Structuring your Theoretical Perspectives assignment

Structuring your Theoretical Perspectives assignment

Choose at least two social work theories that are taught as part of this module; explain their main principles, advantages and disadvantages and how you might use them to achieve effective social work practice in relation to one of the case studies provided below. Include a discussion for your rationale for choosing the theories selected. (2,500 words)

Structure of Assignment

1. You must identify two theoretical perspectives. These can be theories that you can use to explain or contextualize the presenting issues in the case study, or they can be theories or modesl that you can use to describe the approach that you would use to intervene in the case scenario. You should provide brief definitions or descriptions of the theories used

2. Values:Consider what are the values underlying the desired outcomes identified, or which inform your choices of theories and / or of intervention methods /approach.You should identify Anti-Oppressive Practice or empowerment strategies in relation to the cases presented.

3. Knowledge:Consider what types of knowledge you as a student practitioner need to know to be able to appropriately engage with the service users in the scenarios. This may include organisational issues, legal frameworks, policy and procedural information, and the availability of resources.

4. Skills:Consider the skills the worker requires for an effective intervention, i.e. what interpersonal skills might you need to use to effect necessary change.

Your discussion in your assignment should be fully referenced throughout with supporting citations from your readings and full references in your final Reference List.

If you are unsure how to format citations or references in the Harvard style, please consult the Library Referencing Guide https://libguides.londonmet.ac.uk/c.php?g=706224&p=5157924Case study chosen: 1 or 2?

Chosen theoretical perspective 1 Chosen theoretical perspective 2

Definition/description of TP1 and main principles (with references):

Definition/description of TP2 and main principles (with references):

Rationale for choice of TP1 (why have you chosen this TP for this case?):

Rationale for choice of TP2 (why have you chosen this TP for this case?):

Advantages of TP1:

Possible limitations of TP1:

Provide references and link to case study Advantages of TP2:

Possible limitations of TP2:

Provide references and link to case study

Consider values underlying use of TP1:

Consider values underlying use of TP1

How might you use TP1 to achieve effective social work practice in this case?

This is the main section on the application of this theory

How might you use TP2 to achieve effective social work practice in this case?

This is the main section on the application of this theory

Anti-oppressive practice or empowerment strategies in relation to this case:

Knowledge you would need to engage with the service user(s):

Consider potential organisational issues, legal frameworks, policy and procedural information, and the availability of resources.

Skills you as a worker require for effective intervention to effect change:

Consider how you would engage the service user

Case Study 1:

Jon is a 26-year-old gay, White British man, originally from a small town in the north of England. Jon felt unable to be open about his sexuality growing up in his home town. Jons fathers worked in construction, but is now retired due to health problems and his mother works part time in a care home and cares for Jons father and two younger siblings. Jon moved to London two years ago to find a better life. In London, Jon found work, first as a waiter, then as a barman and he also found private rented shared accommodation through acquaintances that he met at work.

Around a year after moving to London, the bar where Jon worked closed and the owner let Jon and the other staff go. Jon now found it difficult to pay his share of the rent on the shared flat. As it was summer, he decided to pitch a tent in a local park, in order to save money, while he continued to look for work.

After a couple of weeks of rough sleeping in the park, Jon got into an argument with some of the other homeless men, who camped nearby. Two of the men homophobically abused Jon and beat him with sticks. He suffered a fractured skull and a number of broken ribs. Jon spent two weeks in hospital, where he was medically assessed and treated for his injuries. On discharge Jon was referred to a voluntary sector organisation that works with homeless people. Jon was offered a room in large residential hostel, which he accepted.

In the hostel Jon keeps very much to himself. He confides in staff that he is afraid to be open about his sexuality with other residents. Since discharge from hospital Jon has suffered from nightmares, and disturbed sleep patterns. Jon finds that he now becomes very anxious when dealing with unfamiliar social situations and increasing spends long periods alone in his room. Jon drinks 4 or 5 cans of larger a day. Jon says he does this to take the edge off of things. Jon reports that he is feeling depressed, is unhappy with his current level of drinking and that he is finding it hard to motivate himself. This is impacting on Jons tenancy at the hostel as Jon has now missed a number of appointments to apply for Universal Credit, which may impact on his access to housing benefit

You are a social work student on placement at the hostel. How could you use social theories to understand and intervene to support Jon?

David : Children and Families case Study:

Children - Charles (male, 11) and David (male, 14)

Father- Henry

Mother - Faith (deceased)

Henry is a single dad to Charles and David - aged 11 and 14. The family are black British of Jamaican heritage. They live on an inner-city housing estate managed by a large Housing Association. The estate has some issues of deprivation, such as poverty and anti- social behaviour. The local community centre was closed some years ago and crime rates are high.

The children's mother and Henry's wife (Faith) died a year ago shortly after receiving a cancer diagnosis. There was very little time for the family to adjust to her diagnosis and the fact that she was dying.

Faith did much of the domestic work and cooking for the family. She had a good relationship with both her sons. Henry has had to try and learn how to take care of the house and children whilst working as a refuse collector for the local council. He likes his job and likes the fact that he can at least be at home when his sons return from school. However, money is tight, and Henry is worried about bills and not being able to buy his sons the clothes and trainers that they would like. Sometimes Henry drinks to cope with his feelings and his worries about money.

Before Faith died, she and Henry were becoming a little concerned about David's behaviour.

At times he was rude and sometimes a bit aggressive towards them. He refused to go to church with them anymore or be involved in any church activities. There has also been contact with the school about his behaviour. Charles is a good, compliant boy who does what he can to help his father with the chores.

Their Church has helped the family a lot since Faith's death, with food from the Church larder to tide the family through the weeks leading up to Henrys pay day, and with emotional support. The house is a bit of a mess and Henry has not got to grips with cleaning, washing, and cooking. There is also an ongoing issue of damp and black mould in the boys bedrooms. This worries Henry, as he is concerned about potential health impacts on his boys. He has previously reported this problem to the Housing Association, who treated the mould on several occasions, but damp and mould return again within a few weeks after treatment.

David has been stopped and searched by police on 3 occasions over the past month, whilst coming and going from the estate with friends. David says that he feels is being unfairly targeted by the police and is angry about this.

When home David spends a lot of time alone in his room. When asked about this, David says that hes fine, that he doesnt need anyone fussing because hes old enough now to look after himself. Henry now thinks that David's behaviour is deteriorating. David often misses school, disappears, sometimes at night. David has also recently acquired a new phone and clothes, but David can't explain how he has been able to afford them or where they came from.

For the most part, David is showing little interest in his studies. Teachers report that he does not want of engage in class, that when they try to engage him in group activities that his attitude is sullen, hostile or disruptive. However, there are two exceptions to this. David is reported to be good at maths. David says that he finds working out maths problems by himself satisfying. David has also shown an interest in the schools music studio and in the past spent hours experimenting with looping rhythms and mixing samples with the studio equipment. Currently David does not have access to the music equipment or other after class activities, as he has been sanctioned for rude and disruptive behaviour after telling a teacher to leave him alone and get off his case when the teacher tried to involve him in a class discussion.

The school has been in touch with Henry about David's poor attendance and disruptive behaviour and have asked for a meeting. The school, with Henrys consent, have also made a referral for David to Social Services.

Initial background checks by the local MASH (Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub) team show that the family has not being previously known to social services, but that Davids name appears as listed as a gang nominal" on the London Metropolitan Polices gang matrix database.

As a social work student allocated to work with David and his family, how could you use two social work theories, taught on this module, to inform and support your work with the family?