BSHS408 Week 3 Child Abuse and Neglect Assessment Case Study

THE CEDENO FAMILY

Student Instructions

You are an intact family worker with a private child welfare agency. The Cedenos were referred to you by the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). Your agency’s program goal is to work with families who have come to the attention of DCFS and provide family preservation interventions. DCFS will keep an open case on this family to ensure that they work with your agency. You are asked to make an analysis of the family situation and provide services to the family.

Family Composition

The Cedeno family is Mexican American and consists of the father, Benjamin, age 32, the mother, Nina, age 30, and their two children, Tamara, age 7, and their son, Sean, who is 3 years old. The Cedenos live in a two-story garden apartment. The apartment building appeared in need of repair.

Family Background

The Cedenos have been married for almost ten years. They met in Texas at a fiesta and have always been together. They have a family income of about

$32,000 a year. They have not been able to save any money, because they have had to move four times in three years. Their parents were originally from Mexico. They are fluent in Spanish and abide by some of that culture’s beliefs. Other Mexican families also live in the Cedenos’ apartment complex. However, most of the Cedeno family resides in Texas. The Cedenos moved from Texas about three years ago to find better jobs.

Mrs. Cedeno has two sisters and three brothers, all of whom live in Texas. Her parents recently moved back to Mexico, and she does not see them much. Mr. Cedeno has five older brothers and three younger sisters. Most of his siblings live in Texas and California. He has one older brother and two younger sisters who live about 2 miles from him. He is very close to his family, but finances  have prohibited him from returning to Texas or Mexico to visit other family members. The Cedenos hope to save enough money to move to Mexico.

Current Situation

A man called the child abuse hotline to report his concerns about a 3-year-old boy name Sean. He stated that he was Nina’s co-worker. According to the

 reporter, Mrs. Cedeno confided in another co-worker that her husband “beat Sean with a belt last night.” Several months ago, Mrs. Cedeno told another co- worker about her husband’s “violent temper,” but this is the first time she has said anything about her son being hurt. According to the reporter, Sean has come into the store twice with his mother with bruises on his face. On one occasion, Mrs. Cedeno said that her son was very clumsy and that he keeps falling off a swing at nursery school. The reporter told the hotline worker that he has reared three boys and that they rarely, if ever, got bruises on their faces, like those she saw on Sean. The reporter continued by noting that the Cedenos have a 7-year-old daughter, Tamara, and she seemed extremely shy. According to the reporter, Sean is enrolled at A New Beginning Child Development Center.

The Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) Initial Involvement

The child protective services worker telephoned A New Beginning Child Development Center. The worker called the center to verify Sean’s enrollment and spoke with Sylvia Greene, the director. Ms. Greene verified that Sean was enrolled at the center and that he attends daily from 6:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

The worker made a visit to A New Beginning Child Development Center. She met with Ms. Greene and Ms. Lee and observed Sean in the classroom. Ms. Lee said that Sean is “a lovable child, but he can be difficult.” He has a very short attention span, he does not show much self-control, and he speaks very little English. Ms. Lee added, however, that Sean is not the only child in the class with these kinds of problems. Her main concern is that Sean is a “hitter” and a “biter.” When Sean wants a toy that another child has, he hits or sometimes bites the child. The teacher feels that she has to watch Sean more closely than the other children to make sure that no one gets hurt. Ms. Lee stated that she told Sean’s father last week that unless the biting stops, Sean will not be able to come to the center. Both Ms. Green and Ms. Lee say that the Cedenos are very cooperative parents and that Mrs. Cedeno is the active parent. They added that Mrs. Cedeno always drops Sean off in the morning and spends a few minutes with him before she leaves for work. Sean usually cries when she leaves.

The worker stated that her observation of Sean in the classroom revealed no unusual behaviors. Sean, a slender boy with brown eyes and dark brown hair, seemed quite happy. She did notice that he had difficulty sitting still for any length of time. He was neatly groomed and dressed. During his interactions with the other children he would speak Spanish. According to the teacher, nearly all the children get hurt on the playground occasionally, but that she was not aware of Sean ever falling off a swing hard enough to injure himself. The protective services worker examined Sean and found several bruises on his bottom. The marks appeared to be belt marks, and the skin was broken in two places. Sean would not tell her how he got the bruises; he just started crying and would not talk. The teacher appeared shocked and stated that she does not think that Sean is an “abused child.” She told Ms. Greene that both parents seem very fond of him, and she does not remember ever seeing any injuries on Sean before, other than “normal kid bumps and bruises.”

