Teens Essay -- essays research papers fc

In order insure America’s future, a national problem needs to addressed. Is America’s youth being educated in regards to preventing teenage pregnancy? Did you know that approximately every two minutes, a teenage girl in the United States gives birth (Guernsey 6)? While this fact may be sad and startling to most people, it is indeed the truth. Over the past few decades, the problem of teen pregnancy has grown considerably in this country. However, the most extensive dilemma regarding the issue of adolescent pregnancy is the incredibly important question of prevention. Preventing teen pregnancy includes such solutions as the availability of birth control, sexual education among children and adolescents, and a greater sense of support for pregnant teens. However, before society can begin to successfully prevent pregnancies among teenage girls, the underlying causes and facts about the dilemma must first be exposed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Eighty-five percent of the teenage girls who become pregnant every year do not plan their pregnancies; an alarming fifteen- percent of these pregnancies is, in fact, intentional (Ayer 107). Some girls are under the false pretenses that having a baby will provide them with a certain amount of love that is currently missing in their lives. Many also believe that with this new life they have helped create will come a renewed sense of hope (107). These incentives reflect emotional problems that will not be solved by becoming pregnant, but will only get worse. In addition, a considerable amount of girls become pregnant as a secret plan to hold on to their boyfriends (Guernsey 37). They assume that by giving birth to their boyfriends’ babies, he will stick around longer and the relationship will improve as a result. However, the reality is that if a relationship is not strong enough to survive on its own, the presence of a baby will simply make it much more diffi cult.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are several myths surrounding teen and adolescent pregnancy. Many of these myths are misunderstandings that many teenagers have, regarding sexual activity and pregnancy. A common deception among teens is that it is impossible to impregnate someone, or become pregnant the first time they have sex. Not only is this extremely false, it just so happens that approximately one out of twenty girls becomes pregnant the first time s... ...as moral and emotional dilemmas.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  By targeting males, many believe that the rate of teen pregnancy will drop considerably. Those involved with the prevention of teenage pregnancy are optimistic that the rate in pregnancy will decrease among teenagers. This is a battle being fought not only by teenage parents, but also by society as a whole. It is important that all children are educated thoroughly about teen pregnancy and then they can therefore make proper decisions regarding this issue. With the growing concern for teenage mothers and their babies, it appears that people have finally begun to take note of the problem and are doing what they can, in their own way, to further prevent pregnancies among teenagers. Reaching to America’s teen in regards to the prevention of pregnancies will is one means of in suring America’s future.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Works Cited Everything You Need To Know about Teen Fatherhood. Ayer, Eleanor H. New York: The Rosen Publishing Group, 1993. Bell, Alison. â€Å"Pregnant on Purpose.† Teen August 1997: 106-108. Guernsey, JoAnn Bren. The Facts about Teen Pregnancy. New York: Crestwood House, 1989. Harris, Yvette R.

Jaguars :: essays research papers

In appearance the Jaguar is often confused with the Leopard both cats, depending to a degree on sub-species have a similar brownish/yellow base fur colour which is distinctively marked with dark rosette markings. However, the jaguar can be distinguished by the presence of small dots or irregular shapes within the larger rosette markings, a more stocky and muscular body and a shorter tail. Melanistic or black jaguars (see below) are common in certain parts of its range and are often confusingly labelled Black Panthers a name which is also applied to black Leopards. In this melanistic form the cats are more difficult to separate, however the jaguars large head and stocky forelimbs are often a good way to differentiate between the two cats.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the wild, identification would not be an issue as the cats inhabit different continents - the jaguar is the only member of the panthera family to be found in the Americas and its is by far the biggest cat on the continent. The Jaguars range, which once spanned from the southern states of the USA down to the tip of South America, now centres on the north and central parts of the South American continent. The jaguar is predominantly a forest dweller with the highest population densities centring on the lowland rain forests of the Amazon Basin - dry woodland and grassland also serve as suitable terrain, although the cat is rarely found in areas above 8000 feet.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The overall body size and coloration of the cat often relates to its location - jaguars found in dense forested areas of the Amazon Basin are often only half the size of those found in more open terrain and it has been suggested that this can be related to the more frequent occurrence of larger prey species found in open terrain . Coloration of dense forest dwelling jaguars is often darker than those found in grassland and scrub forest - here, as with the darker coloration of rainforest leopards, the darker coats give better camouflage in the low light condition on the forest floor and offers the dark coated cat greater success in hunting and a greater chance of survival.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Unlike many other big cats, apart from man, the jaguar has no rivals - no other predator can compete with this powerful cat. The jaguars main periods of hunting activity are greatly dependant upon location - in some areas which are close to human habitation it appears that the cat is most active at night, whilst in other locations the jaguar is crepuscular and in certain cases diurnal in its hunting activity.

