| SWK291: Social Work Practice and Skills Lab I: Working with Individuals and Families |
Question 1
Read the case study below and answer all the questions.
Case study
Mdm Amina, 26, and her husband approached you for financial assistance at Evergreen Family Service Centre. She had requested for financial assistance, in particular, cash, food rations, pampers and milk due to her recent unemployment upon finding out that she was pregnant with twins. Prior to that, she was working as a cleaner with her husband Mr Ahmad, 24 at Balsam Condominium. The couple has two children, Adam, 6 and Aqil, 2. Adam was born to Mdm Amina and her then-boyfriend, Mr. Ismail. She had decided to leave him as a result of his frequent abusive behavior towards both Mdm Amina and her son.
Mdm Amina met Mr. Ahmad through mutual friends. Mdm Amina felt that Mr. Ahmad was very caring towards her. He would be quick to apologize and make up with sweet words and gifts whenever the couple quarreled. This really impressed Mdm Amina. The couple decided to get married 6 months after dating when they found out that Mdm Amina was pregnant with Mr. Ahmad’s child. Though initially, there were some objections from the extended family, they soon decided to give their blessings and get the couple married off.
The couple and children stay in a 2-room rental flat in Chai Chee along with Mdm Amina’s mother, Mdm Jamilah, 42, a widow, her boyfriend Mr Johari, 62 and Mdm Jamilah’ s sic very poor mobility and has a number of medical complications but is seeking assistance from the Medical Social Worker at Tan Tock Seng
Hospital. He is not required to make any payment for his medicines. The family also rear two pet cats and three parrots in the flat.
The main breadwinner of the family is Mr. Ahmad. His take-home pay is $1200. Mr. Johari is engaged in ad hoc delivery work due to his poor health. He suffers from asthma. Mdm Jamilah does home-based bridal makeup and takes home about $800 per month. However, she is planning to quit this job as her boyfriend feels that it is his role to “maintain her.”
The family was barely coping. Thus, Mdm Amina’s current pregnancy has caused further concern for all. Mdm Amina states that she is totally against some of her friends’ advice to go for abortion as “it is God’s will and she has no right to go against it.” Her mother in law, Mdm Junaid, 40, a divorcee had recommended that she receive some government assistance just like her. She is receiving $600 as she is unable to work as she has to take care of her 17-year-old daughter with special needs. Her 2 other daughters stay with her ex-husband and have no contact with her or Mr. Ahmad.
Throughout your brief intake session with the couple, Mr. Ahmad remains very quiet. When probed, he looks at Mdm Amina and says something in Malay. Occasionally he states “I don’t know English, I understand but cannot talk, better you talk to my wife.”
a)Illustrate the key details of Mdm Amina and her family by drawing a genogram and an ecomap. Include explanation notes to the diagrams. Please use the Singapore social work context. (10 marks)
b)Analyze the concerns of the family using the micro, mezzo and macro-level practice. There is no need to include interventions for concerns. Please be detailed when describing the concerns and how it affects the family. (30 marks)
c) It is often said that culture places a big part in working with individuals and families. Explain culture and how it is evident in the above case study. Identify and describe in detail 4 cultural considerations that you need to take note when working with Mdm Amina’s Family.
d) Demonstrate in detail any two (2) personal biases, stereotypes and/or judgmental tendencies that the family is likely to evoke in you. Discuss how would you overcome this so as not to negatively impact your work with the family?
e) Examine any 2 challenges that you are likely to face working with Mdm Amina’s family. The answer to this question should be different from that of (d).
f)You will be assessed on Grammar, organization, and citations. (10 marks)
