You Never Become Fully Independent, Essay Example

Part One

Problem

The presenting problem is that the client doesn’t want to miss out on growing up with his grandma and also fears paying bills, which will most likely be brought by leaving his grandmother alone. One of the options is leaving, which would come with some problems when it comes to paying bills. Terrance is more guilty about leaving his grandmother’s home than being concerned about her financial needs. The social worker advises the client to talk with the grandmother before deciding whether to move out. The social worker advises him not to rush into decisions affecting his future and to understand what his grandmother needs from him so that he can be there for her in any situation. The client needs to know what he or she wants from their life, address personal issues plaguing him or her, and discuss any changes necessary to become independent. Terrance should be given some time to spend with his grandmother and see whether he wants to raise her or leave her in care.

Client

The client Terrance is young and at risk for emotional/trauma problems if the situation overwhelms him considering we may not be aware of what happened to his parents now that he is only worried about his grandmother. Terrance mentioned difficulties during high school that could be due to learning disabilities or the fact that he was raised in a foster home and not by his biological parents. The client is also at high risk for stress for worrying about their grandmother if he were to leave her home. He needs to talk with his grandmother about how she would feel if this happened. In addition, he should have a follow-up visit to monitor the process and any research needed to decide whether or not he should move out, given his situation. Based on this information, I believe the client has no real concerns regarding work-related responsibilities, leaving them open to pursuing further education or employment. However, their age could pose a risk factor if they are required to care for those who took care of them when they were young. They might find it challenging to balance both tasks depending on how much support they get from family members.

Clients Family

Based on the case study, Terrance’s family is only linked to the grandmother. He needs to find a way to live independently from his grandmother, which could be done differently. From the description of roles, rules, and responsibilities, it looks like this client is still very responsible regarding his grandmother. There should be a better way where the client can stay with his grandmother even if he cannot pay his bills, as he will get support from this system. He can continue his education and work while helping his grandmother as well. This is how open communication between client and family will be helpful. I learned that the risk of moving out is high because of no resources, job experience, health insurance, and bills to pay. There are also protective factors such as being close to his grandmother, knowing what needs to be done in life, and feeling secure in relationships. This case shows how one can lack family connections and still be successful in everyday life. However, he needs to take care of his grandmother in a foster home because she depends on him.

Environment Level

The case of the foster home made me realize that being in a foster home does not only have an impact on the physical being but also has an effect on the psychological. Foster homes are known to have traumatic childhood experiences, which may have impacted him, so he is guilty of leaving his grandmother. Even if he talks with other social workers, they cannot see his grandmother from a different perspective, so they cannot understand his situation. He does not want to leave her because she may not be able to survive alone. I think this is a complicated situation for the client.

Today’s society is changing, everyone is getting older, and retirement is further away. The issue of aging in a family has become more important because many families have to care for an elderly relative. Thus, if a child were placed in a foster home when he graduated, his grandmother would be left alone without any company or help. A client could talk to this social worker so that he knows what she may benefit from. This could also involve her choice over whether or not to relocate out of her foster home with the person she cares about. Knowing the current state of women’s rights and how their rights have been diminished due to their gender allows us to empathize with them so that we understand their situation and give us insight into what may help them most in the future.

Case Formulation

The client of the social worker, who is 18 years is in a dilemma of leaving his grandmother in a foster home after graduating with his diploma. He worries about being independent because of paying bills and leaving his grandmother alone. The social worker advises the client to talk with the grandmother before deciding whether to move out. If he does not have enough income for himself and his grandmother, at least he should be able to find a job and save money for the two. Terrance agrees on his part but claims there is too much uncertainty if he will be accepted at whatever job he chooses. If he tries, he could get hired immediately and have some income before moving out while keeping their grandmother-child relationship intact using limited funds.

The social worker encourages the client to talk with the grandmother before deciding whether to move out. Social workers thoroughly explore the client’s family, including the birth, to understand the pros and cons of leaving a grandmother in a foster home after graduating. They also encourage clients to ask questions when deciding whether to stay in their current living arrangement or leave home temporarily. For example, the case formulation described that the client could get answers from the grandmother regarding living in an independent apartment or renting an inexpensive room at a house and also looking into government subsidies that many families can receive if they stay together as one unit.

Intervention Plan

The best plan, in this case, is for the client to take a step back and think about what’s really important to him. If his grandmother’s caretaking and freedom mainly make him happy, there’s no reason not to ask her if she can live with them while he returns to school. The client and his grandmother should meet with the social worker, and the purpose of this meeting is to identify whether or not the client requires ongoing support. If it is determined that continued support is needed based on the evaluation, further discussion of potential solutions can be conducted, which may include finding a different option for living arrangements or family member care.

