The draft model of work with families in the community

THEORETICAL STARTING POINTS OF THE MODEL:

Families with complex psycho-social problems are resilient (Walsh 2006); families are much more than problems which they are confronting; from the »what lacks and should be«attitude to »what is and could be«attitude (Madsen 2007).

The meaning of relational stance (to be a respectful and responsible ally (Madsen 2007)).

We have developed actionable knowledge (the concept of the working relationship and an individual working project of help, social work with family (Čačinovič Vogrinčič 2006, 2007));

Social constructionism (collaborative approaches: for example, a short, solution focused therapy, narrative approach).

CHALLENGE:

– How to support families that Madsen (2007) calles multistressed families (often poverty and social exclusion are foregrounded), which due to experiencing external and internal pressures become overburdened and in turn destabilised. Madsen (ibid.) says that crises and cronic stress can repeat for years and can be transferred from generation to generation – How do we offer support to families to make a step further from old problems towards a new future?

– How to reach beyond the disconnection between diverse sources of help, received by families with complex psychosocial problems (poverty is what all the families in the project have in common)? How to make a step forward from the culture of complaining to the culture of taking action?

A SCHEMATIC PRESENTATION OF THE DRAFT MODEL:

SOURCES:

Čačinovič Vogrinčič, L. Kobal, N. Mešl, M. Možina (2005), Vzpostavljanje delovnega odnosa in osebnega stika [Establishing the working relationship and personal attitude]. Ljubljana: Faculty for Social Work of the University of Ljubljana.

Čačinovič Vogrinčič, G., (2006b): Socialno delo z družino [Social Work with the Family]; Faculty for Social Work; Ljubljana.

Madsen, C. W., (2007): Collaborative Therapy with Multi-stressed Families. The Guilford Press, New York.

Walsh, F. (2006), Strenthening Family Resilience. New York/London: The Guilford Press.