A Worn Path is a touching story of will power

The relevant story of love and perseverance transcends a deeper message relating to the welfare of Negro (after the Civil War). Rather than using direct criticism, the writer reveals the indifference by employing symbolism in a story of faith.The character name Phoenix Jackson, echoes not only â€Å"death and rebirth† by the first name, but also a historical figure of popular democracy in 1830s—Andrew Jackson. Readers will be confronted with questions: â€Å"Who is this old, nearly blind Negro? Will the writer reveal a great past? Will she die in the end in a pitiful manner?Why is she engaging herself in a tedious travel?   As the story goes, and as the answers are revealed, rationalizations that may persuade readers that â€Å"racism is bad†, seem to be sugar-coated. The plot mainly illustrates a grandmother’s love towards her grandson, which is a universal feeling, whatever race you belong. This observation is parallel to what critics say of Weltyâ₠¬â„¢s style.John R. Cooley says that it â€Å"fails to develop her racial portraits with sufficient sensitivity or depth,† (EuWN 11-13)   and Nancy K. Butterworth adds that such â€Å"polemical demythologizings conflict with Welty's persistent refusal to use fiction as a platform, particularly for political or sociological issues, as well as her downplaying and even disavowal of racial implications in her stories.† Nevertheless, the story may at least give the impression that Negroes are human beings with the same aspiration of a better society for the future generation.The story exemplified the unaddressed needs of Negroes after the Civil War. Old Phoenix who lives in Old Natchez Trace of Mississippi, where neglect, not to mention discrimination is still lingering even after slavery was put to an end. Southern whites during that time adopt â€Å"Black Codes†, which regulate the rights of the newly-freedmen. The code situates Blacks with a subordinate position in the society.The character Phoenix, though seemingly harmless because of old age, is not spared form these treatment of neglect and inferiority. Christian symbolism is also apparent in the narrative. For example, the fact that the story is set during the Christmas season has led some critics to associate Phoenix's journey with that of a religious pilgrimage. (Gale Research,1998).The untied shoelace at the beginning, which is later tied by a perfumed lady carrying gift boxes, symbolizes how little the well-to-do help the Negroes, but how that little help soothes the situation.This further show that Negroes know that what is given and what they will continually ask for is a deserved one, â€Å"Thank you missy, I doesn’t mind asking†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Welty 147). The author also illustrates how discrimination is not totally intentional, but that it is deeply rooted in the culture.The woods represent the life Negroes are facing. The author inspires the readers through Phoenix, th at though she seems inapt, she pursues her goal. She relies on her knowledge about the terrain. This provides the irony that the former slaves, who knew better than their white masters about the work and the place, do not get their proper due. Phoenix, even if almost blind, know the place so well, she could â€Å"own† it.As she walks slowly, she warns the animals, â€Å"Keep out from under these feet†¦ I got a long way† (142). The marble cake in a plate represents how the offer of Southern consolidation is just ‘a piece of cake’, when she replies, â€Å"that would be acceptable†. But then it appears be a rhetorical offer, â€Å"when she went to take it there was just her own hand in the air† (143). Indeed, the struggle to achieve human rights took a long while; discrimination persists even after the millennium.The encounter with the white hunter shows an unfruitful play with the young man, â€Å"I know you old colored people! Wouldnâ₠¬â„¢t miss going to town to see Santa Claus† (144). It also shows how Phoenix used the hunter’s boastfulness â€Å"Watch me get rid of that cur† (146), to get what she wants—the nickel. This is a representation of how Whites try to frighten the Blacks away from their struggles, â€Å"and then he laughed and lifted his gun and pointed it at Phoenix.† (146)When Phoenix finally arrived at he doctor’s place, she stood watching â€Å"the document that had been stamped with the gold seal and framed in the gold frame, which matched the dream that was hung up in her head†(147). Later she directly clears the Negroes anticipation to avail other rights as good education, â€Å"I never did go to school, I was too old at the Surrender.† (148.)Then, Welty reminds the reader that no matter how the trip took so long, the Negroes must not forget the reason of their struggle. Phoenix’ grandson will â€Å"hold his mouth open like a little bird,†(148) meaning that she will teach him to be a strong â€Å"Phoenix†.He will benefit from all the hardships, â€Å"I remember so plain now. I not going to forget him again, no, the whole enduring time. I could tell him from all the others in creation (148). She then sets off to buy him a paper windmill, â€Å"He going to find it hard to believe there is such a thing in the world† (149). The windmill seems to be a symbolism of the travel Don Quixote.Most Welty’s stories are placed in small communities of her native state, Mississippi, and carry the intimacy and intensity of narrow-range observation.Marian Hauser further observes that many of her stories â€Å"are dark, weird and often unspeakably sad in mood, yet there is no trace of personal frustration in them, neither harshness nor sentimental resignation; but an alert, constant awareness of life as a whole, and that profound, intuitive understanding of life which enables the artist to accept itâ € (6).. In portraying the old Negro woman who travels miles to bring a Christmas toy to her sick grandchild, Eudora Welty writes with warmth that holds no searing quality. (Feld 11-12). Of all her stories, A Worn Path comes closest to holding warmth and kindness. It is considered to be one of Welty's most frequently studied works of short fiction.WORK CITED:Gale Research. â€Å"A Worn Path by Welty, Eudora.† 835 Penobscot Building Detroit. 1998.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   .Lewis, Thomas. â€Å"Textual Variants in `A Worn Path'†. Eudora Welty Newsletter (EuNW).  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Vol. 16 Winter 1992:11-13.Marianne Hauser. â€Å"‘A Curtain of Green’ and Other New Works of Fiction.† New York Times Book Review, November 16, 1941, p.  6. Welty, Eudora. The Collected Stories of Eudora Welty. New York: Harcourt, 1980.Rose Feld. New Yor k Herald Tribune Books, November 16, 1941, pp.  10, 12.

