1. Explain why it is important that you work with Jade Lingandher family (2 marks)
2. Explainhowyou might go about working with Jade LIng and her family (consider various micro skills, knowledge and theories you may draw from). (8 marks)
Note: For this second question it is important to remember that you are not a counsellor, you are a Reconnect Worker (This means you could be a social worker, youth worker or community services worker). (There is information at the end of the case study about the Reconnect Program).
Jade Ling
Jade Ling is the 15-year-old daughter of Chinese parents referred by her school counsellor to you.
You are a Reconnect worker at a Reconnect Program (see below for information about this program).
Information gathered by telephone in the intake phase is as follows:
· That prior to about three months ago, Jade Ling was a hardworking and high achieving student.
· She was a quiet and well-behaved student with 2 – 3 close friends.
· However, over the past three months, her grades have deteriorated. She has stopped hanging out with her old group of friends and now hangs out with the ‘cool’ group of young people.
· She has started smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol. Although her parents don’t let her go out on the weekend, she looks for any opportunity to sneak out of the house and visit her friends.
· Jade Ling’s parents are very distressed and angry. They can’t understand why Jade Ling is rebelling against them. They are worried about the negative influence and role
model she is to her younger sisters. They are talking about sending her to live with an uncle and aunt interstate.
· In her most recent counselling session, she hinted that she has been sexually abused. She would give no information about when this may have happened or who the perpetrator might be.
The school counsellor made a report to Child Protection. But neither child protection nor the police took any action because of the vagueness of the sexual abuse concerns.
The school counsellor referred Jade Ling and her family to you (the Reconnect Worker).
Note: The Reconnect Program is a community based early intervention and prevention program for young people aged 12 to 18 years who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, and their families. The aim of Reconnect is to prevent homelessness by intervening early with families and young people to stabilise and improve their housing situation and improve their level of engagement with family, education, training, employment and their local community (Department of Social Services, 2019).
References
Department of Social Services XXXXXXXXXXFamilies and Children, Reconnect, Retrieved March 10, 2019 from Reconnect | Department of Social Services, Australian Government (dss.gov.au)