Tuesday, January 28, 2020

Assessing The Usefulness Of An Ecological Approach Social Work Essay

Assessing The Usefulness Of An Ecological Approach Social Work Essay Social work theories represent sets of ideas that assist in explaining the reasons for occurrence of events or why specific events happened in particular ways and are used to predict likely future actions of present outcomes. It is important to appreciate that theories, whilst based on reasoning and evidence, are not conclusively proved. In social work practice they provide alternative frameworks for understanding issues by the linkage of sets of ideas, and help people to make sense of specific situations or circumstances. Their application helps social workers in guiding practice and in achieving direction in their efforts. This study takes up the ecological approach for discussion and assesses its usefulness for social work practice. The ecological approach is also compared with humanism and existentialism and its various aspects are critically analysed with respect to achievement of managerialism and accountability in social work practice. Discussion Overview of Ecological Approach Kurt Lewin, (Plas, 1981), states that good theory is essentially practical. It provides a way to look at the world and guides action for the achievement of vision of the way things should be. Ecological theory, many experts feel, fits with Lewins maxim and has the potential to give social workers, both a practical perspective for effective social intervention, and a larger perspective for viewing and assessing the social world (Pardeck, 1988, p 92-100). Whilst Roger Barker, (1968), initiated the application of ecological concepts to analysis of human behaviour, the application of such ecological perspectives to social work practice did not occur until it was taken up by Carel Germain in the mid 1970s (Pardeck, 1988, p 92-100). The ecological approach has since then become progressively popular among social workers and is now commonly used as a practice approach for intervention (Pardeck, 1988, p 92-100). The approach, despite becoming more commonly used, does have some major limitati ons, chief among which is the lack of (a) clearly defined procedures for engagement in assessment, and (b) specific sets of techniques and strategies for intervention (Pardeck, 1988, p 92-100). The adoption of the ecological approach enables social work practitioners to understand the significance of the adaptive fit between the environment and organisms (Pardeck, 1988, p 92-100). An appreciation of such a fit in turn enables the emergence of a practice model that essentially focuses on the importance of locating ways and means to first assist individuals in adapting to their environments and second in the formulation of strategies for changing environmental elements that could cause problems for service users (Pardeck, 1988, p 92-100). It is important to understand three concepts, namely (a) behaviour settings, (b) the ecosystem and (c) definition of client problems, in order to understand and appreciate the fit between organisms and their environment (Pardeck, 1988, p 92-100). An understanding of these concepts helps in understanding the significantly unconventional and different approach of the ecological perspective (Pardeck, 1988, p 92-100). The concept of behaviour settings provides fresh insights in the relationship that exists between individual behaviour and environmental setting. Barker and Gum (1964), found that individuals react differently to different types of environment. Analysis of behaviour setting helps social workers to conceptualise the problems of service users and is considered to be a basic unit of analysis for the application of the ecological approach to social work practice. The behaviour setting, it must however be clarified, represents more than the traditional concept of behaviour as the response to a stimulus and is perceived to be a complex relationship of people, setting, time and individual behaviour. A conglomerate of such behaviour settings forms ecology (Germain Bloom, 1999, p 16-22). Specific individuals function in more than one specific ecology. The ecosystem of individuals consists of the various inter-relationships and the conglomeration of such ecologies (Pardeck, 1988, p 92-100). The ecosystem of a child, for example comprises of the self, the family, the school and the larger community (Pardeck, 1988, p 92-100). It is important to understand that the client, in such a concept of ecosystem is an integral component of the ecological system and cannot be juxtaposed with the larger environment (Pardeck, 1988, p 92-100). The ecosystem of an individual consists of four distinct levels, namely the micro-system, the meso-system, the exo-system, and the macro-system. The micro-system represents the immediate environment, viz. the impact of personality characteristics of an individual on other family members (Jones, 2010, p 67). The meso-system is more complex and refers to the interactional processes that occur between multiple micro-systems (Jones, 2010, p 67). Th e exo-system and macro-system likewise refer to more generalised levels and represent more extensive interaction of ecologies (Jones, 2010, p 67). Â  The service user in such circumstances becomes the defining and primary member of the eco system that in turn comprises of various overlapping subsistence like the family, the work place and the larger community (Pardeck, 1988, p 92-100). The psychosocial development and adjustment of individuals are perceived to be the consequence of transactions between individuals and their environments. The ecological perspective suggests the occurrence of cyclic and bidirectional activities between individuals and their environments (Pardeck, 1988, p 92-100). The environment in the first place affects the development and adjustment of individuals. The behaviours of individuals lead to responses inside the environment and the altered environment thereafter exerts a different pressure on the individual (Meinert, et al, 1994, p 26-33). Social workers can view this process as sequential or simultaneous mutual influence, for example X affects Y, which again affects X or X and Y come together to form a unity that defines the situation (Meinert, et al, 1994, p 26-33). This concept and these view points are important because they lead to the formulation of new ways for conducting of assessment and carrying out of intervention in social work practice (Pardeck, 1988, p 92-100). The adoption of the ecological view point leads to the shifting of focus from individual personality and behavioural characteristics to relationships between individuals, their families, their communities