Directions: Apply the concepts that are inherent in systems theories to case scenario (#1)and those basic to the ecological perspective to the other
scenario (#2). “Critique and apply knowledge [about these theories] to understand person and environment.” Submit in the appropriate portal.
Note: You will not be able to complete this assignment properly without reading the assigned material. You must be thorough in your explanation in
identifying
Scenario #1: A social worker employed by a neighborhood center determines that the range of workers and other professionals working with various
adolescent clients within the community are not communicating with each other. For example, school social workers have no established procedure for
conveying information to protective services workers who, in turn, do not communicate readily with probation and parole workers. This is despite
the fact that most of these professionals are working with many of the same clients. The neighborhood center social worker decides to pull together
representatives from the various involved agencies and establish more clearly defined communication channels.
How can concepts inherent in systems theories be used to describe what’s happening in this scenario? Identify which concepts apply and how.Concepts
include: system; boundaries; subsystem; homeostasis; roles; relationships; input; output; negative and positive feedback; interface;
differentiation; entropy; negative entropy; and equifinality.
Scenario #2: A juvenile probation officer is distressed by a proposed legislative action to delete a vocational training program for juvenile
offenders because of its expense. He talks to other workers and administrators in his state agency, and gathers facts and statistics that support
the program’s cost effectiveness. He then begins calling and writing involved legislators and sets up a meeting with the chairperson of the
legislative committee that recommended the program’s deletion. Additionally, he contacts other concerned social workers and encourages them to
participate in similar activities.
How can concepts inherent in the ecological perspective be used to describe what’s happening in this scenario? Identify which concepts
apply and how.Concepts include: the social environment; energy; input; output; interface; adaptation; person-in-environment fit; stress, stressors,
and coping; relatedness; habitat; niche; competence; self-esteem; and self-direction.