteristics (e.g., age, race/ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, disability status, sexual orientation, etc.). Also, provide basic information about the community in which they live (e.g., urban, rural, impoverished, dangerous neighborhood, etc.). Make sure to explicitly identify both the perpetrator(s) and the victim(s) of maltreatment in your description.
Identify the types of maltreatment depicted in the case (e.g., sexual abuse, physical abuse, neglect, emotional abuse) and provide specific examples for the occurrence of each type. When identifying maltreating behaviors, consider any relevant diversity characteristics that may have influenced the manifestations of maltreatment (e.g., if you believe neglectful behaviors are depicted, consider factors such as socioeconomic status and culture, and whether or not it influences how these behaviors are viewed and interpreted).
Identify the risk factors for the occurrence of maltreatment in this case. Describe the plausible causes of various maltreating behaviors and the factors that may have contributed to their continuation. When identifying risk factors, consider the different levels of the social ecology, including the child victim, the family, and the community. Additionally, reflect on the diversity characteristics identified in question A, and describe their possible contribution to the maltreatment types in question (e.g., if the family was characterized by socioeconomic disadvantage, was that a possible contributing factor to maltreatment and if so, in what way).
Describe the effects of maltreatment on the child victim(s). Consider psychological, physical, social and other types of consequences as necessary. When describing the consequences of maltreatment, consider relevant diversity characteristics and whether or not they had an impact on the child’s presenting difficulties (e.g., does the impact of maltreatment vary by the age or gender of the child).
Using the information from the previous questions and the material discussed in class (i.e., class book, scholarly articles, etc.), design an intervention strategy with the family unit depicted in the case. Describe the target(s) of the intervention (e.g., the child, the parent, other family members, etc.); identify the goals that you would like to achieve (consider the risk factors for maltreatment and its effects on the child – this will help you come up with specific goals); and propose a specific and feasible intervention to achieve these goals. When designing an intervention, consider the diversity characteristics of the family unit and describe how you would tailor the intervention strategy to these specific characteristics (e.g., age, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, culture etc.). In your answer, you must incorporate material from the class book and at least three relevant journal articles.
Reflect on your personal values and beliefs about the family depicted in this case. If you had to intervene with this family, how would these personal values/beliefs affect your professional practice? In your answer, reflect on the differences and/or similarities between your personal values and beliefs and those expected from professional social workers.
