UNIT 1

PPT 1

SOCIAL WORK INTERVENTIONS

WITH FAMILY, CHILDREN,
ADOLESCENTS AND YOUTH

INTERVENTION WITH FAMILY AND CHILDREN

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• INTERVENTION WITH FAMILY AND CHILDREN –

✓INDIAN FAMILIES, PROSPECTS AND PROBLEMS,

✓PROBLEMS OF CHILDREN,
✓ROLE OF SOCIAL WORKER

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FAMILY - Definition

“The family is the natural and fundamental group-unit of

society and is entitled to protection by society and the
State” (United Nations, 1948).

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 INDIAN FAMILIES, PROSPECTS AND
PROBLEMS

• Family is the basic and the primary institution in a society.

• Family is a dynamic institution.

• Family constitutes a system. These sub-systems are inter-related to one

another and also constantly interact with one another. Thus, any problem or
progress in one sub-system will have its impact on other sub-systems and on
the overall system itself.

• There are various group processes that take place in the family system.

Examples: Emotional attachment, ability to adapt to environment, stability

Courtesy: https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/indian- and harmony.
family-people-hindu-national-clothes-cartoon-indian-
characters_2703434.htm

http://egyankosh.ac.in//handle/123456789/17173
Courtesy:
eGyanKosh, Bachelor of Social Work (BSW). Elective Courses in Social Work,
BSWE-002 Social Work Intervention with Individuals and Groups, Block-4
General Areas of Social Work Practice 4
 Characteristics of Indian Families
Authors, Chadda and Deb describe Indian families in the
paper ‘Indian family systems, collectivistic society and
psychotherapy’ published in the Indian Journal of
Psychiatry (2013):
• The functioning of Indian Societies are affected by an
important dimension called as ‘collectivism’. (Collectivism
is impetus to group goals rather than individual
goals/individualism)
• ’agreeing on social norms is important and jobs are
interdependent’,
• ‘collectivistic societies value family cohesion, cooperation,
solidarity, and conformity’

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Characteristics of Indian Families
• The self is defined relative to others, is concerned with
belongingness, dependency, empathy, and reciprocity, and is
focused on small, selective in-groups at the expense of out-
groups
• Relationships with others are emphasized, while personal
autonomy, space and privacy are considered secondary.
• In most sociological studies, Asian and Indian families are
considered classically as large, patriarchal, collectivistic, joint
families, harboring three or more generations vertically and kith
and kin horizontally
• Indian joint families are considered to be strong, stable, close,
resilient and enduring with focus on family integrity, family
loyalty, and family unity at expense of individuality, freedom of
choice, privacy and personal space
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 TYPES OF FAMILIES
Other types of families which have
• In India, according to the National Family emerged recently and are gaining
Sample Survey (NFSS), types of families are social recognition are:
categorised as:
· same-sex families,
· single member,
· families comprising of parents and
· nuclear, children from previous marriages,
· broken nuclear, · families comprising a single parent
· supplemented nuclear, and an adopted child,
· broken extended and · families comprising parents and only
adopted children and
· joint families which includes lineally extended
families and collaterally extended families. · families comprising parents along with
adopted and biological children

https://epgp.inflibnet.ac.in/Home/ViewSubject?cati
d=32
E-Pathshala-Paper-
P-02.Work with Individuals and Families(34)
M-25.Introduction to family: definition, types,
evolution, structure and features.
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 • Single Member: This type of family has only one person. The others
may have either died or the person may have opted to live alone
for different reasons.
• Nuclear: This type of family includes a nuclear pair, i.e., head and
spouse with or without unmarried children. Nowadays both the
husband and wife come out of their homes and establish their own
home, which is nuclear in nature.
• Broken Nuclear: This family comprises of single parent with and
unmarried children. A family without an adult male puts the entire
burden of child rearing, economic contribution and other social
obligations on the woman. This is mostly due to the demise of the
head of the family, or desertion.
• Another trend that has developed over the years is that though the
male (father) in the family is, he seldom takes on responsibilities for
any family issues.
https://epgp.inflibnet.ac.in/Home/ViewSubject?cati
d=32
E-Pathshala-Paper-
P-02.Work with Individuals and Families(34)
M-25.Introduction to family: definition, types,
evolution, structure and features. 8
 • Supplemented Nuclear: This type of family refers to the head and
spouse with or without unmarried children but with other relatives
who do not currently have spouses. Such relatives could include
unmarried siblings of the head or spouse or even unmarried cousins.
• Broken Extended Nuclear: Head without spouse but with other
relatives, of whom only one has a spouse. In such a family, the
spouse is either divorced or dead, and the head has the entire
responsibility. One of the relatives might have a spouse but the
responsibilities are not shared among all members.
• Supplemented Broken Nuclear: Head without spouse with or without
unmarried children but with other
unmarried/separated/divorced/widowed relatives.

