Working with Families in Particular

Circumstances

Mary Ross & Byron Victa

Child Development 011Section 3113

Divorce, Remarriage,

and Stepfamilies

Working with Children in

the Classroom, Parents, and Stepfamilies

Parent Relations with

Professionals, Teachers, and

OthersWorking with

Parents of Children with Special

NeedsWorking with Families when

Abuse or Neglect Occurs

Divorce, Remarriage, and Stepfamilies

Statistics: Societal changes in modern families About 250,000 families are “recycled” ¹ every

year. 2/3 of divorces involve children, and these

children are often quite young (under 13 years of age) ²

Most remarriages occur within two to three years at the end of the first marriage, when children are still coping from the pain and loss from that first family. ³

Working with Families Undergoing Change Due to Divorce

Divorce is the second-most stressful experience for families after death.

Each family member involved is affected differently.

Children are more vulnerable than adults during a separation

Divorce has longer lasting effects on children than adults

Families undergo many kinds of changes

with divorce.

Factors that Contribute to Children’s Adjustment after Divorce

Mental health of parents Quality of parent-child relationships Degree of open anger versus cooperation

between parents Age, temperament, and flexibility of child Extent to which parents are willing to have

the same routines for the child in each home

(From Wallerstein, Lewis, & Blakeslee, 2000)

Working with Children in the Classroom, Parents, and Stepfamilies

•Maintain structured environment

•Encourage expression of feelings

•Encourage acceptance

•Be aware of group reactions

Children in Classroom

•Reassure parents

•Keep requests light

•Be aware of legal agreements

•Know available community resources

Parents

•Offer emotional support and information that promotes transition

•Be sensitive to family name differences

•Attention to language and the message it conveys to children is important

Stepfamilies

Professionals, Teachers, and Others: Parent Relations

•Avoid stereotyping and show respect

Treat Parents as Individuals

•Families will appreciate children’s progress and abilities

Focus on the Present and Future

•Main focus of a teacher is to clarify a diagnosis, not comment on

Clarify Information

•Teachers should be as positive as possible, strive for realistic optimism

Be Hopefully Realistic

•Promote children’s feelings of confidence in new abilities, strengthen their willingness to venture forth on their own

Help Families Let Go

•Teachers should invite and welcome families in contributing to the well-being of their children and the other children

Increase Family Involvement in the

Classroom

•Be familiar with all community resources that can support families and others who care for children with disabilities

Know Available Community Resources

•Assess families who struggle with social and emotional isolation

Help Re-Establish Self-Confidence

Working with Parents of Children

with Special Needs

IEP – Individualized Educational Plan

• intended to help children reach educational goals more easily than they otherwise would; the IEP must be tailored to the individual student's needs 

IFSP – Individualized Family Service Plan

• a plan for special services for the family unit of young children with developmental delays• creates opportunities for learning interventions in everyday routines and activities

What are children with “special needs”? It is now common for children with special needs to be included in most schools and classrooms

Working with Families when Abuse Occurs

•Deliberate hurting or inflicting of injuries on children

Physical Abuse

•Any involvement of children in sexual activities for the gratification of the offender, including sexual contact and exploitation of children for pornographic purposes

Sexual Abuse

•Acts of omission or commission that result in an absence of a nurturing environment for a child

Emotional Abuse

•Failure to provide physical, emotional, and social needs that are necessary for healthy growth and developmentNeglect

The Teacher’s RoleHelpful Behaviors for Teachers who become Aware of Abuse or Neglect

- Remain calm- Pay close attention without judgment

- Speak in private and take the child seriously

- Do not make any promises, but let the child know that you are going to help- Report everything to the appropriate

protective agency immediately and/or as soon as possible

What is empathy?

How can you show empathyfor families

in a school setting?