and other ecologies that are included in their eco systems (Pardeck, 1 988, p 92-100). Most people do operate in social ecologies that are adaptive or congruent and where people are in harmony with the social norms of their environments (Norman, 2000, p 11-17). The requirement for social work intervention comes about when such adaptive fits cease to exist and lead to mal adjustments (Norman, 2000, p 11-17). The ecological perspective differs significantly from traditional social work view points on definition of problems of service users (Tew, 2005, p 31-36). Most conventional perspectives concentrate on individuals for definition of problems of service users and perceive such service users to be deviant, behaviourally troubled or emotionally disturbed (Tew, 2005, p 31-36). The ecological approach very importantly does not perceive the symptoms of service users kin terms of individual pathologies but looks at such symptoms to be indicative of malfunctioning eco systems (Tew, 2005, p 31-36). Advocates of the ecological approach are likely to perceive emotional disturbances to be comprehensive problems that are occurring in the continuous adaptation that is taking place between organisms and their environments (Wilson, 1999, p 4-11). Mal-adoptions are thus felt to reside not just in the activity of individuals upon their environments but also of the environments upon individuals (Wilson, 1999, p 4-11). Individual problems and difficulties in social functioning are thus perceived to stem from interactive, dynamic and reciprocal sets of forces that work between individuals and their eco systems (Wilson, 1999, p 4-11). The relationship between problematic social functioning and ecology has been studied in various relationships between (a) social class and hospitalisation for psychiatric causes, (b) probability of specific types of mental ailments and spatial community patterns and (c) suicide rates and social organisation of communities (Peters Marshall, 1996, p 17-32). It is evident that the adoption of the ecological perspective requires a radical shift of approach by social workers, who must move away from individuals and try to understand a unit that is termed as individual-in-ecology (Peters Marshall, 1996, p 17-32). Such an approach requires the viewing of individual problems in terms of mal adaptive systems and even differences in labelling of clients, who for example should be termed as disturbing clients rather than emotionally disturbed (Peters Marshall, 1996, p 17-32). Application of Ecological Approach for Intervention The ecological strategy for intervention obviously calls for an ecological assessment of the problems of service users (Norman, 2000, p 11-17). Such ecological assessment essentially involves two important issues, namely (a) the identification of reasons for discord in eco systems and sources of strength, which can be utilised to enhance the level of fit between service users and important people in the lives, and (b) specification of the services that will be needed to allow service users to progress towards achievement of desired goals (Norman, 2000, p 11-17). Traditional models of social work, it is easy to understand, are far more simplistic than the ecological assessment approach (Meinert, et al, 1994, p 26-33). Such methods are narrower and perceive individual service users to be the only focus of the assessment procedure (Meinert, et al, 1994, p 26-33). The intervention model in the ecological approach comprises of specific steps that assist in translation of such assessment into appropriate strategies for intervention (Meinert, et al, 1994, p 26-33). Such an intervention approach consists of seven specific stages and can be applied in a number of practice areas (Nash, et al, 2005, p 32-41). The intervention model in the ecological approach is similar to other traditional approaches with regard to gathering of data but deviates significantly in the ways in which social work practitioners conceptualise and organise the processes of assessment and intervention (Nash, et al, 2005, p 32-41). The seven important stages in the intervention process comprise of (a) entering the system, (b) mapping the ecology, (c) assessing the ecology, (d) creating a vision for change, (e) coordinating and communicating, (f) reassessing and (g) evaluating (Nash, et al, 2005, p 32-41). These steps are significantly different from traditional methods of assessment and intervention and plays far greater responsibilities on the shoulders of social work practitioners (Nash, et al, 2005, p 32-41). The first step of the social work practitioner concerns entering the exo-system of the world of the service user, such a process involves assessment of various relationships in the life of the service user and identification of an entry point into the world of the service user (Kerson, 2002, p 8-14). Assessment of relationships in such circumstances involves examination of the various sub systems like the immediate family, the workplace and the community that shape the world of the service user (Norman, 2000, p 11-17). The social work practitioner can obtain significant information from examination of such sub systems for the formulation of intervention strategies (Norman, 2000, p 11-17). Assessment of various subsystems is thereafter followed by entry into the world of the client (Norman, 2000, p 11-17). This is largely done through an interview involving the social worker, the service user and people in his or her immediate family (Kerson, 2002, p 8-14). The social worker, after en tering the world of the service user commences ecological mapping (Kerson, 2002, p 8-14). Such mapping involves analysis of various sub systems and identification of people and events that are relevant to the challenges confronting the service user (Pardeck, 1988, p 92-100). Such mapping involves interaction with representatives of different sub systems like spouse, parents or immediate friends and leads to obtaining of very important information (Pardeck, 1988, p 92-100). The mapping of ecology is followed by interpretation and assessment. Social workers, at this stage of the process search for important problems and sources of strength in the eco system of service users (Meinert, et al, 1994, p 26-33). The description of relationships and recurring themes in the lives of service users forms an important aspect of this stage and helps in identifying problems as well as sources of strength that can help the service users in achieving a better fit with the environment (Meinert, et al, 1994, p 26-33). Assessment of ecology is followed by locating the areas that require to be altered to enhance the social functioning of service users (Meinert, et