Advocacy Plan Billy\'s Case Has Societal Issues

Advocacy Plan

Billy's case has societal issues of family, school, and peers. Family is the biggest societal factor because it is the first place children start their learning processes. Where Billy's family was abusive, "dysfunctional families subject kids to stresses that lead to risky behaviors" (McWhirter, McWhirter, McWhirter, & McWhirter 2013). Billy has learned to handle his problems with anger. Being placed into foster care, he was also subjected to other cultures and beliefs different from his own, which can cause some frustration. Billy is of the Hispanic culture that places high value on family. Being removed from the biological family, even for safety reasons, still violates the cultural values and can cause fear, frustration, and more pain.

Billy's history of school issues can be coming from "physical consequences…that can have psychological implications, such as cognitive delays or emotional difficulties" (Child Welfare Information Gateway, 2008). Abuse can affect the cognitive development of a child's brain that causes learning disabilities and low learning achievements. Schools also play as a societal influence "when academic curriculum and mode of instruction do not match the student's ability level and they become frustrated or bored and less attached to the school altogether" (Christle, Nelson, & Jolivette n.d.). Unmet learning needs cause frustration and predicts the conduct problems. "School failure and educational disabilities increase the risk of involvement in courts and for incarceration" (Christle, et al. n.d.).

Where schools and neighborhoods provide a variety of peers for children, peers become a societal influence because children also learn from each other. Research has shown that deviant delinquents follow other delinquents. This makes deviant peer associations a high predictor of delinquency (Christle, et al. n.d.). It is obvious that Billy has delinquent peers because of his history and recent trouble. These societal influences impacts how advocacy is done for at risk youth, like Billy, to ensure that individual needs get met properly. Family, schools, and peers do not always meet all the needs of at risk youth and can also lead to more problems.

Billy's key risk factors are delinquency, violence, and impulsivity. His history of delinquency, school issues, and recent trouble with school and courts make delinquency obvious. Membership of ethnic minority groups is associated with greater participation in violence and other problems due to experiences of oppression, economic marginalization, and racism (McWhirter, et al. 2013). Taking a knife to school is a high indicator of anger issues. And, impulsivity is a risk factor because he has not learned to think before he acts.

Under the client center approach (Video #1, n.d.), Billy's most urgent need would be advocating for the problem of delinquency with the courts. Where he was taught with the dysfunction of the biological family to handle problems with anger, anger management would be one resolution. Anger management (McWhirter, et al. 2013) could teach Billy coping mechanisms to control the anger in positive ways. Behavior therapy could help him set short- and long-term behavior goals and build positive aspects for higher self-esteem. Placing higher emphasis on school achievement and encouraging school commitment (McWhirter, et al. 2013) changes his focus from his problems to more positive aspects of focus. Billy would need to be tested and evaluated to determine what the school needs are. By doing so, he could be set up with school programs to better meet his learning needs. The violence and impulsivity can also be addressed with the same measures to learn social, interpersonal, and life skills.

Roadblocks could include fragmentation of knowledge (McWhirter, et al. 2013), over medication, and unmet needs (Sherman, n.d.). Fragmentation of knowledge creates problems when proper information and training is not provided to the professional team members to fully understand how the risk factors, including cultural, interact. Advocating for team meetings to address needs of team members to fully understand can help Billy make appropriate cognitive changes. Fully understanding enables proper communication of needs.

Advocating for second opinions on medications can determine whether it is really needed. And, advocating for changes in care that seek reasons for behavior would help in determining the best treatment options for Billy. Advocating for periodic evaluations of strengths and weaknesses can help address changes in care and treatment as Billy makes progress and needs change. It also addresses needs not previously known.

Key legal and ethical considerations include reporting suspected abuse, knowing state and federal law, duty of care, and duty to warn. Checking out state and federal laws concerning abuse reporting in the state should be a consideration. Billy's interest should be considered as the upmost consideration. Billy has the rights of safety, having physical and school needs met, confidentiality, and proper treatment.