Reference no: EM133746535

Advocating for clients doesn't always involve changing a policy or obtaining a resource they need. It can be simply helping the client see what they need so they can learn to advocate for themselves. However, families have many dynamics that make the social work process complex. It can be overwhelming when starting, but if you stick to basic needs first, it will give you a good foundation to provide additional support.

Imagine you are going to engage with a family for the first time as a new social worker, and you want to make sure you have a solid plan for the meeting. Your supervisor has asked you to present a meeting plan that shows how you will advocate for your clients during this phase of the social work process.

Read the following referral information from a case study scenario to use as the example family for this assessment:

• About the Family: The Morales family comprises Victor (45), the father; Joanna (42), the mother; and their two children, Emma (16) and Alex (12). The family resides in a suburban community. Victor works long hours in a demanding job, and Joanna is a part-time teacher. Recently, they have been facing significant challenges as they discovered that their 16-year-old daughter, Emma, is experimenting with and misusing substances, specifically prescription medications and alcohol.
• Emma's substance use has led to increased tension within the family. The parents have noticed changes in her behavior, including academic decline, withdrawal from family activities, and a noticeable decline in her physical appearance and health. The family is concerned about
• Emma's well-being and the impact her actions may have on their family dynamics.
• Referring Agency Information: Lincoln High School Social Work Services
• Referring Social Worker: Sabrina
• Other Case Notes: The family requires comprehensive social work services to address their immediate challenges and understand the substance use their daughter has started. Your agency's expertise in parenting resources and substance use will be invaluable in assisting this family in their time of need.

Create an engagement plan for a meeting with the family that outlines a minimum of 3 advocacy skills or techniques that would be used to engage with them during their intake session. In the engagement plan:

• Summarize at least 3 strategies to employ as an advocate to engage with this family successfully. Explain the reasoning.
• Describe how to build an alliance with the family through rapport and trust. Explain how to utilize open-ended questions, such as probing, to get more information from the family.
• Describe how the plan to obtain informed consent from the family before they receive social services and how it will prepare them for the next part of the process.
• Describe the information that is needed to know from a supervisor or referring agencies to support and advocate for the family.

Organize the plan as an outline, bulleted list, or narrative in a way that would make sense to the family.