Tracey White (18 year old expectant mother, raised in care)
Tracey is an 18 year old expectant mother. Although not in a permanent relationship, and being uncertain about who the father might be, when you meet her in the antenatal period she says she is pleased to be having a baby.
Tracey has used alcohol and cigarettes throughout her pregnancy. She states she typically ‘couch surfs’ at the homes of various old school friends until she has outstayed her welcome. Tracey says she has largely been living on instant noodles and does not eat fruit and vegetables because she ‘hates’ them.
Tracey explains that she was taken into care and protection of ‘the welfare’ when she was 2 years old as a result, she believes, of neglect. She was in a stable foster care home between the ages 2 to 12 years and had a close relationship with her foster mother. Unfortunately, her foster carers (Judy and Des) divorced and she was moved to another foster care placement. Throughout her teens she said she was ‘pretty angry’ and had a total of five foster care placements between the age of 12 and 16 years, each of which broke down. She had sporadic contact with her mother during her years in care and she had an attempt at trying to live with her mother when she self-placed with her at the age of 16, against the advice of her caseworker at the time. Tracey stated that this didn’t work out because her mother’s partner drank a lot and ‘creeped’ her out. She realised what a ‘loser’ her mother was in terms of ‘the blokes she kept falling into bed with’. Tracey said she knew very little about her real dad except his name (Sid) and that he had ‘shot through’ when she was about 12 months old.
She did well at primary school but her grades hit ‘rock bottom’ by the time she was 14 years old. She has had a number of short-term jobs but has been unemployed for nearly a year. She has had ‘casual sex’ with a number of the young men and is not sure who the father is. She thinks it might be Johnny’s baby. He is 19, unemployed and someone who was also in care. Tracey has known him since she was about 9 years old as he spent a brief time in the care of Tracey’s previous foster carers.
Tracey says she was surprised to learn she was pregnant as she had been taking the contraceptive pill. She is afraid that ‘the welfare’ will find out she is pregnant and “start sniffing around”. She says she is very determined to keep her baby and hopes it is a girl.
When expressing her hopes for her baby she says she does not want her child to have the sort of beginnings ‘I had.’
Think about the following questions when you are preparing your essay response:
What risks do you perceive for Tracey’s unborn infant?
What potential difficulties do you see for Tracey’s parenting?
Assessment 1: Case study analysis
Weight 30%
Length 1500 words
Task: Case Study - Tracey, an 18 year old expectant mother
In 1500 words (+/-10%) you are required to write up an analysis of a case study using a multi-dimensional assessment framework. The case study is Tracey, an 18 year old expectant mother and former child in care of the state. Your reference list is not included in the word limit. Please attach/include any completed assessment tools and these do not count as part of the word limit.
Topic area:
What understandings of lifespan development might guide you in developing an understanding of Tracey and her currents needs? How might you blend an understanding of theory into practice?
Explore the topic in the following way:
· Your multidimensional assessment should demonstrate an understanding of Tracey's experience from a bio-psycho-social within a broader ecological, person-in-environment framework.
· It should consider the ‘tasks’ and roles typically associated with Tracey's bio-psycho-social adjustment to her current life ‘stage’, the role of the family, community, institutions, chronological time and history and the inter-relatedness of these factors where these are relevant.
· It should also demonstrate an understanding of concepts such as risk, resilience, adversity, adaptation or adjustment, loss and change where relevant to Tracey's life history.
· Identify how knowledge about the relevant 'stages' of Tracey's life course might inform your practice.
· What ethical issues relevant to working with Tracey might apply? (Tip: understanding the Australian Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics is necessary here).
· Students are expected to explore the topic in depth, researching the literature available on the topic (including this unit's set and recommended texts) and applying some critical analysis of the issues noted.
The assessment criteria place an emphasis upon your demonstrated critical analysis.
Please ensure that you are familiar with the referencing style required by clickinghere
Structure, presentation and marking
Ensure your name and student number are on your assignment and include page numbers.
PDF your assignment before submitting it.
Make sure you have read the marking criteria on this Moodle site under Assessment 1.
APA is the required referencing style for this unit. Follow the link above for information about the APA style requirements.