Working with Families: An Integrative Model by Level of Need (2nd Edition)

This is one of the few texts that addresses work with families from a social worker's perspective. The text assesses families by their level of need, from the most basic level (needs for food, clothing, and shelter) to more advanced levels (needs for intimacy and self-actualization), and provides students with models for assessment and interventions at each level. The text takes an overall integrative ecological systems approach, and discusses the orientation of the practitioner as well as the type of interventive approach. Other family practice texts present many different models of family work, often focused on middle-class, private practice clients. Students complain that they feel undecided about which model to use and when. This text provides an integrative model with guidelines for when and how to use different practice methods. The text discusses the ethical and spiritual dimensions of practice (Ch. 4), and issues of multiculturalism, diversity, and gender differences (Ch. 3).

Working with Families presents an innovative model for choosing specific intervention methods that meet the discriminate level of need of a particular family.

While other family practice texts present many different models of family work and many fields of practice, often focused on middle-class, private practice clients (leaving students feeling undecided about which model to use and when), this text provides an integrative model with guidelines for when and how to use different practice methods.

What reviewers are saying…
“A significant strength of this text is its emphasis on practitioners focusing on strengths and resources that families do have, at every level; this provides a beginning point for assessment and intervention. Strengths-based models like this are preferable to deficit models and give the family and therapist a basis for hope rather than despair.”
--Charles Barke, Southwest Missouri State University

“Strengths of this text include the discussion of the needs paradigm along with the accompanying types of interventions, liberal use of case examples and coverage of ethics.”
--Thomas Smith, Florida State University

What’s New:

• A new section on "Ethical Challenges" is included for each method of practice chapter to help students give special thought to this important area of practice.
• Internet Resources are included for each practice method chapter to assist students and faculty in accessing new and relevant material.

Don’t Miss These Exciting Value-Added Options:

Video Workshop for Marriage and Family Therapy
Instructors: Video Workshop includes a Student Learning Guide/workbook along with 85 minutes (19 clips) of actual therapy sessions on CD-ROM. Each clip illustrates features of various schools of Family Therapy (contains footage from Carlson’s Family Therapy with the Experts video series. Video Workshop for Marriage and Family Therapy is available FREE when packaged with this text. Please contact your local representative for details.

Research Navigator Guide for the Helping Professions
Instructors: Research Navigator Guide for the Helping Professions is the easiest way for students to start a research assignment or research paper. Complete with extensive help on the research process and four exclusive databases of credible and reliable source material including the EBSCO Academic Journal and Abstract Database, New York Times Search by Subject Archive, “Best of the Web” Link Library, and Financial Times Article Archive and Company Financials, Research Navigator helps students quickly and efficiently make the most of their research time. Research Navigator Guide for the Helping Professions is available FREE when packaged with this text. Please contact your local representative for details.