Individual Development and Change

Select a developmental or psychological theory/perspective that helps your understanding of people and their circumstances and informs your understanding of social work practice in a multi-cultural society. Summarise the main features of the theory and outline its strengths and weaknesses. Discuss with examples the ways the theory has applications for social work practice. For this assignment I am going to write about Attachment Theory, touching upon age, gender, ethnicity, different factors, culture, religion and multi - cultural society. Theories relating to Erikson, Piaget, Rogers and Ainsworth and developmental and or psychological theory. Adult attachment theory helps Social Workers understand how people feel and act within close relationships, particularly in stressful situations. Attachment is different in adulthood and in childhood because they are bi - directional, meaning that either party will give and receive support. "Attachment theory has its origins in Great Britain, in the period during and shortly after the Second World War. It was developed by John Bowbly. At the heart of attachment theory is the assumption that attachment is a basic human need and that from very early on babies actively participate in the formation of attachment relationships. Attachment relationships can be secure or insecure and a laboratory paradigm, called the Strange Situation,

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Compare and contrast the pluralist and elitist accounts of political power.

Compare and contrast the pluralist and elitist accounts of political power. Introduction Whilst there are not infinite interpretations of political systems, there are differing accounts of systems theory. Each separate account of a theory can have varying threads such as classical, reformed, neo or radical interpretations. Within these definitions there may be variance over the role of the government or the prominence of power, yet there is confluence on one basic concept. In this essay I shall try to attempt to explain the theories, major ideas and pre-eminent writers in both pluralist and elitist political power. Following on from this I shall attempt to find any similarities and any differences in both pluralism and elitism. In my conclusion I shall attempt to draw on which theory is most relevant in the contemporary political world. Exposition of Pluralism H.S. Kariel is cited in Schwarzmantel's work referring to pluralism as: 'specific institutional arrangements for distributing and sharing governmental power.'1 Therefore pluralism is the dispersion of power to prevent tyranny. If power is concentrated to one group, there will be autocratic rule. By diffusing power, a state will be open to the demands of the population and this is essential to the supposition. This does assume social pluralism; that is a wide variety of interest groups. Social variety, such as

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Why are black people and minority ethnic groups more likely to experience poverty than the white population?

Why are black people and minority ethnic groups more likely to experience poverty than the white population? Introduction Poverty can take many forms they could be low levels of incomes or not being able to secure resources to have a sustained livelihood, hunger and malnutrition, ill health, low levels of access to education and the simple necessities like sanitation, high rates of morbidity and also mortality caused by illness, being homeless or inadequate housing, being in unsafe environments and finally social exclusion or discrimination. Poverty is a problem internationally and nationally. But what we see is that black people and other ethnic minorities are more likely to experience poverty. So for the purpose of this essay I will discuss the reasons behind this, the way in which I will approach this will be by firstly discussing Migration, settlement and social security. Then I will discuss the lack of employment as a cause of poverty, then low levels of education leads to poverty, poor housing and urban spaces living in poverty, racism and discrimination. Then finally I will draw all my findings together so that I can reach a detailed and comprehensive conclusion. So to begin according to Millar (2009:80-81) The UK saw high levels of inward migration who came from the commonwealth now former commonwealth countries to offer their services i.e. labour. First to come

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Since all sorts of gender inequality continues to exist today, and some of the people and institutions that perpetuate the inequality appear unwilling to change, the contemporary family structure could be the starting point to remedy gender inequality in

Obtaining gender equality has been a constant struggle in the United States. Society in America naturally treats men and women differently, with no regard to equity. Consequently, gender inequality is repeatedly taken for granted, whether in the workforce or in the home. It is considered not only an expected social response, but one that is a basic component of social relations. The contemporary family structure is the most fundamental arena where gender inequality and equality are produced and reproduced. It is a central place where children are first taught gender roles and where influential associations built around gender are introduced. Since all sorts of gender inequality continues to exist today, and some of the people and institutions that perpetuate the inequality appear unwilling to change, the contemporary family structure could be the starting point to remedy gender inequality in the United States today, yet this does not occur. Thus, family structure is primarily constrained today by the continuation of gender inequality in society. Gender inequality may well be one of the greatest puzzles of modern society in the United States. We know that males and females are biologically different from the moment of conception and that these differences determine an individual's sex. Individuals' chromosomal and hormonal differences are what physically construct the male and

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Does divorce have a huge impact on children?

Does divorce have a huge impact on children? Shirley C. 5380134 Does divorce have a huge impact on children? Put yourself in the shoes of a child that is encountering the separation of their parents. As a child they have to go through the pressure of which parent to choose and confusion of why their parents are not together anymore. Later on the stress can eventually lead them to put all the blame on themselves. Many think the husband and wife are the people being affected by this situation. But what we do not expect is that the children will consequently get affected by the separation of their parents. Most people might believe it is better to divorce than to torture oneself in a failed marriage. Divorce can be a healthy decision for a fail marriage; however this will remain as a traumatic memory for the children. I agree the children do get a huge impact from the divorce. This essay will provide information of how the children can be affected and how the problem can be accessed. Before entering how this issue stress outs the children, the brighter side should be brought out. Divorce is not always necessarily bad. Imagine a family with parents that argue all the time or a family with abusive problem, the result of divorce can be a relief for the children. Hetherington stated if the family is already in a critical condition, it would be a better solution for

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Assessment & Treatment Plan Paper. Hadley, age 21, was referred to me through her mothers primary care physician

