Physical, emotional, and sexual abuse can have a devastating impact on children and the family environment. As mandated reporters, social workers are legally required to report any suspicion they have of child abuse or neglect to local authorities. Thus, social workers need to understand how to recognize and respond to cases of abuse expertly and efficiently. With an empathetic and helpful social worker, survivors of abuse can take their first step toward healing and building resilience.
For this Assignment, you analyze a social worker’s approach to a child abuse case, considering missed opportunities and the application of social work ethics and values.
Review Brandon’s case in the Social Work Case
Studies interactive media in the Learning
Resources.
• Reflect on the social worker’s actions and how you would approach the case.
Writing Assignment: “Child Abuse &
Neglect”
students will submit a 2- to 4-page paper in which you review the approach taken by the social worker in Brandon’s case.
• Identify how the social worker might have used the ecological model to understand Brandon’s situation based on a person-in-
environment perspective.
• Explain the use of the ecological model in this case on micro, mezzo, and macro levels.
• Describe strengths the social worker may have missed in assessing Brandon and his mother.
• Review the challenges that the social worker identifies and explain the impact the abuse could have had on Brandon had
his strengths not been identified and addressed.
