SW 644: Issues in Developmental DisabilitiesParent Centered Movement Part I

Lecture Presenter:Audrey Begun, M.S.W., Ph.D.

Video of Don Anderson

Video of Dr. Begun

Family Issues

Environmental context Early intervention – IDEA, Part H Family-centered perspective

Family Systems Perspective

Emotional bonds & interaction patterns History Values Goals Dreams Belief systems Interactions outside of family

Holism

The family as a system is more than a sum of its parts

Interdependence

Change in one part of the family affects the entire family system (directly & indirectly)

Circularity of influence

Subsystems

Subsystems are imbedded within the larger family system Marital: husband & wife Parental: parent & child Sibling: brother & sisters

Social and Environmental Context

The family system exists within a larger social & environmental context Family Microcosm (informal) Mesocosm (formal) Macrocosm (broader, general

environment)

Multiple Generations

Families are multi-generational

Recognizing Systems Perspective

Asking about household membership, extended family, neighbors

Considering how a planned intervention will affect the child and other family members and their relationships

Asking questions about the person’s interaction with various other family members

Recognizing Systems Perspective (cont.)

Planning takes account of the family’s view of their own past, present, and future

Considering welfare, growth, and development of person with disability, family members and family system as a whole

Considering factors outside the family as well as the family itself

Family Development Perspective

Family Developmental Triggers Developmental change in any individual

family member Change in any one of the subsystems or

relationships Change in family membership Pressure for change from the family’s

ecological context

Family Development Stage Theories

Normative stage model Life events model Paranormative events: are those

which do not generally happen to a majority of families

Vertical/horizontal stressor events

Developmental Issues for Families

Initial diagnosis period Coming to terms Engaging the service delivery system Settling in