A case study about a single mother and her children.
Case study (for Assessment 3) Background: Sue lives in a regional centre in Victoria. She has four children from a former relationship with Chris (Kent -14, Tom – 12, Lucy- 9 and Sam -7). Chris died 4 years ago from suicide after he and Sue separated. Kent is currently on a probations order after being charged with car theft and burglaries in the last 2 years with a group of other youths in the area. Child protection are also currently investigating after being concerned about Sue’s relationship with a new neighbour (Geoff) and changes in Lucy and Sam’s behaviour reported from the school. Sue’s relationship with her father Kevin has been turbulent over the years. Kevin has recently reached out to Sue and asked her to return to her home town to help him out since her mother died recently. Sue’s thoughts on money and the family’s finances: Money is always a juggle. I try to pay bills on time but sometimes they all come at the same time, especially after Christmas when the kids go back to school. The kids have never been on a plane. They tell me kids from school have been to Bali or the theme parks up in Queensland but I have never been able to afford it. I would love to take them. The kids don’t really go on any holidays, we used to have a tent and stuff but I had to sell the trailer to buy Kent’s stuff for high school a few years ago. We are in a great house at the moment, it has 4 bedrooms so only Lucy and Sam have to share a bedroom and the little kids can walk to school. The lease has just been extended for 6 months and I am hoping they will make it longer. We have only been here for 12 months but it is the longest we have been able to rent a place without it being sold. I am on Centrelink but I have also done a bit of work since Sam started school, my friend got me casual work at the local fruit shop but I am pretty unreliable! I often have to take days off for the kids if they are sick or have things they need me to go to so I don’t get many shifts. But the money helps and the 2 littlest have been able to play Futsal last year and Tom is really keen to play basketball but it is pretty expensive. I would say that money is pretty stressful for me but I don’t think having money is what makes you a good parent. I think spending time with your kids is most important. I always try to make sure we have a roof over our head and a good meal at night. But I do feel like people look down on me because the kids don’t have fancy holidays and I have to get second hand books and stuff. I feel like people think I am always looking for a handout. Reflecting on Sue’s Situation: Sue lives on Centrelink benefits as a sole parent below the poverty line. What impacts may this have on Sue and her children? What does Sue mean by ‘people look down on me’? Do you think this is accurate? If you were working with Sue and/or her children, how would their financial status impact on how you work: • At an individual level? Understanding, negotiating, meeting need, building safety trust • At an organisational level? Organizational process, polices, programs, the client’s social context • At a societal level? Social constructions such as, gender, ethnicity, class, race etc., theories and ways of understanding and explaining Are there ways you could work to reduce the impact of poverty of Sue and her children? Are there ways of working that may compound the impact of poverty on the family? Consider at an individual, organizational or societal level.
word limit: 1250