Class Descriptions

Interpersonal Practice with Children and Youth

SW625

Course Description

This course will examine practice theories and techniques for working directly with children, adolescents, and their caretakers. This course will emphasize evidence-based interventions that address diverse groups of children or adolescents within their social contexts (e.g., peer group, school, family, neighborhood). Special attention will be given to issues of diversity as it relates to building therapeutic relationships and intervening with children, adolescents and their families. The interaction between environmental risk factors, protective factors, promotive and developmental factors as they contribute to coping, resiliency, and disorder, as well as how these might vary by child or adolescent diversity factors, such as race, ethnicity, disadvantage, gender, sexual orientation, sexual identity and culture will also be covered.

Objectives

Upon completion of the course, students will be able to:

1. Understand and address the impact of diversity (including ability, age, class, color, culture, ethnicity, family structure, gender (including gender identity and gender expression), marital status, national origin, race, religion or spirituality, sex, and sexual orientation) of children, adolescents and their families and the social worker on practice process and outcomes. (Practice Behaviors 4.IP, 10.c.IP)
2. Describe and apply a number of assessment procedures (e.g. direct observation of or interviews with the client, parent or caretaker, and collateral contacts with teachers, caseworkers, or other professionals) that identify internal and external risk protective and promotive factors that may affect children and adolescents. (Practice Behaviors 3.IP, 9.IP, 10.b.IP)
3. Describe the primary developmental tasks and characteristics of childhood and adolescence as they relate to the selection and implementation of developmentally and culturally appropriate techniques for engaging and treating children and adolescents. (Practice Behaviors 4.IP, 10.a.IP)
4. Identify the ways in which continuity or disruption in primary care relationships may impact children, adolescents, and the therapeutic relationship. (Practice Behaviors 1.IP, 10.a.IP)
5. Engage in an assessment process that includes gathering information on the risk, protective and promotive factors at the intrapersonal, family, peer group, school and neighborhood levels in order to formulate and understanding of the child/adolescent's presenting problems and circumstances. (Practice Behaviors 9.IP, 10.b.IP)
6. Implement evidence-based prevention and intervention strategies (e.g. cognitive behavioral interventions, parent management training) that are compatible with child/adolescent and family or caretaker goals, needs, circumstances, culture, and values. (Practice Behaviors 2.IP, 3.IP, 6.IP, 9.IP, 10.c.IP)
7. Develop intervention skills in working with children, adolescents and their families. (Practice Behavior 10.c.IP)
8. Monitor and evaluate interventions with regard to: effectiveness, sensitivity to diversity factors; impact of child/adolescent' and families' social identities on their experience of power and privilege; and appropriateness of the intervention to specific child/adolescent needs resulting from conditions such as maltreatment, deprivation, disability, and substance abuse. (Practice Behaviors 5.IP, 10.d.IP)

Design

The instructor will select required and recommended readings. Class format will include lecture, discussion, case analysis, skills development sessions and viewing of videotapes. Written assignments will integrate theory, evidence-based research, and case analysis, and when possible, the student's practicum work.