Power & Duties of a Social Worker Essay

This paper discusses and explores both case studies in order to find the powers and duties a social worker acting in a statutory capacity might exercise in these cases, how might they be exercised and how might wider principles of welfare law impact on their decision making? It also analyses the tensions and dilemmas that may exist, referring to specific legislative provisions, and identify how anti-oppressive practice might influence the resolution of these case studies. It also demonstrates an ability to study relevant law in social work practice and have a critical and analytical understanding of the service delivery standards and powers and duties of social workers, demonstrate a working knowledge and understanding of key areas of welfare law that are significant to service users analyses the tensions and dilemmas that arise in the implication of the law in social work practice and be able to demonstrate a commitment to the anti-oppressive practice of social work law. This paper is focused on two separate case studies:First Case Study: Jack and Lauren have two Children named as Makayla aged 18 Months and Christopher aged 5 years. The local Authorities and Children’s Services have a referral from a relative who is concerned that the Children had witnessed Jack and Lauren fighting. What is more Jack brings people back to the house who drink heavily and Lauren has left the children alone at least twice to get drugs. When seen the children appear adequately dressed, clean, healthy and outgoing, and Christopher is attending school most days. The house is sparsely furnished but tidy and there appear to be a small number of toys. Makayla may have a development delay. She also may have difficulties with hearing and vision, which have meant numerous medical appointments, some of which have been missed. Second Case Study: Gracias speaks with pride of her house in which she and her husband raised seven children and points to the antiques she has collected. She knows the history of all the antiques she has had longest, but she looks troubled when asked about other items. Her eldest son has looked after her since he retired. She has eleven grandchildren, but she cannot remember their names. He moved in with her after she left the gas on twice and let a stranger into the house. He fells she could benefit from  re-housing since a stroke affecting her left arm and leg means she struggles with the stairs and with bathing, and recently she has begun to become incontinent at night. On the other hand, she still tends to her antiques with great care. He is also concerned that she is still managing her large account of savings and shares, which he will need to have access to if he keeps her at home. These two case studies are mainly different from each other if we study them with practical approach but certain things can be discussed simultaneously for the both cases i.e. family, approach towards the care of children, approach towards the looking after the parents, affects on children when they are ignored. Defining the FamilyA family becomes a family when two or more individuals have decided they are a family, that in the intimate, here-and-now environment in which they gather, there is a sharing of emotional needs for closeness, of living space which is deemed â€Å"home,† and of those roles and tasks necessary for meeting the biological, social and psychological requirements of the individuals involved. For our purposes in this text we mean by family â€Å"two or more people in a committed relationship from which they derive a sense of identity as a family,† thus including â€Å"nontraditional family forms that are outside the traditional legal perspective †¦ families not related by blood, marriage, or adoption† (Cohen, S., and T. A. Wills. 1985: 85)The state of marriageThe family, marriage, and the individual are inextricably interwoven. This simple fact constitutes a major conceptual and practical problem when considering the prospect of intervention in a marital problem, for it militates against clarity of thought and purpose. Certainly, conceptual distinctions can be made, and these are of central importance in the attempts of social scientists to shed light on the dynamics of family life; but such distinctions tend to rely upon the identification of boundaries that are perhaps seldom recognized, let alone drawn, by the individual experiencing the realities of marital and family life. As the father of modern family studies, Whittaker, J. K. and J. Garbarino. (1983) observed,  Ã¢â‚¬ËœWe know too much about the family to be able to study it both objectively and easily’Some family needs could be considered as being met through a combination of expressive and instrumental functions, such as child care, and health-related supports. This applies on both Case Studies. In line with the above, and in recognition of the diversity of contemporary society, we should emphasize that â€Å"respect for diversity requires that family be defined openly and broadly so as to include whomever the family itself- with its unique culture, circumstances, and history-designates† (Allen and Petr 1998:8). Practitioners should be prepared to understand and account for the special needs of minorities. As reflected throughout this volume, this means that we need to consider carefully in our practice the dimensions of race and ethnicity, including not only their significance for human functioning but also their impact on service delivery. In this regard, Pecora, P. J., W. R. Seelig, F. A. Zirps, and