https://epgp.inflibnet.ac.in/Home/ViewSubject?cati
d=32
E-Pathshala-Paper-
P-02.Work with Individuals and Families(34)
M-25.Introduction to family: definition, types,
evolution, structure and features. 9
 • Lineally Extended family:
Spouse with married son(s)/daughter(s) and their spouses and
parents with or without other not currently married relative(s)
(OR) Head without spouse but with at least two married son(s)
and daughter(s) and their spouses and/or parents, with or
without other currently unmarried relatives.

• Collaterally extended family:

Head and spouse with married brother(s)/sister(s) and their
spouses with or without other relative(s) [including married
relative(s)] (OR) Head without spouse but with at least two
married brothers/sisters and their spouses with or without other
relatives.
https://epgp.inflibnet.ac.in/Home/ViewSubject?cati
d=32
E-Pathshala-Paper-
P-02.Work with Individuals and Families(34)
M-25.Introduction to family: definition, types,
evolution, structure and features. 10
Problems of India’s Changing Family system
and State intervention – J.P.Singh, 2009
• Rise in the number of single member household
• break-down of traditional joint family system
• Increase in cases of divorce
• individual male migration to cities for work
• Erosion of authority of the Patriarch
• The attrition of traditional family values,
• Increase in the number of working mothers in cities and single
parents,
• Rise in domestic violence and practices of dowry,
• Neglect of children and elderly, and poor with regard for family laws

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 Problems in Families
“Problems in families are multifaceted.”
• Problems faced by children.
• Problems faced by parents.
• Problems between the spouses on issues, such as child rearing,
life-style and duties towards in-laws.
• Families in Crisis
- Alcoholism, Substance abuse
- In some situations, families come across a major crisis not
because of problems among its members, but due to events,
such as death of a spouse or sudden retrenchment of job.
http://egyankosh.ac.in//handle/123456789/17173
Courtesy:
eGyanKosh, Bachelor of Social Work (BSW). Elective Courses in Social Work, BSWE-002
Social Work Intervention with Individuals and Groups, Block-4 General Areas of Social
Work Practice 12
 Social Work Interventions

• Emotion-Focused Intervention
• Strategic Intervention
• Intensive Family Preservation approach
• Solution-focused brief Intervention
• Psychotherapeutic Interventions
• Family psycho-education
https://epgp.inflibnet.ac.in/Home/ViewSubject?catid=32
E-Pathshala-Paper-P-02.Work with Individuals and Families(34)
M-32.Role of social workers in working with families – Interventions
Skills 13
 Basic skills sets Other Skills
• Listening,
Role / Skills • Interviewing,
• Attending Skills
• Communicating, • Confronting Skills
• Motivating, • Information Sharing
• Facilitator • Problem solving Skills
• Guide/Advisor • Conflict resolution, • Skills in interpreting
• Mentor • Empathizing, non-verbal cues
• Decision Making,
• Advocate • Empathetic
• Collateral Contacts listening skills
• Catalyst info,
• Counsellor • Contacting and
Networking
https://epgp.inflibnet.ac.in/Home/ViewSubject?catid=32
E-Pathshala-Paper-P-02.Work with Individuals and Families(34)
M-32.Role of social workers in working with families – Interventions
Skills 14
References

1. EGyanKosh, Bachelor of Social Work (BSW). Elective Courses in Social

Work, BSWE-002 Social Work Intervention with Individuals and Groups,
Block-4 General Areas of Social Work Practice -
http://egyankosh.ac.in//handle/123456789/17173
2. Chadda, R. K., & Deb, K. S. (2013). Indian family systems, collectivistic
society and psychotherapy. Indian journal of psychiatry, 55(Suppl 2),
S299–S309. https://doi.org/10.4103/0019-5545.105555
3. E-Pathshala-Paper-P-02.Work with Individuals and Families(34)
M-25.Introduction to family: definition, types, evolution, structure and
features. https://epgp.inflibnet.ac.in/Home/ViewSubject?catid=32
4. https://www.un.org/esa/socdev/family/docs/egm09/Singh.pdf
5. E-Pathshala-Paper-P-02.Work with Individuals and Families(34)
M-32.Role of social workers in working with families – Interventions Skills
https://epgp.inflibnet.ac.in/Home/ViewSubject?catid=32

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