Initiating an ecosystems model in school social work practice: The urban school setting.
Item
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Title
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Initiating an ecosystems model in school social work practice: The urban school setting.
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Identifier
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AAI9108155
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identifier
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9108155
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Creator
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Nelson, Yvonne Ann.
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Contributor
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Adviser: Harold Weissman
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Date
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1990
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Language
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English
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Publisher
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City University of New York.
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Subject
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Social Work | Education, Guidance and Counseling
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Abstract
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This exploratory study examines the process of initiating an ecosystems approach to case planning for thirty cases in five New York City schools. The ecosystems approach, which considers the process of interaction between students' characteristics with school conditions, is viewed as a viable, pragmatic school social work practice model. It is proposed that schools which are made up of social structures, cultural norms and organizational procedures will have to change to be compatible with students' attitudes, cognition, motives and behavioral skills. Organizational innovation represented in the ecosystems school social work practice model exemplifies a change in problem definition for the New York City school system. The system will have to change its view of student behavior by taking into account the context in which it occurs. The project emphasized viewing student school-related difficulties from a holistic, dynamic perspective. Student needs are assessed within the context of family, school and community systems. Equal emphasis is placed on learning about the strengths and deficits of the student within all systems.;The study process involves conducting a social assessment of the referred student's school-related difficulties, followed by the formulation of an intervention plan by the school social worker. The plan serves as a blueprint for discussion with student, parent, school personnel and community representatives at a case planning conference. The study focuses on the assessment and conference processes in order to identify and understand the factors that may facilitate or impede the initiation of the ecosystem approach.;Of the thirty sample cases, the ecosystems approach was initiated for twenty cases and not initiated for ten cases. Data analysis suggests that the effective initiation of an ecosystems approach may be facilitated by conference participants agreement to the problem definition and agreement to act on the intervention plan. Additional examination of the findings show that a high degree of school social worker skills along with client, school and community systems receptivity to the approach seems to influence agreement levels and the initiation of the approach.
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Type
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dissertation
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Source
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PQT Legacy CUNY.xlsx
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degree
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D.S.W.