S. M. Davis, eds. (1996) assert: â€Å"Training practitioners for competence with diverse populations is high on the list of corrective initiatives to address †¦ inadequacies† in social work practice. A critical component of such training is learning how to promote the well-being of children and families. Promoting Child and Family Well-Being in Perspective of 1st Case StudyTo aid in our understanding of what families and children need to thrive in our society, we have developed a framework of needs and resources for family and child well-being. The framework is organized as a triangle depicting the three interrelated aspects of child and family wellbeing:†¢ What children need for their optimal Development,†¢ What families need to survive and fulfill their functions successfully, and†¢ The neighborhood, community, and environmental resources that families and their children require. At the center of the model is the overall goal for family-centered social work practice: safeguarding and promoting the well-being and Welfare Law of children and their families. We will refer to this framework throughout the paper, so as to highlight key points about promoting child and family  wellbeing and safety as well as delineate guidelines and principles for assessment and intervention. The model draws from the contributions of a number of sources in an attempt to show the range of interrelated family and child needs that, when met, promote optimal functioning and development. Resilience, Coping, and AdaptationIn their work with children and families, practitioners can be guided by knowledge regarding resilience, coping, and adaptation-key constructs in understanding human beings and human behavior. Before elaborating on each of these constructs, it is useful to consider the competence centered perspective on social work practice, which can serve as a frame of reference for practitioners. Competence-Centered Perspective & Principles of Welfare LawThe competence-centered perspective builds upon ecology as a metaphor guiding the study of the interactions between living organisms and their environments (Bronfenbrenner 1979). In particular, such a metaphor calls attention to the â€Å"influence of external environments on the functioning of families as contexts of human development† (Bronfenbrenner 1986:723). As an orientation to practice, ecology helps us to appreciate that human beings are engaged in continuous transaction with their environment; furthermore, the ecological view provides insight into the nature and consequence of such transactions both for human beings and for the physical and social environments in which they function (Germain and Gitterman 1996:5-19). Evaluation in perspective of Case Study 2By offering a broad conceptual lens to view human functioning and needs, ecology underscores that social work intervention should address the interface between human beings and their impinging environments: practitioners focus on improving the transactions between people and environments in order to enhance adaptive capacities as well as enrich environments for all who function within them (Germain and Gitterman 1996). In using such an orientation, practitioners can help mobilize the actual and potential strengths and resources of individuals, families, and groups while simultaneously seeking to render environments more responsive to the adaptive and coping needs of human organisms (Kagan, S. L. 1995). In addition, workers are helped to understand the relationships  between families and their environments and identify the significant sources of support as well as stress and conflict. They can then assess more objectively the complex personal and environmental factors affecting parents and children and arrive at more appropriate treatment plans and recommendations. The competence perspective draws from ego psychology; psychodynamic psychology; and learning, developmental, and family systems theories. In social work as in other fields, competence is generally defined as the repertoire of skills that enable the person to function effectively. However, a distinction should be made between the notion of discrete competencies or skills and the broader, ecological or transactional concept of competence. The latter may be defined as the outcome of the interplay among:†¢ A person’s capacities, skills, potentialities, limitations, and othercharacteristics. †¢ A person’s motivation-that is, her or his interests, hopes, beliefs, andaspirations, and†¢ the qualities of the person’s impinging environment-such as socialnetworks, environmental demands, and opportunities (Maluccio 1981). Stress, Risk, and Protective Factors in perspective of Both Case StudiesIn the course of their development, families and children encounter a variety of stresses and risks that need to be considered in any interventive plans or services. Stress and risk are closely related concepts. As Roskies (1991:412) indicates, â€Å"In spite of its widespread use, there is no single, precise definition of the term stress.