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SargentSummerMantis10
Identify Information: Parents: Jennifer Smith, age 35, now living…
Identify Information:
Parents: Jennifer Smith, age 35, now living in Colorado; Samuel Foxx, age 38, now living in Niagara Falls
Children: John, age 16
Race: Native American
Religion: Roman Catholic
Languages: Member of the Blood Tribe
Parents/ occupation: unknown
Referral source: Child Protective Services (CPS)
Presenting Problem:
John Foxx, now age 16, was born when Jennifer Smith was age 19 and Samuel Foxx was age 22. His mother recalls both her pregnancy and the delivery of John as difficult. She feels that there were likely some complications at the time of birth. Jennifer describes her relationship with Samuel as physically abusive. She was battered both during and after her pregnancy. When John was approximately seven months old, she left Samuel and moved to Denver, Colorado, where she presently resides. Samuel did not remain involved in John’s life, although he made sure John was registered at his birth with the Sioux Tribe, Samuel’s homeland (reservation).
John’s first contact with Child Protective Services was at the age of 3, when he was found wandering in the neighborhood. He had apparently unlocked his babysitter’s door and left while his mother was working. After he was found wandering a second time, his mother was given information on choosing appropriate child care and referred for observation in a special child interdisciplinary developmental center and to her family medical doctor.
At the age of 6, in the first grade, John was the subject of a police report sent to Child Protective Services (CPS) for information only, regarding John’s theft of a bicycle. The police had caught John, returned the bicycle, and at the request of his mother, spoken to John sternly about the theft. Approximately one week after the police report was sent, in October, John’s school principal contacted Child Protective Services (CPS) reporting that John was threatening other children on the school grounds with a knife. When these concerns were investigated, Jennifer indicated that although John had always been a challenge to manage, his behavior had worsened approximately four months earlier, in June, when he had been severely battered by the spouse of his babysitter. A police complaint had been made after the incident and warrant issued for the arrest of the abuser, who had already left the state. There were concerns about possible neurological damage as a result of the abuse. Jennifer was described as appropriate in her parenting choices and in developing more effective strategies for managing her son’s behavior. The file was closed in December, three months after the report was initially taken.
The school again contacted CPS in February, two months after the closure of the file. Jennifer was contacted, but no services were offered. Five months after the file was reopened, CPS was contacted by Jennifer and her therapist, requesting services due to physical and emotional abuse of Jennifer and John by Jennifer’s live-in boyfriend. Jennifer and the school had moved John to a specialized school program for children with severe management problems. The abuse was disclosed to the therapist working with the family, John was 7 at the time.
Two months following the disclosure of the physical abuse, a supervision order was requested in family court. A two-month adjournment was granted to serve court documents to the live-in boyfriend. On the return to court, a four-month supervision order was granted. At the end of the supervision order, Jennifer agreed to a voluntary support supervision agreement. The school contacted Child Protective Services (CPS) again in June, shortly after John’s eighth birthday, indicating that John was exposing himself to other children at the school. During this period Jennifer gave birth to a healthy baby boy.
The family was reportedly doing well when they moved in September with the live-in boyfriend to his homeland. Jennifer was working full-time at a seasonal position and was commuting to the homeland on weekends. Her boyfriend was looking after the children. The file was transferred to the social series department of the reserve and was closed in February.
In the same month the file was closed, Jennifer left her boyfriend and returned home. Jennifer contacted Child Protective Services (CPS) with concerns about John and requesting a residential treatment program. John’s behaviors including stealing, lying, hurting small animals, running away from home, and managing his anger poorly. Also, per the file, John either was not wiping himself well after bowel movements or was soiling his pants.
Child Protective Services (CPS) was able to place John in a receiving and assessment home immediately and to reconnect Jennifer and John with the therapist who had been involved when John was 7. In March, a school report assessed John as failing in school, using avoidance techniques (such as talk avoidance and no eye contact), being afraid of making mistakes, having difficulty with peers, and behaving aggressively with peers and adults.
A neurological assessment was requested and scheduled based on Jennifer’s information about John’s battering by his former babysitter’s spouse. There was no evidence of follow-through. Questions were also raised regarding a possible conduct disorder. The pediatrician involved did not recommend an assessment.
At age 9, John was returned home to care of his mother and her live-in boyfriend, who had reconciled with Jennifer. Jennifer had completed an intensive parenting program, and her boyfriend had been referred to a program for men who batter. Jennifer was again employed seasonally, and the boyfriend was looking after the children.
In August, John was again placed in a foster home and concerns were raised regarding his behavior and treatment of animals. John was returned home, and in September an emergency placement was located in a treatment facility.
Two years later, in October, John was again placed back into out-of-home care. Three months later, in January, a termination of parental rights order was granted. Since John has come into the foster care system he had experienced approximately 9 placements. The high number may be partly because of John’s tendency to run away and partly because of the inability of foster parents to manage his behavior. The majority of John’s placements have been in group care. John has been in and out of juvenile offenders’ facilities since the age of 13.
John is presently 17 years of age, has approximately a grade 7 education and no job or life skills, and continues to present the same behaviors that brought him into care. John is described as angry and aggressive. He lies and steals. His primary coping strategies are abusing drugs and alcohol, running away, and sleeping. He is likely depressed but unlikely to take medication regularly. Although he is of Native American descent on his biological father’s side, he does not identify with his father’s tribe. He is presently in a youth detention center for auto theft. It is possible that his sentence will extend to at least his 18th birthday, at which time his child welfare status will end.
All responses should be 1 paragraph and give details.
1. Identify primary needs (needs immediate attention) and secondary needs (important but can wait) of the family in the presented case. Explain your answers with details, examples, and supporting statements.
2. What other information is important to know about a family that is going through this type of crisis/these types of crises? What questions would you ask them? Need at least 2 appropriate questions for this situation.
3. Select a theory, preferably from the course materials and textbook that has been covered so far in this course to assess this family. Why would this theory be useful in this situation? EXPLAIN THE THEORY IN DETAIL AND HOW THIS FITS FOR THIS FAMILY – using terminology from the theory – connect it to this family situation. Common theories selected are Family Systems Theory, The ABCX Model, the Double ABCX Model, the Roller Coaster Model, Bioecological, or a specific theory from the chapters that cover this particular situation. EXPLAIN THE THEORY IN DETAIL AND HOW THIS FITS FOR THIS FAMILY.
4. What formal community resources (provided by professionals or volunteers) – such as local, state, and federal – are available in your area to assist families with this type of crises? Give at least 3 resources. Be as specific as possible – give details such as websites, physical addresses, phone numbers, email addresses and any other information that would be needed if you were personally referring this family to the resource.
5. What are the possible outcomes of families going through this type of crisis – will they be worse off, better off, or the same? Why do you think they will have this outcome? Do the community resources available (see #4) increase the odds of a positive outcome for this family? Why or why not?
6. Are there any cultural considerations that a professional or agency working with this family should be familiar with? Why or Why not?
7. What informal (provided by family, friends, or peers) resources could the family need? Describe why or why not informal resources would be important in this situation. What would you identify as the family strengths of this family in this situation? Explain your answer.
