Case

Presentation

SWK 4910
University of North Carolina at Pembroke
 Client Background Information

– Caucasian family
– Poverty Stricken
– Mom: 21 years old
– Dad: 30 years old
– Maternal Aunt: 29 years old (mentally 8 years old)
– Paternal uncle: 33 years old
– PGM: 56 years old
– Child 1: 2 years old
– Child 2: 1 years old
– Child 3: 3 months old
 Problem Statement

– Brunswick Department of Social Services had to file a petition for custody on

February 15, 2019. The petition was filed due to the 3 month old having a
fractured skull. This all happened while a case was still open in in-home
services.
 Services

– In home through Brunswick DSS was already in place with the family when this
new incident happened.
– Daycare
– Medicaid transportation
– Parents as Teachers
– CC4C
 Strengths/Limitations

– Past DSS history (limitation)

– Several different safety plans have been put in place already (3) (limitation)
– Mom had a previous child that dies at 4 months (limitation)
– Both parents have some cognitive delays (limitation)
– Parents have some support all though it may not be the best support (strength)
– Open to services and let services come into home (strength)
– Dad works (strength)
– Parents have utilized community resources (strength)
– Easy to communicate with (strength)
 Assessment Goals/Specific
Interventions
– SW did not feel comfortable closing original case so case was moved to in-home
services. SW had several challenges with family such as alcohol and family being
delayed. SW told parents continuously to not let mentally delayed maternal
aunt tend to the children on her own. SW went to home once also and paternal
uncle was drunk and tending for children alone. SW continuously had to make
new safety plans for children due to problems arising weekly.
– An investigation with DSS is open 45 days. So in this 45 days problems arose.
This case was moved to in-home and has been in in-home for 2 months.
 New Report

– The 3 month old went to the doctor for a check up and parents asked about a
spot on his head. When doctors looked they told parents to take child to the
emergency room. The emergency room flew child to Chapel Hill and when the
hospital made the new report about the fractured skull, DSS filed for custody.
 What are some biases you had
going into the interview?
– Knowing family has a history with DSS
– Thinking are they able properly care for these children?
– The mom is only 21 years old with three children
– Seeing how the baby head looked prior to meeting the parents
 What were some value differences
between you and the client?

– Client has very different view points than I, although we are around the same
age.
– Clients seemed to know the process of DSS well, and I only know it through
interning with the department
– Clients did not have a good sturdy support with help to properly raise and care
for the three children
– Drugs and alcohol were present within the home when DSS originally got
involved.
– 3 month old child was born positive at birth
What events or life experiences have
shaped them into the person they
are?
– Mom had child at 16. Child died and mom thinks it is due to immunizations.
Mom now does not want to vaccinate current kids. DSS has no record of this
death only what mom has expressed. The death happened in another state.
Maternal grandmother died and now mom has to take care of sister. Family has
a problem with alcohol.
– Dad has prior CPS history.
 What is the staff recommendation
about diagnosis, interventions or
treatment?
– Mental health recommendation
– Reenactment of last few days before fall happened, maybe someone will
remember what really happened
– Child Medical Exam (CME) done ALL children
– Drug Testing on all children
– Skeletal on other children
What does research say on their
diagnosis/problem/treatment?
– Aunt has mental/physical limitations that does not make her capable to tend to
children alone. Parents both have limitations on parenting.
What changes do you recommend
for the agency or service?
– No changes. DSS has done everything under the sun to help this family. They
have brought the children car seats, food for Thanksgiving and anything the
family needed.
 Competencies

– Competency 1.2: Use reflection and self-regulation to manage personal values and maintain
professionalism in practice situation
– When working with this family it was very important to keep my personal values and perceptions to
myself and maintain professionalism
– Competency 3.1: Apply understanding of social, economic, and environmental justice to advocate for
human rights at the individual and system levels
– It was important to understand the underserved needs of the family and how the Department could
help them
– Competency 7.3: Develop mutually agreed-on intervention goals and objectives based on the critical
assessment of strengths, needs, and challenges within clients and constituencies
– When custody was filed it was a mutually agreed-on intervention in the best needs of the children