The client may need additional support in paying bills, such as rent and utilities. He may be able to receive assistance through the county or agency. If necessary, the social worker will visit the grandmother to determine her needs and inform her of what is going on while planning moving out. Once they have agreed that they should look out for one another, the social worker can assist them with finding a start-up house for the client. She may refer them to other resources, such as the Senior’s Center, which offers affordable housing options for those at risk of homelessness due to financial hardships (Woodgate et al., 2017). In addition, the social worker will help him develop a budget plan for paying bills and buying food. A referral to a support group would be helpful as it could help him cope with any problems of living alone. Additionally, the support groups are there to give back what they received from their families and allow them to feel like they are not alone. Finally, the client should be provided counseling sessions if he feels overwhelmed by all that has happened.

Part Two

Understanding the Client

The information gathered on each level of his surrounding in interpreting this client’s situation was excellent. This information has helped me better understand the client’s case because I can relate to that age. Terrance’s worries may have been attributed to his upbringing, which might have been challenging or traumatic based on his high school difficulty with the general life in a foster home (Covarrubias et al., 2019). It brought to light some of the client’s more admirable qualities, such as the unconditional love that his grandma had for him. If he didn’t provide for himself, he feared that he wouldn’t be able to pay his bills or take care of himself. Further work is required to help him learn how to be independent and start a career considering his age and other factors.

The literature reviewed for this client experience indicates that teenagers in this developmental stage would most likely be experiencing one of two life aspects: struggling to establish a basic living standard or experiencing a crisis such as unemployment. It is usual for teenagers to enter a dilemma between leaving their guardians or staying with them (Carnevale et al., 2021). The reason is that most teenagers want to be independent of their guardians, who will look after them until they grow up and only live in their own house. Once they finish school, they have to start earning and gaining experience before deciding whether to take care of themselves or stay with their guardians’ guidance. They may feel indebted to support the family or worried about how the family will fare if they are gone. Talking things through would not only provide an answer to the client’s dilemma but also be an excellent way to foster communication between these two generations of clients.

Interviewing Skills from the Social Worker

One of the skills is good communication which was clear and considerate to Terrance’s satiation. The social worker congratulates the client for his positive actions, especially his education, which can act as a stepping stone. Being empathetic while talking with the client is the most critical part in engaging clients that have developmental level issues or are elderly since they tend to feel they are being judged or talked down to.

Another skill used is listening, which was applied effectively as the client understood what was happening, was engaged by both parties, heard without interruption, and answered questions clearly while addressing concerns calmly. The social worker allowed Terrance to express his thoughts and the issue. Social workers should approach clients as people who need help rather than experts who know better than them. Furthermore, they should be open-minded about their perspectives regarding what we do when dealing with these clients (Lee & Ballew, 2018).

The other skill is confidence in asking questions which can help understand Terrance’s situation. He had doubts about moving away or abandoning their grandmother, and the social worker was responsible for identifying and addressing those concerns and doubts. Terrance also opened up better because the social worker showed concern and empathy. That made him more comfortable sharing more information on what happened.

Another skill evident from the social worker is the follow-up of the client since she even knew he had graduated from college. She also told the client they would meet later so that she would respond to any questions or comments from clients based on what the grandmother would say. A simple concern in following up on the problem makes the client feel comfortable during the interview (Desimone et al., 2019).

Part Three

Supporting Literature

Clients should feel like they are in control of themselves, their feelings, and their decisions. The client should know what he or she can do when talking with his grandmother. The client should also understand that he needs to gain experience and understanding about life before considering leaving a foster home and being independent (Woodgate et al., 2017). The social worker analyzes the problem, defines risk factors and possible consequences, identifies the client’s strengths and weaknesses, and proposes feasible solutions that could help the client overcome their difficulties in life. Family therapy could help them understand their grandmother’s needs and make sure she would feel happy if they moved out.

The social worker should explore the possible solutions and make a recommendation to the client who is in a dilemma of leaving his grandmother in a foster home to start his life after graduating with a diploma. She also should explore this situation from another angle and approach it from the perspective of all the people involved – especially since, without understanding why grandparents and grandchildren have such a strong bond, it would be difficult to know how to approach the situation (Lee & Ballew, 2018). The most effective way to address this problem is to begin by looking for a resolution that is agreeable to both sides. This will eliminate the necessity for anyone to feel responsible for the decision to have her grandmother living at the house.