† Saleebey, D. (2002) who is regarded as the father of modern stress theory, focuses on physiological reactions of the human organism in its struggle to resist noxious stimuli or stressors. Along with other theorists, Locke and Taylor (1991:157) define stress as â€Å"the emotional response, typically consisting of fear and/and anxiety and associated physical symptoms resulting from† perceived threats to one’s well-being or selfesteem. We think of stress as internal tension or strain produced in the human being in response to any one or more factors. Risk has been defined as â€Å"any influence that increases the probability of onset, digression to a more serious state, or the maintenance of a problem condition† (Fraser 1997a:3). â€Å"Risk or vulnerability represents a heightened probability of negative outcome based on the presence of one or more† factors such as â€Å"genetic, biological, behavioral, socio-cultural, and demographic conditions, characteristics, or attributes† (Fraser 1997:10). Examples of environmental risks are family dysfunction, child abuse, parental illness, and, above all, poverty. Protective factors are â€Å"those internal and external forces that help children resist or ameliorate risk† (Fraser 1997a:13). Rutter (1985:600) further defines protective factors as â€Å"influences that modify, ameliorate, or alter a person’s response to some environmental hazard that predisposes to a maladaptive outcome.† Problem-solving skills, a sense of self-efficacy, and an internal locus of control are examples of internal forces found in resilient children and youths. Examples of external forces are the strong family presence of a caring, supportive adult in the family and a safe and supportive school set- ting. As Benard (1997) explains, schools can provide a protective environment for many youths and children through the caring and support and high expectations of teachers and other school personnel as well as the opportunities available for meaningful participation in the life of the classroom, school, or community.Under certain conditions the interplay between risk factors and protective mechanisms leads to successful coping and adaptation: â€Å"An individual is able to cope so long as the balance among risks, stressful life events, and protective factors is manageable. But when risk factors and stressful life events outweigh the protective factors, even the most resilient children can develop problems (Werner 1989:80). â€Å"Through her longitudinal, life span study of 618 children, Werner (1994 and 1995) has demonstrated the role of protective factors within the family and community, such as socioeconomic supports, in childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. As considered in subsequent chapters, social workers can play important roles in promoting resilience in children and youths. In particular, in conjunction with the concepts delineated in the preceding section, the constructs of risk, stress, and protective factors suggest several interrelated themes that can help guide social work practice with  families and children: †¢ Human beings are engaged in ongoing, dynamic transactions with theirenvironment and in a continuous process of growth and adaptation. †¢ Human beings are â€Å"open systems† that are spontaneously active andmotivated to achieve competence in their coping with life demands and environmental challenges. †¢ Varied environmental opportunities and social supports are necessary tosustain and promote a human being’s efforts to grow, to achieve self-fulfillment, and to contribute to others. †¢ Appropriate supports should be matched to the human being’s changingqualities and needs in order to maximize the development of her or hiscompetence, identity, autonomy, and self-fulfillment. Intergenerational Aspects and Principles of Welfare Law In perspective to Case Study 2Throughout human history and across societies, parents have relied on the extended family, especially grandparents, for help in care of their children. Such reliance is becoming increasingly problematic, due to such factors as the geographic mobility of families and, above all, growing societal problems in such areas as housing, poverty, substance abuse, and family violence. In addition, there is an increasing proportion of mothers at an early age, including early adolescence; the families of these young mothers are often struggling with their own issues, problems, and challenges. It has been estimated that, as of the early 1990s, between 2.3 and 4.3 million children lived in the homes of relatives without their parents (Everett 1995). The U.S. Bureau of the Census (1995) reports that approximately 3.9 million children were being raised in grandparent-headed households in 1995. While kinship caring is more common among families of color, it is seen also among white families. As extensively considered by Hegar and Scannapieco (1999), kinship care is a complex phenomenon-whether provided through informal arrangements or through state supervision. According to these authors, among the issues to be considered are the  following: How should formal kinship care differ from informal care arranged by the families? Should kinship care be classified as either out-of-home care or family preservation? Should foster families licensure or certification be required of kinship families? How long should the state subsidize placement with kin?In view of the above, practitioners need to give increased attention to the intergenerational aspects of family and child Welfare Law services. In particular, agency policies and programs should recognize the crucial role of grandparents in caring partially or fully for their grandchildren, including teenage granddaughters who are pregnant or have children of their own. Since they face multiple tasks during a crucial phase of their own development, parenting grandparents need a social service system that responds to their needs. As recommended by the Child Welfare League of America (Child Welfare League of America 1994; National Commission on Family Foster Care 