CYC819 Week 1

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School

Toronto Metropolitan University *

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Course

819

Subject

Sociology

Date

Apr 3, 2024

Type

pdf

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5

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Week 1: Introduction & Discussion of Course Expectations Introduction to Families Core Objectives Week 1 - Readings are key to being successful in this course not only for context, but also for the assignment and tests - Begin to articulate an emerging theory of and orientation to working with families within the context of child and youth care practice. - Intro to knowledge and understanding of family system's, structure and dynamics, family life cycle and capacity for change. Family Defined - The basic unit in society traditionally consisting of two parents rearing their children - A group of individuals living under one roof and usually under one head (household) - A group of people united by certain convictions or a common affiliation - In many legal contexts family denotes “individuals related by blood, marriage, or adoption MASTEN & MONN – SETTING THE CONTEXT - Regards the family as an ‘adaptive system and a context for human development’ [and] that family function and caregiving quality played central roles in the resilience of high-risk children’ (p. 5). - Early research on the functioning of individual focused on the individual, the environment and the family, but from a deficit perspective - 60’s and 70’s saw a shift toward the focus on the capacities and strengths of the family - “Resilience can be defined broadly as the capacity of a dynamic system to adapt successfully to disturbances that threaten its function, viability, or development” (Masten, 2014a p. 10). - “Resilience refers to the capacity for adapting successfully in the context of adversity, typically inferred from evidence of successful adaptation following significant challenges or system disturbances (Masten & Mann, p. 6) - The concept of resilience was also examined as a protective factor - Also examines the ways in which family as a system changes depending on the situation and the types of factors that promote resilience - P Tuff definition: A protective factor in which we get through things TUPAC SHAKUR – THE ROSE THAT GREW FROM CONCRETE - https://youtu.be/NbpGyzFpAp8 Understanding Resilience - Resilience is a regarded as dynamic - Identify the steps and strategies that you would take to achieve the desired behaviours/practices - How would you get there
- What types of processes increase the levels of adaption across systems? - What are the factors that enhance a recovery from stressful or averse events? - What is positive adaptation - what are the signs or markers that you are looking for? - How are these behaviours and outcomes interconnected? - What are the factors that can undermine adaptive behaviours - Depending on the responses to the previous questions the child and family can be impacted across generations - 'the snowball effect' or 'developmental cascades'. - In your own words, describe your understanding of the above terms and show how they are related to the notions of resilience. Positive Adaptation - Markers of adaptation change over the course of the life of an individual or family - Can be informed by context, history, geography, age, sociocultural norms - Can be determined by expected ‘developmental tasks’ or milestones and can be assessed over individual or multiple dimensions - Adaptation can also be determined by the absence of symptoms or disorder – (We know what is healthy by knowing what is unhealthy) - This is considered to be a negative criteria Critical Thinking - In family theory, qualities of effective or adaptive families have been described for decades. For example, Pratt (1976) described the “energized family” as responsive, involved, open, flexible, connected to the community, active in problem solving, and providing age-appropriate parenting to their children. (p 7). - What are your thoughts about the above quote? - If this definition was applied to a family that has recently migrated and does not speak English, would they be considered adaptive or maladaptive? Protective Factors - Factors that help people to adapt in adverse situations - Typically employed in times of crisis or for families that exist in situations that can be regarded as ‘challenging’ - Examples can include – family cohesion, communication, rituals, beliefs, etc. Promotive Factors or Assets - Factors that positively influence successful adaptation - Can include skills, environment, personality, - The family environment (parenting skills, capacities, resources and overall wellbeing) - These promotive factors can be inter-generational - Discuss – Can you provide examples of the ways in which promotive factors can spread across generations? Can this be regarded as a form of privilege? Understanding Risks
- Children and families can be exposed to multiple risk factors at the same time - Family experience of risk is shared even if 1 individual is directly affected - The family mediates risk for children - Question: Identify some situations where families may not be able to protect their children? Factors that May Limit Family Support - Divorce - Mental illness - Economic challenges - Parental conflict - Child maltreatment - Family violence - Allostatic Load – chronic stress that limits the functioning of people - (Allostatic is how to body responds to stressors) - Local and global crises Benefits of Quality Parenting - Increased competence in children - Academic development - Social competence Forms of Support and Protection - Attachment and bonding - Belief systems - Family routines & regulatory roles - Cultural traditions Multiple Theoretical Approaches to Understanding Family - Systems - Developmental - Psychology - Biology - Resilience Benefits of Employing Multiple Perspectives - Develops a more comprehensive picture - Supports the development of broader and more effective strategies and interventions - Better training for researchers and practitioners - Developing a scientific foundation for the field - More comprehensive benefits to children and families CYC Approach to Working with Families - How does your role as a CYC differ from the ideas presented in the first article? - Does a scientific approach support the development of relational practice? Support your position.
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