Assignment: A Brooklyn Family Tale

Please watch the film, A Brooklyn Family Tale 

In an 8-10-page paper address the following questions, using readings from class and outside literature to support your responses. APA format and citations are required for this assignment.

Please use the following section headings in your paper and adhere to the page limits for each section.

1. Family Strengths

Using the literature, define the strengths perspective and its relevance to social work with families.What do you see as the strengths of the individuals in the Santiago-Castro-Cruz family, and in the family as a whole?Why is identifying strengths useful when working with working with families? Please refer to the literature in your response.

1-2 pages

2. Family Resilience

Using the literature, define resilience and describe its relevance to social work practice with families.Based on this definition, in what ways do you see the Santiago-Castro-Cruz family as resilient?

1-2 Pages

3. Assessing the Impact of the Environment on the Family

In what ways are the family’s struggles related to their environment and to socio-cultural factors?Why is it important to assess the impact of environmental factors on the family? Please use the literature to substantiate your response.

How might you go about assessing the impact of environmental factors on the family? Please use the literature to substantiate your response.

1-2 pages

4. Engaging and Working with Families

In the documentary, Sister Geraldine states:

“I go beyond the act. I try to find that person behind the act, then look for who is this person, what is it that they have, what’s brought them to this point in their life. That’s really social work – learning what brought them to where they are.”

What does this statement convey to you about engagement and assessment in social work practice?In her work with the Santiago-Castro-Cruz family, what are the results of Sister Geraldine’s attempts to find the person behind the act?

Based on the material covered in this class on engaging and working with families, briefly describe the skills and approaches you think would be important for engaging and working with this family. Please cite the literature in your response.

1-2 pages

5. Cultural Competence

Using the literature, define cultural competence.

In what ways did Sister Geraldine display cultural competence in her work with the Santiago-Castro-Cruz family? Are there areas in which you think she could have demonstrated greater cultural competence? Use the literature to support your responses.

Approximately 1 page

6. Potential Counter transference and Responses

Using the literature, provide a definition of the term counter transference.

Briefly discuss any counter transference issues you anticipate you might experience if you were working with this family.

What might you do to mitigate these reactions?

Approximately 1 page

Your paper should be well-written and thoughtfully respond to each question. Where stated, please cite the literature, and use appropriate citations.