1991), following are some of the strategies that are especially crucial in promoting intergenerational interventions:†¢ offering services to the parents as well as the grandparents to meet their own needs as caregivers as well as the child’s needs,†¢ providing adequate financial supports, especially in view of the precarious financial conditions of many grandparents,†¢ monitoring the child’s placement in kinship care, so as to ensure the child’s well-being as well as address the needs of the kinship family, and†¢ encouraging practitioners to appreciate and respect each the child’s and family’s cultural, racial, and ethnic identity. In addition, there needs to be attention to the ongoing psychosocial issues that many parenting grandparents experience as they are faced with their own basic physical, emotional, and financial adjustments (Poe 1992), the interaction between parents and grandparents, with its potential for frustration and conflicts, the issue of permanency planning for children placed with relatives, and the parents’ own need for help in connection with their own problems as well as their functioning as parents. Various authors consider these issues in detail. For example, Poe (1992) offers implications for policy and treatment in the situations of black grandparents. Doucette-Dudman and LaCure (1996) present guidelines for helping grandparents and social service professionals cope with the challenges  inherent in grandparent parenting. Generations United (1998) offers recommendations and strategies for dealing with economic supports, health care, education, child care, and legal issues in the situations of grandparents and other relatives raising children. Maluccio (1999) describes intergenerational approaches to helping families at risk, such as foster grandparent programs, mentoring of young mothers by elderly persons, and having older adults work with families experiencing child abuse or neglect. Child-Focused and Family-Centered Practice In perspective of Welfare LawSocial Work Practice requires that we maintain a principal focus on the child within a family-centered context. As discussed more extensively elsewhere, such a focus suggests that, in most cases, the child can best be helped by regarding the family as the central unit of service or focus of attention, whenever and as much as possible. Human beings can best be understood and helped within their significant environment, and the family is the most intimate environment of all. It is here that the child develops and forms her or his identity and basic competence. The family has the potential to provide resources throughout the life cycle, especially as its members are sustained and supported by various services (Germain 1999). The family’s own environment can be employed as the arena in which practitioners intervene to help strengthen communication, parenting skills, and parent-child relationships.As reflected throughout this volume, we consider the following guidelines as especially important in implementing child-focused and family-centered practice:†¢ There is emphasis on prevention and intervention strategies that reduce stress and risk and promote coping and resilience in children and families. †¢ Practitioners must understand the relationship between race/racenicity and issues such as family norms, child-rearing practices, childhood and family poverty, discrimination, and funding of social services. †¢ Assessment and intervention focus on the family’s transactions with its kinship system, school, community institutions, and other social networks that affect its functioning. Intervention strategies are directed not only toward engaging the family in treatment but also toward changing the social  systems that influence it. There is emphasis on case management strategies and community-based approaches that help empower vulnerable clients (Rothman 1994). †¢ Many parents can be helped to become rehabilitated or to plan responsibly for their children through family treatment approaches as alternatives to placement of children out of their homes or as methods of speeding up the reunification of placed children with their families. For example, birth parents of children at risk can be empowered through the use of group training. †¢ When children are separated as a result of hospitalization, imprisonment, foster home placement, or residential placement, family ties between them and their families should be preserved as much as possible, through such means as consistent parental visiting. The natural bonds between children in care and their parents may continue to be important for most parents and children long after they are physically separated for either short-term or long-term periods. †¢ Foster family, group care, or residential placement of a child should be seen as a part of the overall service rather than as the service-as a tool, rather than as an end in itself. In line with this, there should be efforts to have parents, foster parents, or other child care personnel regard themselves as partners in a shared undertaking, with common goals and mutually supportive and complementary roles. †¢ A major source of help often can be the family’s extended kinship system. (Danzy and Jackson 1997) as in situations involving parental substance abuse. As another example, in many cases the extended family, with agency support, can help a parent avert placement or reduce the duration of placement in an unfamiliar setting. †¢ Mutual aid groups, such as those for vulnerable adolescents, gay and lesbian youths, sexual abuse survivors, or bereaved children, can be therapeutic as well as empowering (Gitterman and Shulman 1994). References Allen, R. I. and C. G. Petr. 1998. Rethinking family-centered practice. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry 68:4-15. American Humane Association. 1998. Assessing Outcomes in Child Welfare Services: Principles, Concepts, and a Framework of Core Indicators. Englewood, Col.: AHA, Children’s Division. Benard, B. 1994. Applications of resilience. Paper presented at a conference on the Role of Resilience in Drug Abuse, Alcohol Abuse, and Mental Illness, December 5-6. Washington, D.C. Cited in D. Saleebey 1997. Benard, B. 1997. Fostering resiliency in children and youth: Promoting protective factors in the school. In D. Saleebey, ed., The Strengths Perspective in Social Work, pp. 167-182. 2d ed. New York: Longman. Bronfenbrenner, U. 1979. The Ecology of Human Development. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. Bronfenbrenner, U. 1986. Ecology of the family as a context for human development: Research perspectives. Developmental Psychology 22 (6): 723-742. Cohen, S., and T. A. Wills. 1985. Stress, social support, and the buffering hypothesis. Psychological Bulletin 98 (2): 310-357. Maluccio. 1999. The rationalization of foster care in the twenty-first century. In P.A. Curtis, G. Dale Jr., and J. C. Kendall, eds., The Foster Care Crisis: Translating Research Into Policy and Practice, pp. 225-242. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press. Danzy, J., and Jackson, S.M. 1997. Family preservation and support services: A missed opportunity for kinship care. Child Welfare 76:31-44. Doucette-Dudman, D. and J. R. LaCure. 1996. Raising Our Children’s Children. Minneapolis: Fairview. Everett, J. 1995. Relative foster care: An emerging trend in foster care placements policy and practice. Smith College Studies in Social Work 65:239-254. Everett, J. E. 1997. Theoretical, policy, research and clinical perspectives for social work practice with African Americans. Special issue. Smith College Studies in Social Work 67 (3): 255-643. Everett, J. E., S. S. Chipungu, and B. R. Leashore, eds. 1991. Child Welfare: An Africentric Perspective. New Brunswick, N.J.: Rutgers University Press. Fraser, C. 1995. Suffering children and the Christian Science Church. Atlantic Monthly, April, pp. 105-120. Fraser, M. W. 1990. Program outcome measures. In Y.-Y. T. Yuan and M. Rivest, eds., Preserving Families: Evaluation Resources for Practitioners and Policymakers, pp. 77-101. Newbury Park, Cal.: Sage. Fraser, M. W., ed. 1997a. Risk and Resilience in Childhood: An Ecological Perspective. Washington, D.C.: NASW. Fraser, M. W. 1997b. The ecology of childhood: A multi-systems perspective. In M. W. Fraser, ed., Risk and Resilience in Childhood: An Ecological Perspective, pp. 1-9. Washington, D.C.: NASW. Generations United.1998. Grandparents and Other Relatives Raising Children: An Intergenerational Action Agenda. Washington, D.C.: Generations United. Germain, C. B. and M. Bloom. 1999. Human Behavior in the Social Environment: An Ecological View. 2d ed. New York: Columbia University Press. Germain, C. B. and A. Gitterman. 1996. The Life Model of Social Work Practice: Advances in Theory and Practice. 2d ed. New York: Columbia University Press. Hegar, R. L. and M. Scannapieco, eds. 1999. Kinship Foster Care: Policy, Practice, and Research. New York: Oxford University Press. Kagan, S. L. 1995. The changing face of parenting education. ERIC Digest (EDOPS-95-7). Urbana: University of Illinois, Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood Education. Kagan, S. L. and B. Weissbourd, eds. 1994. Putting Families First: America’s FamilyLee, J. A. B. 2000. The Empowerment Approach to Social Work Practice. 2d ed. New York: Columbia University Press. Locke, E. A. and S. M. Taylor. 1991. Stress, coping, and the meaning of work. In A. Monat and R.S. Lazarus, eds., Stress and Coping:An Anthology, pp. 140- 157.3d ed. New York: Columbia University Press. Pecora, P. J., W. R. Seelig, F. A. Zirps, and S. M. Davis, eds. 1996. Quality Improvement and Evaluation in Child and Family Services: Managing Into the Next Century. Washington, D.C.: CWLA. Poe, C. G. 1992. Social Work with Children and Their Families: Pragmatic Foundations. New York: Oxford University Press. Roskies, E. 1991. Stress management: A new approach to treatment. In A. Monat and R. S. Lazarus, eds., Stress and Coping:An Anthology, pp. 411-431. 3d ed. New York: Columbia University Press. Rothman, J. 1994. Practice with Highly Vulnerable Clients: Case Management and Community-Based Service. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall. Rothman, J. C. 1998. From the Front Lines: Student Cases in Social Work Ethics. Boston: Allyn and Bacon. Rutter, M. 1985. Resilience in the face of adversity: Protective factors and resistance to psychiatric disorders. British Journal of Psychiatry 147:598-611. Saleebey, D., ed. 2002. The Strengths Perspective in Social Work Practice. 3d ed. Boston: Allyn and Bacon. Werner, E. E. 1989. High-risk children in young adulthood: A longitudinal study from birth to thirty-two years. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry 59:72-81. Werner, E. E. 1994. Overcoming the odds. Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics 15:131-136. Werner, E. E. 1995. Resilience in development. American Psychological Society 4:81-85. Whittaker, J. K. and J. Garbarino. 1983. Social Support Networks: Informal Helping in the Human Services. New York: Aldine de Gruyter.

