Family Members
- Client (Father) – John (age 36)
- Child – Sally (age 6)
- Child – Flora (age 9)
CASE VIGNETTE
You are a school social worker for the local elementary school. The Stone family was referred to you a couple months ago by the school principal. You have had two, individual meetings with each of the children, Flora and Sally, and a brief phone call with the father, John. During that conversation you explained your role, purpose of the referral, and the limits of confidentiality.
Flora is in grade 3 and Sally is in grade 1. Both children have been attending the school since they started kindergarten. The girls are described as bright and social by their teachers. They are above average in their academics and enjoy school. They get along with other children and appear to have a core group of friends that they each play with in the school yard every day. John is a grocery store worker who works overnight.
The family was initially referred to you a couple of months ago for grief support because the mother died suddenly in a car accident. Mary was a stay-at-home mother and cared full-time for Flora and Sally. You have not seen John but connected briefly over the phone with him shortly after Mary’s passing. At the time, John was sad but said everything will be fine and they will be okay. You have met with the children twice to understand how they are coping without their mother and processing their grief. The children understand their mother is dead and will not be returning. They are sad but appear to be coping.
Recently the children’s teachers have expressed concern about the children. The teachers have observed that while the weather is getting colder, the children do not wear warm clothes to school and appear to be cold outside during recess and lunch break. They are also observed playing late in the school yard after school, even when teachers have gone home at the end of the day. Over the past couple of weeks, the children have been looking unkempt and emit a strong body odour. Their hair is dirty and tangled. John did not attend the latest parent-teacher night last week in which the teachers hoped to have inquired about these issues. The teachers reached out to you as the school social worker to assess the situation.
This is your second session with the client.
You have already explained your role and the limits to confidentiality.
If you are interested in the accompanying case vignette for standardized clients, please contact Dr. Barbara Lee at b.lee@ubc.ca for the full case vignette book.
