Case study
Week 12: Friday 28th May 2020 by 11:59pm
Provide an overview of social work practice, policy and research implications across the
mental health and disabilities sector
40% of final Grade
2,500 words in total; with 1,250 words on a provided case study associated with mental
health, and 1,250 words on a provided case study associated with disabilities
? Identify the key needs and strengths of the person in each case study and their
family/community
? Write up how social work would support the people in this case study scenario via a.)
Practice, b.) Policy and c.) Research.
1. Margaret
Margaret is a 48-year -old Aboriginal woman, originally from Brewarrina,
now currently living in the city. She has an extensive history of homelessness,
substance abuse and intergenerational trauma. Margaret was a part of the
Stolen Generation. Margaret has two children, a 27-year-old son Daniel
(incarcerated) and 21-year-old daughter Killara, who have both recently
reconnected with her after being removed from her care when they were
younger.
Margaret has been formally diagnosed with Schizophrenia. She reports that she
is not taking her medication as prescribed, stating that she feels funny.
Margaret reports that she doesn’t like taking her medication in front of people
especially around her family /extended (sister and cousins). Her family do not
acknowledge schizophrenia as a disease and frown upon her using medications
that affect her spirit. Her sister has expressly stated that ‘ Aboriginal people
arent supposed to take that kind of medication, it’s not natural ‘.
Margaret states that she has been seeing shadows wherever she goes. She
states that people are following her and there are people spying on her at
night. As a result, Margret is sleeping back on the streets. She reports to using
ICE (methamphetamines) to cope with her paranoia.
Her daughter, KilIara daughter states that she is also using ICE but states that
she is only smoking it and states that this is not as bad as injecting. She does
this to cope with her mother’s drug use.
2. Adrian
Adrian is a 23-year-o l d A u s t r a l i a n born young man who has a Vietnamese
background. For the past four months, he has not been a b l e t o s l e e p w e l l
and finds that he thinks a lot about his future work and study prospects.
He is currently completing a doctorate in mi c r o bio lo g y at university, and he
feel s under pressure from his parents to perform we ll and show that he is a
capable young man.
In the past month, Adrian has experienced handshakes and, when he has
a lot of assignments due at once, reports having anxiety attacks where he
finds it hard to breathe and he has to sit down, or else he feels like he will
collapse. Adrian thought these panic attacks happened because he was tired
and overworked. After the third attack, which happened while he was at
university, he booked an appointment with his GP, who referred him to a
mental health service.
Adrian is ashamed to tell his parents about what he is experiencing and he feels
they would not understand. He wants to do well at university and make his
family proud, but he is also growing to resent his university studies, as he
cannot cope with the combined pressures he is experiencing. Adrian wants to
ask out a woman from his course but she is not Vietnamese. Adrian is worried
about his parents reaction because he has seen how his older brother fought
with them when he dated an Italian woman.
3. Georgia
Georgia Dawson, 26 years old, has been referred to the mental health social worker at
a local health centre from a local GP. Her GP is concerned that Georgia is suffer in g
from post- natal anxiety and depression after giving birth to a healthy baby boy, Sam,
two months ago. Georgia has explained she has experienced panic attacks, abrupt
mood swings, constant low mood, fatigue, withdrawal from friends and family, a
feeling of disconnection to her baby and is having trouble sleeping. Georgia also
highlights that she felt some symptoms before giving birth. Georgia lives with her
husband, Rob, and their new baby, and have both her family and his family living
within 20 minutes of them. Georgia’ s mother Anne, has been coming to their house to
help with Sam whilst Rob has been at work. Rob works full time and is not concerned
about finances. He is concerned that Georgia has not been herself and is pushing him
away. He feels helpless and is not sure what to do. All family members identify as
Australian.
Before Georgia went on maternity leave, she was working as a part time office
administrator at a disability service, which she really enjoyed. Her interests she used
to enjoy include gardening, reading, dancing classes, and yoga. Georgia reported
feeling uninterested in these activities at the present and instead is watching a lot of ‘
netflix ‘. Georgia says she has not seen many friends since giving birth and has not
been to any social events. Georgia reports feeling anxious when going out to run
errands such as grocery shopping, and so has been staying at home more often.
Georgia has indicated she would like to reconnect with her baby Sam, as she felt very
connected with him before giving birth but has struggled to connect with him
afterwards. She would also like assistance managing her anxiety, panic attacks and
mood swings. She would like to start feeling motivated again to do daily tasks and
social activities and reconnect with friends and family, including Rob
4. Jacob
Jacob is 35 and has a diagnosis of schizophrenia. He was exposed to domestic violence in
childhood and experienced disruption to schooling and care with multiple foster families.
Jacob resides in a homeless shelter as his family cannot handle him with his complex
needs, however he communicates regularly via telephone with his mother and brother and
desires more support from his family. He also frequently complains about having no
friends to talk to for support. Jacob frequently expresses suicide ideation with staff at the
homeless shelter and has been hospitalised for self-harm and suicidal attempts multiple
times. Today, Jacob asked his caseworker to call an ambulance as he was having suicidal
thoughts. Jacob was admitted to the psychiatric unit, however was discharged within an
hour as Jacob decided he no longer required support, and staff did not consider him at risk
of suicide. Later that day, Jacob was caught jumping in front of cars as the voices
instructed him to do so.