al, 1994, p 26-33). Social workers whilst focusing on the required change need to consider the service users total eco system and use all available strengths in the ecology (Meinert, et al, 1994, p 26-33). Practitioners should be open to different change possibilities and implement proposed plans of action after obtaining the agreement of service users (Meinert, et al, 1994, p 26-33). Social workers must communicate and coordinate with people in the eco system during much of the intervention process (Pardeck, 1988, p 92-100). A significant part of the change process lies in the hands of important people in the eco systems of service users and practitioners need to offer support and facilitate change efforts through home visits and telephone calls (Pardeck, 1988, p 92-100). Reassessment and evaluation also form important components of the ecological intervention process (Pardeck, 1988, p 92-100). Social workers should be open on remapping the ecology and working through subsequent stages if the intervention efforts do not appear to be achieving their stated objectives (Pardeck, 1988, p 92-100). The final stage of intervention that is the comprehensive evaluation of the process concerns the gathering of information through informal meetings and the use of structure questionnaires (Pardeck, 1988, p 92-100). The evaluation process is important for practitioners becaus e it enables them to enhance the quality of their ecological approach based treatment procedure (Pardeck, 1988, p 92-100). Advantages and Disadvantages of the Ecological Approach It is important to understand that ecological perspectives help social workers significantly in understanding human problems to essentially be outcomes of continuous transactions of different types between environments and people (Ginsburg, 1990, p 12-21). The conceptualising of human problems in this way helps social workers in understanding that discord between people and their environment can lead specifically to adverse physical, emotional and social effects upon people (Ginsburg, 1990, p 12-21). Such a focus is also a unifying feature of social work practice. The adoption of this approach helps social workers in taking away their focus from individuals as deviants with emotional and mental difficulties and helps in placing them simply as individuals who have mal-adaption with their environments (Henderson, 1994, p 38-45). The investigation and assessment process under this approach also allows social workers to interact with various people who are important to the service user a nd build an intervention plan that involves not just the social worker and the service user but also other people who are close to the service user, understand his or her problems and are able to help the service user in achieving the desired objectives (Henderson, 1994, p 38-45). Whilst the ecological approach helps social workers significantly in conceptualising the essential concerns of social work practice, the approach continues to have some inherent difficulties and problems (Pardeck, 1988, p 92-100). It does not for example provide clearly laid down sets of procedures and processes for assessment and intervention, as well as strategies and reasoning for their use (Pardeck, 1988, p 92-100). Social workers thus use the approach for understanding the basic relationships between service users and their environments but have to thereafter devise and formulate their own assessment and intervention procedures (Pardeck, 1988, p 92-100). It has also disturbingly been found that when social workers intervene in the eco systems of service users by opening up communication channels with other people in the eco system, such interventions often do not have clarity in terms of outcomes and can lead to negative consequences (Pardeck, 1988, p 92-100). Critics of the eco logical approach also argue that its application leads practitioners to perceive problems with such broad perspectives that practitioners attempt to plan so comprehensively that actual effectiveness of practice gets jeopardised (Henderson, 1994, p 38-45). Whilst such disadvantages and criticisms do have merit and must be considered by workers who opt to use the ecological approach, its adoption and application does enable social workers to obtain much larger perspectives and greater and more dynamic understanding of individuals and their social, cultural and physical environments (Henderson, 1994, p 38-45). The adoption of such perspectives results in avoidance of blaming of victims and in location of assessment and intervention of the issue in the ecosystem of service users (Henderson, 1994, p 38-45). References Barker, R., 1968, Ecological Psychology: Concepts and Methods for Studying the Environment of Human Behaviour, Stanford, California: Stanford University. Barker, R., Gump, P., 1964, Big School, Small School, Stanford, California: Stanford University Press. Germain, C., 1973, An Ecological Perspective in Casework, Social Casework, 54, 323-330. Germain, C. B., Bloom, M., 1999, Human Behavior in the Social Environment: An Ecological View (2nd ed.), New York: Columbia University Press. Ginsburg, E. H., 1990, Effective Interventions: Applying Learning Theory to School Social Work, New York: Greenwood Press. Henderson, G., 1994, Social Work Interventions: Helping People of Color, Westport, CT: Bergin Garvey. Jones, P., 2010, Responding to the Ecological Crisis: Transformative Pathways for Social Work Education, Journal of Social Work Education, 46(1), 67. Kerson, T. S., 2002, Boundary Spanning: An Ecological Reinterpretation of Social Work Practice in Health and Mental Health Systems, New York: Columbia University Press. Meinert, R. G., Pardeck, J. T., Sullivan, W. P. (Eds.), 1994, Issues in Social Work: A Critical Analysis, Westport, CT: Auburn House. Nash, M., Munford, R., ODonoghue, K. (Eds.), 2005, Social Work Theories in Action, London: Jessica Kingsley. Norman, E. (Ed.), 2000, Resiliency Enhancement: Putting the Strengths Perspective into Social Work Practice, New York: Columbia University Press. Pardeck, T. J., 1988, Social Treatment through an Ecological Approach, Clinical Social Work Journal, Vol 16, No 1. Peters, M., Marshall, J., 1996, Individualism and Community: Education and Social Policy in the Postmodern Condition, London: Falmer Press. Plas, J., 1981, The Psychologist in the School Community: A Liaison Role, School Psychology Review, 10, 72-81. Tew, J. (Ed.)., 2005, Social Perspectives in Mental Health: Developing Social Models to Understand and Work with Mental Distress, London: Jessica Kingsley. Wilson, D. J., 1999, Indigenous South Americans of the Past and Present: An Ecological Perspective, Boulder, CO: Westview Press.