The worker then called the mother at work and asked her to come to the DCFS office. The mother was very concerned about the report and who made the report. She insisted that the children were okay and that they had no problems in the home. The worker advised the mother that she had gone to the school and had observed marks on Sean. Mrs. Cedeno agreed to come to the office and was asked to bring her husband. After about an hour Mrs. Cedeno came to the office with Sean and Tamara, but her husband was not with them. She said that her husband could not leave his job. She also stated to the worker that she would rather try and resolve the situation before her husband got involved. She appeared very nervous and stated that she thinks Sean got a little spanking last night for something, but she did not appear to remember what the spanking was for. She also stated that she had to work last night and was not at home. She attempted to ask Sean what happened, but he did not say anything. Mrs.  Cedeno stated that Sean was not being abused and that she was sure that “if my husband whipped him, he has a good explanation.” Tamara then spoke up and ran to her mother and said, “Mommy, Poppy hit Sean because Sean was being bad.” Tamara started to cry and told her mother that she was afraid. Mrs. Cedeno hugged her children and assured them that everything was going to be okay. Mrs. Cedeno started that the worker was welcome to come to their home to talk to Mr. Cedeno.

The worker went to the Cedeno home. Mrs. Cedeno answered the door. She said Mr. Cedeno was just getting up and would join them soon. Mrs. Cedeno looked very tired and tense. She is an attractive woman with dark brown hair and light brown eyes—just like Sean. The apartment was in disarray.

While waiting for Mr. Cedeno, Mrs. Cedeno said her husband was very angry about the report on Sean. She said her husband had expected a promotion to store manager but had not gotten it and that “he has been upset for two weeks and now this.” Mr. Cedeno is a tall, middle-built man with curly hair. When he walked into the room, he immediately asked Mrs. Cedeno in Spanish to go fix him a cup of coffee. Then he asked the worker angrily, “Now what’s this all about?” The report was explained. Mr. Cedeno interrupted and said that Sean always has bruises on him from one fall after another. “Sean is a nightmare.” (Mrs. Cedeno sat quietly and looked out the window.) Mr. Cedeno was asked to explain what he meant by “nightmare.” He said that Sean never listens to his mother and that he only listens to him (Mr. Cedeno) when he threatens him with the belt. Mr. Cedeno continued by relating a series of incidents in which Sean misbehaved. For example, Sean breaks his toys as soon as he gets them, and he throws objects when he is frustrated. A few weeks ago, Sean threw a metal  truck and hit Tamara in the head, causing her to need five stitches. Mr. Cedeno

 said, “I was so mad I saw black. I didn’t allow Sean to play outside for two weeks. He stayed in his room most of the time.” When kept in his room last week for wetting the bed, Sean threw his toys everywhere, tore up several books, and even ripped the window shades down onto the floor. Both parents seemed relieved to hear that Sean was behaving well at school today. Mrs. Cedeno said that she was unaware of Sean ever biting another child at school or anywhere else, and she would talk to Ms. Lee about “the problem” tomorrow. The worker encouraged the Cedenos to talk more about Sean. Mrs. Cedeno was more tolerant of Sean’s “active behavior” than Mr. Cedeno. She said she never “laid a hand” on either of her children. In response, Mr. Cedeno said rather sarcastically, “And that’s why Sean acts the way he does.”

Because of the Cedenos work schedules, the family rarely has any meals or leisure time together. Mrs. Cedeno always gets the children to and from school. Tamara makes breakfast for herself and Sean, which, according to Mrs. Cedeno, “is a big help.” Mr. Cedeno frequently works on weekends. Again, rather sarcastically, he added, “My wife has bankers’ hours.” In response, Mrs. Cedeno glared at her husband, but said nothing.

Sean

According to Mrs. Cedeno, Sean is able to entertain himself. He likes to build with blocks, knock the blocks down, and build again; and he likes to watch TV, especially Barney. He and Tamara usually get along reasonably well. Mrs. Cedeno also said that Sean is an affectionate child and that he likes her to sit and hold him and tell him stories—an activity she, unfortunately, has little time for. Mr. Cedeno stated that “Sean has his mother wrapped around his little finger.” The worker asked them how they typically discipline the children. Mr. Cedeno said he believes “children need a good whipping now and then.” He acknowledged that he physically spanks Sean and Tamara but never hard enough to hurt them or leave bruises. He states he rarely has to discipline Tamara.

