1 Family Problems Salient features in the case The salient features from the case scenario are the dysfunctional relationships within the blended family. Shandra is rebellious towards her step-father as she talked back at him and consequently, the step-father hits her. She also does not seem to despise her step-sister Mercy as she interrupts her while she talks and disregards her opinion on the abuse case. Children often rebel against a new spouse in blended families as they perceive the spouse is another authority to tell them what to do. Hence, Shandra's attitude towards the step-father is understandable. Secondly, the two girls seem not to be aware of how to identify domestic violence. Shandra defends the step-father for hitting her stating that white people think all types of punishment is child abuse. She does not consider her step-father’s act as domestic abuse. On the other hand, Mercy also agrees that the matter is not a big issue. Thirdly, the girls do not get along, Shandra considers Mercy "Dad's favorite girl." The statement indicates that Shandra feels less loved by the step-father which perhaps explains the rebellious attitude towards the step-father and Mercy. Course of action The girls risk tolerating domestic violence in the future if they are not taught how to avoid defending the abuser. As human service personnel, I would start by educating the girls on how to identify, report and deal with domestic violence and abuse. Family /domestic FAMILY PROBLEMS 2 violence is recognized by the medical community as a non-remitting epidemic resulting in adverse health. It inflicts physical and psychological damage to a victim (Noughani & Mohtashami, 2011). It is necessary for them to obtain legal and health literacy on domestic violence. More so, I would try to resolve the antagonism between the three parties by sensitizing the step-father on how to communicate and foster mutual respect in a blended family. A new spouse may experience rejection from the children. Nonetheless, proper communication of the roles and expected behavior is necessary to maintain respect (Cassoni & Caldana, 2012). Moreover, they should also understand the children rebellious behavior is normal and short-lived to cope rather than retaliating in anger. I would also advise the stepfather to avoid favoritism as this may lead to rebellion from other children. Human services concepts evident in the scenario • Cultural stereotype- this is where a person makes assumptions based on the race, culture or ethnic background (Buchtel, 2014). Shandra connotes that white people view all forms of punishment as child abuse, this perception is wrong because she is defending the abuser with her assumptions. Shandra needs to understand the line between corrective punishment and domestic violence. • Child maltreatment- this is the physical, emotional or sexual abuse, neglect or exploitation with potential harm to the child’s health, dignity or development (WHO, 2016). The step-father hit Shandra during an argument which amounts to physical abuse; necessary actions should be taken to report and punish the parent's child maltreatment. FAMILY PROBLEMS • 3 Denial- It is a defense mechanism clients use to block away reality from awareness intentionally or unintentionally (McLeod, 2017). Shandra is unintentionally defending her abuser as she is not able to identify acts of abuse. Both girls need legal and health literacy on domestic violence and child abuse to avoid toleration of such violence in the future References Buchtel, E. E. (2014). Cultural sensitivity or cultural stereotyping? Positive and negative effects of a cultural psychology class. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 39, 40-52. Cassoni, C., & Caldana, R. H. (2012). Parenting style and practices in stepfamilies. Psychology research and behavior management, 5, 105–111. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3440235/ McLeod, S. (2017). Defense Mechanisms. Retrieved from www.simplypsychology.org: https://www.simplypsychology.org/defense-mechanisms.html Noughani, F., & Mohtashami, J. (2011). Effect of education on prevention of domestic violence against women. Iranian Journal of Psychiatry, 6(2), 80. WHO. (2016, September 30). Child maltreatment. Retrieved from www.who.int: http://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/child-maltreatment FAMILY PROBLEMS 4 Part 1: Social History While divorce is becoming more acceptable and a rising trend in marriages, it has the potentials to become the most challenging event for an adult. Divorce affects the emotional, mental, economic and social life of an individual which could lead to detrimental health effects and declining quality of life for the divorcee (Barikani, Ebrahim, & Navid, 2012). This paper is a report on a divorcee’s interview and case analysis. Presenting the problem The client is a 27-year old Carol (not her real name) going through a divorce after five years of marriage and three children. Carol came seeking life counseling services as the divorce process is weighing on her emotionally and financially, she wants to win the children’s custody, pointing out that her ex-husband is