Monday, January 20, 2020

Depression Leading to Suicide Essay -- hopelessness,

One who suffers from depression may think about and or attempt suicide because of the extreme emotional pain and hopelessness they feel. It is during this time that one believes the only relief is in by putting an end to their lives. The risk factors that are identified in the assessment by Dr. Niolon state â€Å"the first thing to remember is these three things: consult- this allows for another opinion and better care as well as to protect you and document everything you do every question you ask the client and everyone you speak too and evaluate the client’s risks† (Niolon, R. PhD., 1999). Factors that influence suicide risk are mental diagnosis, particularly depression and substance abuse, or Borderline Personality Disorder which increases risk. Age- Individuals over the age of forty-five (45) are at a higher rate. Gender (women try more frequently while men try more fatal means). Marital status (never married, divorced, newly separated are the highest rate while unm arried are lowest risk). History of suicide in their family recent job loss, Caucasians are at a higher risk than ethnic minorities. (Niolon,R. Ph.D.,1999). Depression, has occurred at some point in a great many people's lives. Depression that spiraled out of control into suicide thoughts and in some cases it may have even turned into attempts. Such thoughts and/ and or actions can be feeling more than a person can handle by themselves. There are warning signs, such as, feelings of sadness for no reason at all, loss of interest in do in things, such as participating in activities with friends or going to outside social events, it also includes not being albe to enjoy activities that once brought them happiness and pleasure. Most of society is able to disch... ...hem, but if given the right information it is possible to encourage them to go to their family and friends , and that suicide is certainly not the answer and that there is help is available. For those who are affected by others who suffer from depression and suicidal thoughts/and or attempts you need help to you may also need help from the emotional stress and worry that it has caused you, group counseling/and or therapy. Works Cited Niolon,R.,Ph.D., (1999). Resources for students and professionals. Suicide Assessment. Retrieved from http://www.psychpage.com/learning/library/counseling/suicide.html PsyWeb.Com. (2013). Depression and Mental Health Resources. Retrieved from http://www.psyweb.com/mdisord/jsp/gendepress.jsp Conwell Y, Brent D. Suicide and aging. I: patterns of psychiatric diagnosis. International Psychogeriatrics, 1995; 7(2): 149-64.

Saturday, January 11, 2020

Population Trends and Problems of Public Health Essay

The scope and emphasis of a public health program are necessarily influenced by the changing characteristics of the population it serves. The rate of population growth affects long-range planning of community health and medical facilities. Alterations in age composition, internal migration of racial or industrial groups, changes in population density and urban-rural movement require current adaptation of the health program to solve the new problems thus created. Among the various characteristics of recent population trends, aging of the population is one of the most fundamental in its bearing on national health. The social and economic effects of an aging population have long been recognized. Dr. Louis I. Dublin appraised the problem of old age in some detail in 1926, when the provision of economic security for the aged was the dominant theme of contemporary discussion. 1 The passage of the Social Security Act in 1935 represented the fruits of the efforts of this early period. Adjustment of national policy with respect to the health problems associated with aging of the population has been slower in development. Under the terms of the Social Security Act, a limited expansion of activities designed to promote the health of older adults—control of cancer and pneumonia, and industrial hygiene services—has been made This paper was presented at the Eighteenth Annual Conference of the Milbank Memorial Fund, April 2–3, 1940. The Milbank Quarterly, Vol. 83, No. 4, 2005 (pp. 569–608) c 2005 Milbank Memorial Fund. Published by Blackwell Publishing. Reprinted from The Milbank Memorial Fund Quarterly, Vol. 18, No. 4, 1940 (pp. 359–92). Style and usage are unchanged. possible in the cooperating States. However, the Act makes no provision for the solution of such fundamental problems as invalidity insurance and medical care of the aged. During the past five years, the health aspects of old age have received increasing attention in the discussions of public health administrators. It therefore seems appropriate to resurvey this general problem, and to consider, in particular, the nature of future trends in mortality, morbidity, and the receipt of medical care which may be expected solely as a result of changing age structure of the population. The Effect on the Death Rate The effect of a declining proportion of children and an increasing proportion of â€Å"elders† on the future trend of the death rate may be readily predicated from the characteristics of age variation in mortality, which are generally familiar. The period of infancy is characterized by a large proportion of fatally terminating illnesses. Following the high mortality of the first year, the death rate declines rapidly in the succeeding years of early childhood, and the rate among children 5 to 14 years of age is lower than in any period of life. The age curve of mortality remains at a relatively low level in youth and the young adult ages. During the period of middle age, a marked upward trend in the death rate becomes apparent, and the increase thereafter is progressive. The sharp downward trend in the death rate following infancy and the rapid rise which occurs during middle and old age are the most pronounced characteristics of age variation in mortality. The mortality rate in infancy and early childhood has shown a marked reduction in the present century, while the rate at the advanced ages has remained practically unchanged. Thus, the death rate at the older ages has shown an increasing relative excess over the rate in the early years of life. Furthermore, aging of the population has increased the number of older persons exposed to the chance of death. Deaths of persons 45 years of age and over constituted over two-thirds of all deaths in this country in 1935; in the Registration States of 1900, the proportion was approximately two-fifths. It thus results that the diseases which at present are the leading causes of death in the population of all ages are largely those characteristic of middle and old age. Diseases of the heart, cerebral hemorrhage, nephritis, cancer, and diabetes accounted for 65 per cent of the deaths among persons 45 years of age and over, and for 44 per cent of the total deaths