Tamara

Tamara is an attractive child, but she appears tired. She has dark circles under her eyes. Tamara is friendly but reserved. She is a smart child academically, and is obedient. Tamara enjoys listening to tapes and learning to read. According to her mother, Tamara does not like to watch television.

SAFETY AND RISK ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS

1. What form of physical abuse is present in this family?

 

 

 

 

THE BERNARDEZ FAMILY

Student Instructions

You are working as a family preservation worker with the Department of  Children and Family Services (DCFS). You have been assigned to work with the Bernardez family. The department recently started a new program to work with families dealing with substance abuse. The purpose of this program is to work with families in which substance abuse is the primary problem. The parents have voluntarily agreed to work with your program as an alternative to having their children removed from the home. They have been arrested for possession of marijuana and for domestic violence. They asked the judge to give them a chance to keep their family together. The judge placed both parents on probation, contingent upon them getting drug treatment, marital counseling for domestic violence, and working with your program. If they fail to get treatment and complete your program, they will go to jail and possibly lose their children. You will meet them on Friday. They have completed one week of treatment.

Family Composition

The Bernardez family consists of the parents, Felix, age 35, and Marisa, age 30. They have two daughters, Danielle, age 9, and Nicole, age 7. The paternal grandmother, Lena Bernardez, and the maternal grandparents, Jose and Helena Messina, are involved with the family. They do not reside in the home. The  family is from

Current Situation

Mr. and Mrs. Bernardez started smoking marijuana together about five years ago. About six months ago, Mrs. Bernardez went out with a few friends and experimented with crack cocaine and found she liked it. About two months ago Mr.Bernardez found out that she was using crack, and he is very angry. As a result, they do not smoke together anymore. He has asked her to stop using drugs altogether. She is refusing to stop, and Mr. Bernardez feels that their marriage is in trouble. He states that she cannot handle crack, because he has come home on two occasions and found their two children dirty and hungry. He has asked her to get some help or leave the house. Mr. Bernardez stated that he came home one evening and found Mrs. Bernardez doing drugs in front of the children. He states that he was so angry that they started to fight. Their oldest daughter, Danielle, age 9, took her sister, Nicole, age 7, and ran across the street to a neighbor’s house. The neighbor called their paternal grandmother, who lives only a block away; she came and picked up the children and then called the police.

The police took both parents to jail. At their bond hearing, the judge told them to either go to treatment and try and get their family back together or go to jail. They agreed to go to treatment. Mr. Bernardez called his mother, and she agreed to keep the children while they are in treatment. She has agreed to keep them for a little while, but no one knows how long they might have to stay in treatment. During the intake interview, the counselor advised them that she will have to make a referral to DCFS. They are very angry because they did not want anyone to find out about this. They fear they will lose their jobs and everything they have worked so hard for.

Family Background

The Bernardez family is a lower-middle-class family living in a working-class neighborhood. Their annual income is about $60,000 a year. The parents are originally from Guatemala, but they have raised their children in the United States. Both parents acknowledged their difficulty in fitting into this country when they first moved here. They started using drugs to make friends with people at Mr. Bernardez’s job.

Felix Bernardez

Mr. Bernardez is employed with a major firm as a computer operator. He has been having problems on the job for several years, as his new boss has prob- lems with people who speak another language. He has used drugs socially on special occasions, but never felt he was addicted. He has been on this job for eight years and thought this job was a “gift from heaven.” He does not see himself as an addict, but says that he often wishes he could stop using drugs, because he knows that it is not good and he is not setting a good example for  his children. He has a good reputation at his job and does not want anyone to know what is going on. However, he only has two weeks vacation, and everyone at his job thinks he is on vacation. He does not know what he will do about the next two weeks or if he will have to leave treatment. He does not want to leave because he does not want to lose his children or go to jail.

Marisa Bernardez

Mrs. Bernardez is also working. She is an elementary Spanish teacher in the local public school. She has also used drugs with her husband socially. However, in the last six months she has tried crack occasionally and is finding that she likes it. Mr. Bernardez is upset, as he thinks she is addicted. She disagrees, and this is causing marital problems. She states that it is not affecting her job yet, but she is in charge of the “say no to drugs” program at the school. She feels guilty for using, but feels that she can stop any time she wants. She is very emotionally upset, as she cannot believe that she and Mr. Bernardez had a fight and that their children saw it. She has called her school and asked to take two weeks of sick leave. She must bring a doctor’s note to the principal when she returns. She does not know what to do, and she fears that if the school board finds out they will fire her. She is disappointed in herself, as she feels a lot of kids look up to her in the school because of the “say no to drugs” program.