irresponsible. The father often exposes the children to alcohol and abusive partners. However, Carol does not have the economic power to support the children and fears the ex-husband may overpower her in court. She experiences incapacitating depression and anxiety over the issue. Carol hopes that counseling improves her mental stability and guide her in supporting the children on her own to win sole custody. Mental health/substance abuse history Carol episodes of depression have rendered her hospitalized last week. The interview is her first counseling session in life. Carol reports that no member of her family has experienced depression before. Moreover, she does not take alcohol or abuse drugs. FAMILY PROBLEMS 5 Medical history Carol experiences anxiety, lack of sleep and withdrawal signs, she is currently on selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) treatment. Besides that, Carol does not have any chronic, acute or medical conditions or diseases. How to apply codes of conduct and ethical behavior in the interview A therapist should be empathetic to show they understand the situation; this will the client feel herd. Again, give undivided attention and cultivate trust to motivate the client to open up. To maintain Carol's integrity, one should discuss the limits to confidentiality to find out what she thinks and avoid bridge of privacy (American Psychological Association, 2018). For example, if she is not willing to go by her real name or be recorded one should respect the opinion. Part 2: Analysis Salient features in the history The outstanding features are Carol’s incapacitating depression and economic worries that could make her lose custody. If Carol's depression continues, she could be declared incapable of parenting the children. Again, she does not wish separation from any of her children for fear of continued abusive from the father's partners and use of alcohol in his home. Issues requiring further exploration Further investigation into child abuse is necessary to prove the claim of a childunfriendly environment in the father's house. It includes examination for physical signs like FAMILY PROBLEMS 6 injuries, wounds, burns or swellings. Again, further exploration of alcohol offer or abuse in the presence of the children by the father should be investigated. Additional services and resources to consider As Carol's therapist, I would include child therapy for her children. They too are affected by their parent's divorce issue and need assistance to recover from the emotional trauma. Moreover, child protection lessons especially how to deal with exposure and potential abuse of drugs and alcohol is also necessary to eradicate Carol's fear. Lastly, I would consider introducing Carol to a financial strategist/advisor to help her organize her finances, make investments and savings decisions to help her support herself and her children. Approach to making objective decisions The first step is to investigate Carol’s claims on the father, when there is enough evidence, proceed to report the matter to authorities like Child Protective Services. The move will help hold the abusive parent responsible and monitor to prevent further child abuse. More so, it could act as an argument to rebuke the father’s parental rights. Child abuse and long-term use of drugs and alcohol inducing incapacity are reasonable bases to terminate parental rights like custody (Findlaw.com, 2018). The evidence from investigation and reference to divorce, marital and child laws will facilitate unbiased advice on child custody to Carol as well as inspire fair decisions on child safety. FAMILY PROBLEMS 7 Reference America psychological Association (2018).Ethical Principles of Psychologist and code of conduct. Retrieved from www.apa.org:http://www.apa.org/ethics/code/code 1992.aspx Barikani,A.Ebrahim,S.M.,&Navid,M (2012). The Cause of divorce among men and oman referred to marriage and Legal office in Qazvin,Iran. Global journal of health science,4(5) 184 Retrieved from https://wwwncbi.nlm.nih.gov /pmc/articles/pmc4776964/ Findlaw.com.(2018).Terminating parental right.(Thomson Reuters)Retrieved from family.findlaw.com:com:https://family.findlaw.com/parental-right-and liability/terminatingparental-right.html ▪ Discuss the salient features from this case scenario. In this particular case scenario, the salient features include that the Rosales family is in dire need of assistance. The family has recently emigrated from another country, Mexico, hence it will take some time before fitting and settling in the US. The fact that they do not know how to speak English may give the parents a challenge as they try to search for opportunities to support the family. However, the agency may help them settle quickly by providing them with basic needs and teaching them to communicate fluently in English to speed up their resettlement journey in the United States. The fact the family can speak some English, except for Mrs. Rosales, will make the process of settling and getting back on their feet. ▪ As the human service worker, what would be your first course of action? FAMILY PROBLEMS 8 As a human service worker, my first action