Friday, January 3, 2020

The Re-birth, Revolt, and Removal of the Cherokee Essay

The Re-birth, Revolt, and Removal of the Cherokee The Cherokee were forced into giving up most of their land in the eighteenth century. Through fraudulent treaties and unjust deals the Cherokee lost close to all of their land during this time. One of the biggest loses coming from Hendersons Purchase, in Kentucky, 1775. In an effort to stop the complete takeover of all Indian land, the Cherokees go through a transformation in order to survive in a new world. The great Cherokee renascence of 1794-1833 was the re-birth of that people in the image of the United States, yet with a difference. (McLoughlin, Preface) The Cherokee renascence was an attempt to conform to a new economic and political society, through education in the†¦show more content†¦The laws that the natives had made, became more elaborate, and were put together as their constitution in 1827. The Cherokees became prime example of a developing Indian, and were labeled as, the most civilized tribe in America. (McLoughlin, pg. 279) The Cherokees became self-sufficient and began competing with American traders, instead of having to rely on their goods to survive. Their newfound education also helped in their ability to reason, and bargain. Another important aspect in this renascence, that affected Indian education, was the emergence of mixed-blood Indians. The mixed-blood Indians brought a new blend of people who had the knowledge of both cultures and could better combine both ways of living into one that was better off. They adopted many European customs while outlining American way of life, such as, a representative government, schools, churches, roads, and even styles of fashion. The Cherokee also took on American thoughts on slavery, and in many cases had slaves. Since the Cherokees homeland was in the Deep South, they thought it would be prudent politically to take the side of slavery. Taking on these new European customs has an adverse effect on traditional Indian ways. They still celebrated some of their old festivals-the Green Corn Dance for Thanksgiving, the purification ritual, the lighting of the newShow MoreRelatedRevisiting, Revising, and Reviving Americas Founding Era6252 Words   |  26 PagesHamilton: in the popular mind this band of worthies, more marble monuments than mere mortals, guides America towards its grand destiny with a sure and steady hand. [F]or the vast majority of contemporary Americans, writes historian Joseph Ellis, the birth of this nation is shrouded by a golden ha ze or halo.(1) So easy, so tame, so much a land of foregone conclusions does Americas Revolution appear that we tend to honor and ignore it rather than study it. In 1976, the 200th birthday of the DeclarationRead MorePre-Columbian Period9302 Words   |  38 Pagesindigenous peoples were semi-nomadic tribes of hunter-gatherers; others were sedentary and agricultural civilizations. Many formed new tribes or confederations in response to European colonization. Well-known groups included the Huron, Apache Tribe, Cherokee, Sioux, Delaware, Algonquin, Choctaw, Mohegan, Iroquois (which included the Mohawk nation, Oneida tribe, Seneca nation, Cayuga nation, Onondaga and later the Tuscarora tribe) and Inuit. Though not as technologically advanced as the Mesoamerican civilizations