Danielle

Danielle is 9 years old, and a very intelligent child. She is an A student and attends the same school at which her mother works. She speaks Spanish and English fluently and is well liked by her teacher. Her teacher has recently noticed a change in her behavior and is wondering what is wrong with her. Danielle wants to tell her teacher what she saw at home and that her parents are in a drug program, but she is afraid to say anything, as her grandmother told her not to say anything to anybody because her family will be in trouble. Danielle is becoming very sad because of her home life. She does not play with her friends at school and is becoming more withdrawn every day. She has a best friend and thinks she can share the secret with her, but is too afraid.

Nicole

Nicole is 7 years old and usually very friendly. However, lately she is often sad and appears distracted. She used to laugh all the time. She attends private school, because her parents thought she might need more attention. Nicole is not as bright as Danielle. Nicole is into playing with Barbie dolls, and she speaks little Spanish. She does not know specifically what is going on in the family. Recently, she has been creating more imaginary friends and is beginning to talk about those friends at school, and the teacher is accusing her of lying. Also, she is in a Brownie troop and they do a lot of activities. Nicole is close to her Brownie leader and has been asking to spend the night with her on a weekly basis. The Brownie leader has talked to the parents and the parents state that Nicole is just infatuated with the leader because of the fun she has with her. After observing the domestic dispute between her parents, Nicole has become more withdrawn and sad. She is close to her father, but lately she does not even talk to him or allow him to hug her.

Extended Family

Lena Bernardez is the paternal grandmother with whom the children are currently staying. She is from Guatemala and has been in the United States for only seven years. She came to the United States after her husband died. Felix is her only son; she has two older daughters, one in New York and the other in Guatemala. She speaks both English and Spanish, but mostly Spanish. Her English is not as good as she would like it to be. She describes herself as a Christian woman and is totally against any kind of “wrong-doings.” She often comments to her son about how bad drugs are in Guatemala and that she is so glad that she and her children never used drugs. She lives on her own in a small senior citizens’ apartment complex nearby. She often babysits the girls when the parents have to go out. However, she cannot keep the girls for long, because of the rules of the building—only the person whose name is on the lease can live there. Others can come to visit, but not for more than thirty days. She loves her son and his family and is very upset, as she was not aware that they were using drugs. She is always bragging to her friends and family in Guatemala about how successful they are. Her grandchildren love her very much.

Helena and Jose Messina are the maternal grandparents. They live in a city nearby that is approximately three hours’ drive from the Bernardez’s. They have four children, two older boys and a daughter younger than Marisa. They too are from Guatemala and are a very proud Latino family. Marisa called them to come and get the children. When they arrived, they demanded to know what was going on. Lena told them everything. They have been very supportive of the family, but they are very angry about this situation. They are disappointed in Mr. Bernardez, and they feel it is all his fault. Mr. Messina said, “What kind of man would allow his wife to use drugs?” Mr. Messina says that he is so angry with them that he does not know what to do. They had a very good relationship with Mr. Bernardez up until now. Mr. Messina has often told Felix how much he respects him and appreciates his taking care of his daughter and grandchildren.

THE PHILLIPS FAMILY

Student Instructions

You are employed as a social worker with the Society for Children. Your agency’s primary focus is family preservation. You have been assigned to work with the Phillips family. The family was referred to your agency by the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) for family preservation services. The family has been served by other social service agencies, but after a review of the case the committee felt that this family needed more one-on-one direct services. An assessment of the current family situation is needed.

Family Composition

The Phillips family consists of the mother, Keisha, age 22, and her three chil- dren. She has one son, Jeremy, age 4, and two daughters, KeKe, age 7, and Alexia, age 15 months. The family resides in the Third Chance Shelter for

 

Select a case study from the Child Abuse and Neglect Case Studies.

Write a 1,400- to 1,750-word paper answering the following questions:

What forms of neglect are present in this family?

How do these forms of neglect impact the child's protection or the children in the family?

Does the neglect impact family preservation? Explain.

What characteristics are present in the abuser and abused?

Knowing these characteristics, what forms of assessment would you use for screening?

What information are you lacking about the situation and its context that you feel you need to know to gain an in-depth understanding?

What assumptions about human and social behavior are you making, and how would you follow up with these?

Identify the strengths, limitations, risks, and barriers present in this family. Based on the strengths, where would you start to work with this family?