Fedex Essay

If you were the HR Head of a major competitor of FedEx: a) List down the 3 HR practices which you would emulate of FedEx. Explain reasons for the same. Ans) * Leadership Evaluation And Awareness Process (LEAP) – This policy gave FedEx’s Non-Managerial Employees an opportunity to seek Managerial Positions. LEAP created the chance for Non Management Employees to try out their Managerial Skills. LEAP helped Employees of FedEx check whether they were capable of managing Organizations or not. It also gave a chance to FedEx to check out the leadership and managerial skills of its internal Employees. * â€Å"Guaranteed Fair Employee Procedure† (GFTP ) Via â€Å"People –Service-Profit â€Å" (PSP) Philosophy – One of the major HR practices which made FedEx a success story was the Guaranteed Fair Employee Procedure where all type of Employee Grievances were taken care of. The philosophy of â€Å" People-Service-Profit† where Employees were kept before the company’s profit making motives lead to more motivated employees ,leading to more profits in the long run . It was believed that people before profits were would lead to more efficient work on behalf of the employees to the customers , thus strengthening the brand image of FedEx. * Succession Planning Executive Education (SPEED) – The SPEED program introduced at FedEx were done mainly to give feedback to the high level employees reporting directly to the CEO or to the top management of FedEx. Feedback was given periodically n order to rate the skills and promotability of the people who were likely to replace them in the near future. Such Employees were suggested which areas they needed to work on to improve their skills for their new positions some years down the line. b) If you had to attract top Talent from Fedex, what would be your strategy for this, assuming compensation and role were not the key factors for attracting talent from Fedex? Develop your response based on the case study (identifying areas where Fedex may not be as good) and state your assumptions, if any. Ans) To lure top Talent from FedEx, we can go in for the following strategies: * Fringe Benefits – * Perks – * Job Enlargement And Enrichment More Exciting Job Opportunities Q2. Based on the industry FedEx is in and on the nature of its business, list down 1 or 2 competencies which you think are core to the organization (across functions and levels) and which are essential for employees to possess in order for the organization to succeed. Justify your answer suitably Ans) * Recruitment Focusing on Entrepreneurship – The rec ruitment style followed by FedEx is to hire people who have a mind for new Entrepreneurial ventures. They have to be creative in nature and have the ability to think out of the box. This Recruitment strategy has worked well for FedEx. * Employee Centricity and Retention – FedEx Core Competency lies in the fact that all the Employees are treated equally and every grievance are taken care of. No stone is left unturned to see to it that all problems faced by employees are always addressed to before the company objectives. Q3. What do you think would be the top 5 measures the CEO of FedEx would want his HR Head to measure and report on an ongoing basis.

Successful transition Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Successful transition - Essay Example Mercantilism in this aspect involves a system of economic operation which focuses on unification and improving the levels of power of a certain state majorly monitory wealth through restricted governmental monitoring of an entire economic dimension by use of regulations, policies in order to: Ensure a balance of trade, promote agricultural and technological advancement through the creation of international market monopolies (Atkinson 2012 pg. 4). To begin with, the mercantilism nature of Chinese economy has led to the attraction of a large number of foreign investors especially from the United States. This condition has been related to the intended undervalued currency and the cheap labor available within the Chinese populace; this has created job opportunities to majority of the population as well as to the foreign investors who are presented with a platform to operate their businesses. Additionally, the deliberate undervaluing of the Chinese Currency presents an advantage to both the foreign investors in China and the Local Chinese producers. It enables them to successfully export their goods hence having the access to a large market. In relation to the Chinese Government, the mercantilism has created various advantages for instance: It has enabled the Chinese government to be in possession of an extensive foreign exchange reserve specifically the dollar dominated property which currently stands at 265 billion US dollars. Consequently, there is also the aspect of a higher rate of an increasing Foreign Direct Investments (FDI); this has also been attributed to the intended undervaluing currency of China, availability of cheap labor as well as an influx of foreign business investors major from the United States of America and other major economies such as the Great Britain, Japan, Singapore and the Korea (Davis 2011, pg. 1). Despite the

Choose one of the following Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 2

Choose one of the following - Assignment Example For instance, the red colour is widely used to signify either a warning or passion in the cultures of the western civilization, while green is believed to be a colour of nature and the colour of harmony. Garments and accessories can serve another language that conveys things about individuals. Therefore, meaning gets formed not just by purely linguistic signifiers, e.g. written words, but also through images as well as different non-linguistic sounds. With reference to this, images function as similar means to language (Marshall & Werndly, 2002: 36). Signification, which is understood as the process of reading signs, involves denotation and connotation. (Marshall & Werndly, 2002: 16). Denotation is about the text comprehension and its interpretation via decoders, while it also relates to pertinent codes. In decoding, it is assumed that every reader is actively involved in the meaning construction rather than merely takes the meaning out of the text. Connotation describes a range of socio-cultural associations which appear as readers decode the text (Chandler,