Thursday, December 26, 2019

Medicaid Is A Health Safety Net Program - 1789 Words

Introduction Medicaid is a health safety net program that was enacted to provide health care coverage to qualifying members of the population with low incomes and has become one of the largest payers for health care in the United States. In 2010, the Medicaid program was responsible for providing health services to over eight million women and covered over forty percent of all births. This gives Medicaid the distinction of being the majority payer for all maternity services in the United States. Despite the popularity of Medicaid and the proven need for medical services, the recipients of Medicaid are often saddled with stigma for receiving benefits. Negative connotations regarding Medicaid recipients were exacerbated in the 1970’s†¦show more content†¦Contrary to this opinion, others, including myself, believe that Medicaid expansion is not only necessary but imperative as it improves the health of mothers and children who are then more likely to become productive taxpayers that contribute to society. In addition to the health benefits, Medicaid expansion will most likely result in a cost savings for the states. A cost savings that would be realized by reducing the number of uninsured, the addition of healthcare related jobs and reduced patient loads at community sponsored free clinics. Background On July 30, 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed into law the bill that led to the establishment of Medicare and Medicaid. Medicaid is a social protection program that was enacted to provide medical assistance to United States citizens who meet certain eligibility requirements and is jointly operated by the Federal and State government. Although each state is responsible for operating its own Medicaid system, it must comply with established Federal guidelines in order to receive matching funds. In the United States, approximately thirty percent of all children utilize the Medicaid program and that percentage doubles for children who are impoverished. As of 2015, approximately 70 million people are currently enrolled in Medicaid, which has an annual budget of half a billion dollars. Participants covered under the Medicaid system are eligible to

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

Gender Roles in Things Fall Apart - 733 Words

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For example, in Africa women are viewedRead MoreChinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart1129 Words   |  5 Pagessomeone can say is to â€Å"Be a Man.† As Carlos Gomez once stated, â€Å"So many men in this world (are) living in this sort of quiet desperation, confined in this box of toxic masculinity.† In the novel Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, some characters are the epitome of this toxic masculinity. Things Fall Apart shows the dimension of both Igbo people and culture, while highlighting the tale of a tragic hero, Okonkwo. Okonkwo’s rise to glory was demonstrated by his humble beginnings and eye for prosperity

Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Supporting Inclusion In Early Childhood †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Supporting Inclusion In Early Childhood Settings. Answer: Inclusion in early childhood is a process to meet the needs of the children in their early stage of life. Inclusion in the childhood allows the disabled children to play, learn and develop themselves with other children. Supporting inclusion in early childhood removes the barrier between the child with a disability and normal children. Apart from this process supports the family members of the disabled children and they feel valued in the society. In according to Allen and Cowdery, (2015), every child has the ability to learn and develop themselves if they get a positive attitude by the society. This study deals with the importance, approach, and strength of the inclusion process in the early childhood of all children. Early childhood is the phase of the individuals life in which the physical and mental development of the children start (Irvin et al., 2017). However, every child has the capability to learn and they need the proper guidance and positive culture from the society. Education is a cognitive process that begins in the early childhood. Hence, supporting inclusion in the early childhood in the educational settings brings the children both the child with disability and normal to learn together. Inclusion in the education setting at the early stage of life helps the children to discover that they are more alike than different (Allen Cowdery, 2015). However, according to the traditional educational process, the children having specific needs are isolated by the society and they learn through the different way in different educational sectors. Hence, inclusion program in early childhood builds their self-esteem and allows them to learn from other students in the educational settings. Learning from each other is important to minimize the discrimination between the disabled children and the normal children in the educational sectors at their early childhood. However, in the educational settings early inclusion process also give guidance to the teacher thus they enhance their skills and the experience, which is beneficial for the children (Syrjmki et al., 2017). Isolation of the disabled children from the other children in the educational sectors affects the mind of such children and also leaves the negative impact on their family. However, often in the younger stage normal people discriminate the disabled people. Hence, inclusion in the early childhood in the educational setting will reduce the root of exclusion between the special children and the abled children (Zhu Hsieh, 2017). Therefore, it is justified that inclusion is crucial for the children in the educational settings in their early childhood. Inclusive education at the early stage of childhood deliver the messages to the society that both special and normal children possess same value and learning ability in the society which minimizes the exclusion process regarding the disabled children. Inclusive education includes the special classroom. Inclusive education includes inclusive classroom, special education process and use of assistive technology that helps both normal and speci al children to learn quickly. Inclusion in the educational settings at the early childhood make the children creative as they are able to share ideas with each other. Therefore, they are able to think creatively, which is crucial for their development. Supporting inclusion in the educational sectors develops the children mentally strong and leads them to interact with other people during their education (Brian et al., 2017). However, it is important for the teacher to make a good communication with the children during their learning as positive attitudes allow the children to learn quickly. Teachers are amiable with the children in their school while providing them education through the inclusion process at their early childhood. Inclusion process in the educational settings enables the children to learn together and accepts the differences between the individuals. Moreover, it also decreases the impact of bullying and harassment in the education sectors that usually occur with the disabled children in their earl y childhood (McLeod et al., 2017). Development of the effective team in order to enhance the inclusion process is beneficial for the children to improve their learning process (Driskell, 2017). Inclusion process refers to bring the all children together in an educational setting. Effective team approach motivates everyone to provide support to the children and their family. Therefore, effective team approach involves in delivering the inclusive program that highlights the every child's interest and the ability in a society (McLeod et al., 2017). Moreover, collaborative team work focuses on the high expectations from each child. Many Australian public agencies like KU and Inclusion Agency are involved in the inclusion program of the children. These agencies get fund form the Australian government to develop the learning process of the children in their early stage of childhood. However, different inclusion programs are carried out by such agencies through teamwork. Such agencies follow the Inclusion Support program or ISP guideline to conduct the inclusion program in Australia (Mychild.gov.au 2017). Application of the team approach within the inclusion process allows both disable and the normal children within each aspect of any program in the educational setting. Establishment of a constructive communication between the children, educators, and staffs of the educational sector is another part of the team approach in inclusion process (Gunn, 2017). On the other hand, the team members get the scope to learn from each other or from the expertise while providing inclusive care to the children. The team members are able to appreciate the similarities between the normal and the special children in the inclusion program. Some Australian agencies are also associated with the inclusion program for the children. One of the most important is Inclusion Support agency of Australia that develops many inclusion program to support the children. This agency delivers the scope to the children for their early learning and provides effective care process. On the other hand, Inclusion development fund (IDF) is established by the Australian government to provide financial support to the children for their early learning. However, such funds are developed to give financial support to the Australian inclusion agencies to remove the barrier of the inclusion program (Mychild.gov.au 2017). KU centers get support from the KU education support team in Australia to develop the inclusion program for the children in their early childhood. Children with disability and challenging behavior are included in this KU centre to develop their learning abilities. Such KU centers give support to the children with disability under the inclusion program of the Australian government (Ku.com.au, 2017). Use of effective team approach in the inclusion process allows the people to work collaboratively and teach the children properly. A team in the educational setting includes the knowledgeable educators those are able to make an action plan for the development and the learning of the children. Effective team approach supports the children to learn alongside in a community (Akda? Haser, 2017). On the other hand, effective team approach includes the communication process that supports the children to establish a secure relationship that also encourages them to participate in a group and to learn in an active manner. Using effective team approach as for example, proper interaction with children in an inclusive process develop a trusting relationship between the educator and the children in the educational setting (Driskell, 2017). Hence, the children will be able to develop a strong sense about them and this enables them to make friends with other in a group. Therefore, children are able to develop sense of the belonging to the broader community and the group, which is a positive outcome of using the effective team approach in the inclusion process. Team approach makes the children advanced and they learn how to work collaboratively by showing respect and empathy (Hu et al., 2017). Establishment of the team approach to the inclusion of children at early childhood supports the children to recognize the truth that disability is not the component of diversity (Hornby, 2011). Children are able to accept the differences between the families and culture. However, in the educational sectors team approach is not only beneficial for children but also helpful for the educators as they obtain the capacity to meet the needs of the children through their collaborative work. The educators are able to establish a meaningful relationship with the children and their co-workers