Social Work 3930 Assessment & Treatment Plan Paper Hadley, age 21, was referred to me through her mother's primary care physician, after her mother expressed her worries for Hadley's health. She is a student at New York University, studying medicine and did well her first semester, but soon had to leave her dorm and return home because her grades were slipping. She now lives at home in Manhattan with her parents and her younger sister. She would like to work for an organization like UNICEF when she graduates, but her parents and other members of her family make that seem unlikely. They tell her that they would love to see her accomplish that goal, but that she needs to be realistic. Hadley was raised in the Roman Catholic Church, but has not been active in quite a while. The client is healthy and has never had any serious illnesses, apart from pneumonia last fall. She is a non- smoker and rarely drinks. She has a good relationship with her family, especially her two sisters. Hadley worked throughout high school and through the first two years of college. She is currently working as a retail assistant, but is trying to decide if it is conflicting with her education. She likes her job most of the time, especially because it gives her some sort of social involvement with people her own age. However, if she decides to quit her job, she thinks she will feel guilty

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In critiquing the educational leaflet based on case study A 14 year old female experiencing juvenile chronic arthritis, there are a range of strengths and limitations that will be discussed.

Write an essay of 800 words (+/- 10%) in which you discuss the strengths and limitations of the educational leaflet that you developed within a small group during seminars. You should cite approximately 4-6 academic references in support of your arguments. You need to consider how well the leaflet might assist your chosen client, how well it presents evidence-based information, and how successfully it communicates information to the client. Include references to your case study client, as well as using published literature to support your arguments. Submit the leaflet or information sheet that your group developed as an Appendix. You should focus on the leaflet itself, and not group decisions or dynamics that influenced its developments. Juvenile chronic arthritis refers to any form of arthritis that develops in children or teenagers who are under 18 years old. Arthritis is inflammation of the joints; it refers to a group of diseases that cause pain, swelling, stiffness and loss of motion on the joints. Most individuals with arthritis will experience pain and difficulty moving around. They may feel a level of discomfort and fatigue which leads to them feeling frustrated that they are unable to carry out daily tasks due to loss of strength and grip (Arthritis care, 2011). In critiquing the educational leaflet based on case study A – 14 year old female experiencing

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Social Work Values. Values and ethics have been of fundamental importance throughout the development of the social work profession.

“Values are central to being human: nothing we do is unconnected with values. If we want to understand, and be able to work with people, then we need to have an understanding of the complexities of values in people’s lives. Any attempt to understand people that does not consider the values dimension is doomed to failure as values are so central to everything we do, both as individuals and professional social workers.” Adapted from: Moss, B. & Thompson, N. (2008) Meaning and Values: developing empowering practice. Russell House Publishing The above statement is essentially saying that an individual’s set of values play an imperative part in every decision, action or behaviour in their everyday lives. A person’s value system can be made up of personal, ethical, cultural or political vales. Along with their own personal values, social workers must also adhere to a strict set of professional values outlined by the General Social Care Council’s (GSCC) codes of conduct. It can be difficult for a practitioner to find a balance between these often conflicting and opposing value systems. Values and ethics have been of fundamental importance throughout the development of the social work profession. Founded in 1869, the Charity Organisation Society is often identified as the roots of modern social work. (Smith, 2002) It was set up in response to the belief that

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CARING FOR CHILDREN. Care arrangements, roles, regulations and responsibilities

Care arrangements, roles, regulations and responsibilities What care is available to a child/young person? How is this care organised to ensure that the child/young person's best interest come first? Foster Care People who would like to become foster carers have to pass rigorous checks and clear an enhanced CRB, They also have to go through numerous tests and interviews. Also there family members and close friends all have to be considered and CRB checked. Respite Care Respite care is a particular type of care which is planned to try and fit in with things such as family holidays and with families to allow them to have a little break with children who require constant attention. This care also has care plans for each and every child/young person who may hold residence there throughout the year, these care plans are updated and they meet the needs of both the child and family. Adoption Before you can adopt parents and family members again are put through different tests and checks. A CRB is carried out and the organisation will interview referees who know you and your family as well as organise for you to have a full medical examination. Once you are consider suitable for adoption you then have to be matched with the right child. This works by making sure that you will meet the needs of a child, this process can take many months and possibly years! Residential care

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One of the K101 five principles of care practice is to support people in having a voice and being heard. Why is it important for a care worker to do this and how can they do so?

Part A One of the K101 five principles of care practice is to support people in having a voice and being heard. Why is it important for a care worker to do this and how can they do so? Supporting people in having a voice and being heard is necessary in care work as, if the service user's voice goes unheard, it can restrict their identity. For service users who have the capacity to make decisions and communicate them it is especially important, otherwise, it can lead to feelings of discrimination and powerlessness. By encouraging and supporting individuals to express their preferences enables them to gain a real understanding of who they are and how they wish to be known and, this plays a vital role in their day to day life. It is equally important when decisions need to be made regarding their care and support. In this essay I will discuss the importance of the role of the care worker in supporting individuals to have a voice and be heard using the life story work of Suzanne McGladdery (OU, block 2, unit 5, p.21 resources) to demonstrate how this can be achieved. I will illustrate this using the life story of one of her clients, Jordan Morgan (OU K101, unit 2, p.19), who needed support in helping return him to the family he had been separated from. He needed help to get information about people he had lived with and support to enable him to accept his past and move on to

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