would be to make sure that the basic needs Rosales family are catered for as long as possible as I work on settling them. My job involves helping those in need, therefore after knowing exactly what the family needs I will help them in getting social-services benefits. ▪ Discuss strategies for communicating with this family in order to build trust and get them to engage. To build trust with the family in order to effectively communicate with them, there are various strategies that we would need to employ. First is to hold sessions using their language to make them feel appreciated and accepted. Therefore, I would have someone who understands their language to communicate with them. Secondly, I will make sure that the sessions held are short and have enough explanations in order for them to understand everything. Finally, for the efficiency of the service to be upheld, and if English is used when communicating with them, I will use an interpreter to translate whatever is being said and basically what is going on. ▪ Identify a minimum of 3-4 concepts and definitions from your various human services courses and explain how these concepts are evident and relevant to this scenario. The Rosales family scenario has various instances of human services concepts/terms. First, the term immigration applies to this family since they are immigrants from another country, Mexico. Immigration refers to the international migration of people from their native country to a destination country, so as to settle and live there (Sam, 2008). Secondly, cultural assimilation is relevant in this particular case. This is the process which involves an individual from a different cultural background adapting and changing behavior to fulfill what the new culture demands (Berry, 2011). The Rosales family will have to learn how to speak English and embrace the culture of the US as part of the assimilation journey. Thirdly, FAMILY PROBLEMS 9 social integration which refers to operations which are involved in incorporating minorities/newcomers into the host’s social structure (Sam & Berry, 2010). Finally, economic integration of immigrants which involves incorporating immigrants into the economy to be able to fend for themselves. Economic and social integration are relevant to this scenario because the family will have to settle in the US and fit both socially and economically. References Berry, J. W. (2011). Integration and multiculturalism: Ways towards social solidarity. Papers on Social Representations, 20(1), 2-1. Sam, D. L., & Berry, J. W. (2010). Acculturation: When individuals and groups of different cultural backgrounds meet. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 5(4), 472-481. Sam, D. L., Vedder, P., Liebkind, K., Neto, F., & Virta, E. (2008). Immigration, acculturation and the paradox of adaptation in Europe. European Journal of Developmental Psychology, 5(2), 138-158. Agency Supervisor Conflict is a commonplace issue in the organizational setting. Research holds that most disagreements in organizations are attributed to cross-cultural differences. This term refers to the differences that emerge among individuals with distinct beliefs, values, norms, and traditions (Martin, 2014). As noted in the case described in the classroom assignment, the two female employees are obviously in a culturally diverse environment. This explains why FAMILY PROBLEMS 10 they tend to gang up on their fellow workers. This kind of conflict can be resolved by ensuring that the team understands the value of teamwork. As far as cultural diversity is concerned, the difference existing between the two female employees and their colleagues serves as an indicator. Perhaps, the two share a similar cultural background that directly contradicts that of their colleagues (Martin, 2014). Most importantly, the conflict has remained unresolved due to the extant communication barrier: it occurs when individuals fail to express their grievances since they often end up feeling intimidated. As a supervisor, one should acknowledge that this challenge can be mitigated by enhancing understanding between the conflicting parties (Martin, 2014). This can be done by engaging them in an open dialogue where all affected members discuss the issue, and design relevant resolution approaches (Martin, 2014). It is important that the supervisor assumes the referee role since the unity of the team can be compromised by partiality. This role is essential as it demonstrates the value each member has on the team. In conclusion, diversity presents a major challenge in the organizational setup. In the wake of such a realization, leaders are urged to educate their team members and enhance cohesion within the workplace. For instance, the leader in the described scenario should enhance communication and openness across the entire workforce. Such a goal will be achieved by allowing the conflicting parties to raise their concerns and define convenient solutions. References Martin, G. C. (2014). The effects of cultural diversity in the workplace. Journal of Diversity Management (Online), 9(2), 89. FAMILY PROBLEMS 11 
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