This dilemma could leave the client with many questions and anxiety because he cares very much about his grandmother. The social worker must consider the client’s feelings, emotions, and fears and provide reassurance. The social worker may also help create a list of what Adolescents need to help them with decision-making. She should provide support, facilitate communication between the client and his family members, encourage him to take advantage of counseling services, and help him access welfare programs if he so desires (Carnevale et al., 2021). However, the main goal should be to keep his grandmother in the same care conditions and provide the utmost care possible. When feeling overwhelmed with viable options, social workers should ask their clients what they want from this rehabilitation process, mainly if the client does not express uncertainty about his plans.

This client should look at his options by evaluating the benefits he is receiving from his grandmother and the potential harm it may cause. He should also ensure that what he does not want will not harm his grandmother because she is already growing old. First, he should understand the reasons for this decision and how it will help him grow as an individual. Second, he needs to have an understanding of the requirements that his grandmother has, as well as how she will continue to function even without him (Geiger & Okpych, 2022). Third, he needs to realize that this choice is irreversible and that there are no assurances that he will always be able to see her or even keep in touch with her in the future because of this decision. When the customer has finished processing all of this information and comes to terms with it, he should consider whether moving away from his grandmother would be more advantageous for him than remaining at home. If so, then it may be time to make a move. However, if it doesn’t seem like leaving will benefit him financially or emotionally (such as when there are no jobs available). It may be best to stick around and remain close by until such a time when things have changed enough that it seems more likely that leaving would be beneficial.

Client Involvement

The client was involved in every step of the process, from identifying the problem to developing a solution. The social worker did not discuss with the client his options for leaving his grandmother in a foster home and only suggested that he engages with her before deciding anything. She should have also considered that the client’s grandmother may have had an adverse reaction to his decision to leave her. As a result, the client may be unable to make the right decision about moving out and will stay with his grandmother. The social worker should have spent more time with his grandmother to understand her needs better.

The clients’ involvement in the formulation process was appropriate, given their age and developmental abilities. The client did not appear to be too concerned about issues like paying bills or leaving their grandmother alone, but they were apprehensive about how they would feel if they could not do these things independently. The social guidance given attempted to give him information about the case that may have helped his decision-making process. She first discussed with him what would happen if he moved out of his grandmother’s home, then asked him if he had any questions before discussing other options with him. Unfortunately, the social worker did not provide the client with enough information about how he could handle this situation, so it will be vital for her to do so in the future.

The age of 18 is considered to be an appropriate time for someone to start living independently after graduating from high school or college. This is because, by the time a person reaches this age, they can typically handle making decisions independently. In addition, by this age, they have usually achieved a sufficient level of self-confidence to ensure that they can make sound decisions. The client was allowed to share his concerns, which were considered after hearing them. The social worker also confirmed that the client thought about moving out on his own and what he would need to do if he were to move out.

References

Carnevale, A. P., Strohl, J., Smith, N., Cheah, B., Gulish, A., & Campbell, K. P. (2021). Navigating the College-to-Career Pathway: The 10 Rules of Moving from Youth Dependency to Adult Economic Independence. Postsecondary Value Commission. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED617093.pdf

Covarrubias, R., Valle, I., Laiduc, G., & Azmitia, M. (2019). “You never become fully independent”: Family roles and independence in first-generation college students. Journal of Adolescent Research, 34(4), 381-410. https://doi.org/10.1177/0743558418788402

Desimone, L. M., Stornaiuolo, A., Flores, N., Pak, K., Edgerton, A., Nichols, T. P., … & Porter, A. (2019). Successes and challenges of the “new” college-and career-ready standards: Seven implementation trends. Educational Researcher, 48(3), 167-178. https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X19837239

Geiger, J. M., & Okpych, N. J. (2022). Connected aftercare: youth characteristics, policy, and programs associated with postsecondary education and employment for youth with foster care histories. Child maltreatment, 27(4), 658-670. https://doi.org/10.1177/10775595211034763

Lee, J. S., & Ballew, K. M. (2018). Independent living services, adjudication status, and the social exclusion of foster youth aging out of care in the United States. Journal of Youth Studies, 21(7), 940-957. https://doi.org/10.1080/13676261.2018.1435854

Woodgate, R. L., Morakinyo, O., & Martin, K. M. (2017). Interventions for youth aging out of care: A scoping review. Children and Youth Services Review, 82, 280-300. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2017.09.031