to respond to the needs of the individuals. The effective team in the inclusion process leads the members of the team to feel valued through the regular communication process. The educators are able to solve the query of the children's family and to ensure the proper care for the children in the inclusion program through collaborative work. Young children are the sensitive part of the society thus it is important for them to learn together at their early childhood through the inclusive education (Grisham-Brown, Hemmeter Pretti-Frontczak, 2017). Inclusive education focuses on the special educational needs of the children at their early stage of life. However, children those are vulnerable and excluded by the society seek the inclusive education. Inclusive education aims to bring the children together and learn together. According to the various studies that children learn better if they learn together and this opportunity is provided by the inclusive education provision to the young children at their early childhood. Children from different cultures and families come to school and learn together through the inclusive educational provision (Carrington et al., 2017). The purpose of the inclusive education is to design and develop the educational sectors that allow the student to learn and participate together. It is helpful for the young children to cope with the changing environment if they get inclusive education in their early childhood. Inclusive education is important for the very young child at their early stage of education by attending the regular class. Educators get training to support the children with diverse needs in the inclusive educational process. Teamwork, innovative instructional practice, and the collaboration are the major there elements of the inclusive education (Sharma et al., 2017).The first step of the inclusive education is to identify the special needs of each student. Next, the schools need to develop policies for the inclusive education that can fulfill the interest of the children and satisfy their families. Therefore, the staffs get proper training and get the scope to attend the personal meeting on a regular basis in order to improve their skills to meet the needs of the children. However, teamwork includes individual approach and group work. Effective work of the individuals within the team maximizes the performance of the team on the other hand; the entire teamwork by the group of the people is another approach of the teamwork. Formal curriculum practice is followed by the inclusive education to maximize the performance of the students. Pedagogical component is applied to the inclusive education to manage the classroom for the children. Tailor made practices are obtained by the inclusive educational process within the school to manage the special needs of the disabled children. Inclusive education is crucial for the young children during their early childhood as it helps them to learn to provide value to the diverse community. However, diversification of the community starts from the school hence, application of inclusive education enables the children to learn and play together that will minimize the cultural barrier between them. Inclusive education gives the children strength, which enables them to fulfill the expectation of the society and the family (Inclusionbc.org, 2017). Inclusive education focuses on the individual goal hence; it will be beneficial for the young children to get the inclusive education at their early childhood. Children are able to perform group work through the inclusive education as teamwork is the major area of such education (Hollingshead et al., 2017). Hence, this inclusive education gives the opportunity to the children to do creative work through sharing the idea with others. On the other hand, inclusive education involves the parents in the learning process of the children which also maximize the development of the children. Young children are able to reduce the harassment process from their childhood through the inclusive education as it enables them to accept the differences between the individuals and to respect all cultures. Children get the scope to develop the friendship with the wide range of children from different cultures that makes diversification. Collaborative work occurs between the different children with speci fic needs that enable each of them to understand others through the inclusive education. Moreover, such inclusive educational provision appreciates the schools and the other educational sectors to accept the diversity and the inclusion process in the broader aspect. The entire study focuses on the different aspects of inclusion process and its importance in the early childhood. However, it has been found that the inclusion process removes the barrier between the children with disability and the abled children in the context of the educational process. Hence, both the disabled and the normal child are able to learn together through the inclusive educational process. However, effective teamwork is beneficial for the inclusion process in the context of children as it allows the children to perform the teamwork and share the idea with other. Therefore, the educators are able to meet the needs of the children through effective teamwork in the inclusion process. References Allen, E. K., Cowdery, G. E. (2015). The exceptional child: Inclusion in early childhood education. USA: Cengage Learning. Akda?, Z., Haser, . (2017). Beginning early childhood education teachers struggle with inclusion in Turkey.Asia Pacific Journal of Education,37(2), 219-231. Brian, J., Bernardi, K., Dowds, E., Easterbrook, R., MacWilliam, S., Bryson, S. (2017). Feasibility of training early childhood educators in a community child care setting using a caregiver-mediated intervention for toddlers with autism spectrum disorder.Journal of Education and Training Studies,5(5), 93-102. Carrington, S., Pillay, H., Tones, M., Nickerson, J., Duke, J., Esibaea, B., ... Faasala, C. J. (2017). A case study of culturally informed disability-inclusive education policy development in the Solomon Islands.International Journal of Inclusive Education,21(5), 495-506. Driskell, D. (2017).Creating better cities with children and youth: A manual for participation. Routledge. Gunn, A. C. (2017). A philosophical anchor for creating inclusive communities in early childhood education: Anti-bias philosophy and Te Wh?riki: Early childhood curriculum.Waikato Journal of Education,9. Grisham-Brown, J., Hemmeter, M. L., Pretti-Frontczak, K. (2017).Blended practices for teaching young children in inclusive settings. Brookes Publishing Company. Hu, B. Y., Wu, H. P., Su, X. Y., Roberts, S. K. (2017). An examination of Chinese preservice and inservice early childhood teachers perspectives on the importance and feasibility of the implementation of key characteristics of quality inclusion.International Journal of Inclusive Education,21(2), 187-204. Hornby, G. (2011). Inclusive education for children with special education needs: A critique of policy and practice in New Zealand.Journal of International and Comparative Education (JICE), 52-60. Hollingshead, A., Carnahan, C. R., Lowrey, K. A., Snyder, K. (2017). Engagement for Students With Severe Intellectual Disability: The Need for a Common Definition in Inclusive Education.Inclusion,5(1), 1-15. Irvin, D. W., Crutchfield, S. A., Greenwood, C. R., Simpson, R. L., Sangwan, A., Hansen, J. H. (2017). Exploring classroom behavioral imaging: Moving closer to effective and data-based early childhood inclusion planning.Advances in Neurodevelopmental Disorders, 1-10. Inclusionbc.org (2017). Inclusive education. Retrieved 17 August 2017, from https://www.inclusionbc.org/our-priority-areas/inclusive-education/what-inclusive-education Ku.com.au (2017). Inclusion in KU centers. Retrieved 7 October 2017, from https://www.ku.com.au/childcare/about/inclusion McLeod, B. D., Sutherland, K. S., Martinez, R. G., Conroy, M. A., Snyder, P. A., Southam-Gerow, M. A. (2017). Identifying common practice elements to improve social, emotional, and behavioral outcomes of young children in early childhood classrooms.Prevention Science,18(2), 204-213. Mychild.gov.au (2017).New Inclusion Support Programme. Retrieved 7 October 2017, from https://www.mychild.gov.au/news/new-inclusion-support-programme Syrjmki, M., Sajaniemi, N., Suhonen, E., Alijoki, A., Nislin, M. (2017). Enhancing peer interaction: an aspect of a high-quality learning environment in Finnish early childhood special education.European Journal of Special Needs Education,32(3), 377-390. Sharma, U., Forlin, C., Marella, M., Jitoko, F. (2017). Using indicators as a catalyst for inclusive education in the Pacific Islands.International Journal of Inclusive Education,21(7), 730-746. Zhu, J., Li, H., Hsieh, W. Y. (2017). Implementing inclusive education in an early childhood setting: a case study of a Hong Kong kindergarten.Early Child Development and Care, 1-13.