Calgary Family Assessment Model: Families with Young Children

Introduction to the Calgary Family Assessment Model

As defined by the Calgary Family Assessment Model (CFAM), developmental assessment involves evaluating not only the stage a given family occupies, but also the familial tasks and attachments characteristic of that stage. This developmental evaluation focuses on the family life cycle of a selected family, its emotional processes, and the various tasks and issues currently at play.

The relevance of developmental assessment cannot be overstated. In seeking to enhance the standard of care provided to families, there is a need for a sound understanding of not only the functions and roles within families, but also the stressors they experience. The family being assessed here is in the third stage of CFAM — families with young children. The family has three children: Marissa, aged 2; Maddie, aged 3; and Drake, aged 8. The family is also considering having an additional child. Within a few years, they will be transitioning to the next CFAM stage: families with adolescents.

Emotional Processes at the Current Stage

The emotional processes this family currently experiences center on accepting new members into the family system. The family has already moved past the emotional processes associated with committing to a new union, given that the couple has formed an established marital system. At this stage, the parents are navigating emotional change at three interconnected levels: individual, parental, and partner.

At the individual level, the arrival of new family members has required both parents to continually adjust how they relate to one another and to those outside the family. Significant adjustments have been necessary. For example, the father was once an enthusiastic football fan who occasionally traveled with friends to watch matches. That changed substantially with the arrival of Maddie and Marissa. At the parental level, balancing professional and parenting responsibilities sometimes generates stress and anxiety for both parents. If unmanaged, anxiety at this level can spill over into the partner relationship and trigger disagreements.

Fortunately, the parents have been able to keep such disagreements to a minimum — aided largely by their long-standing relationship. Having been high school sweethearts, and now in their ninth year of marriage, they have developed effective conflict resolution habits. Skills learned during the coupling stage, particularly the capacity for compromise, have continued to serve them well. The family's approach to managing stress reflects patterns consistent with family stress theory, in which existing relational resources buffer the impact of new demands.

Issues and Tasks in the Family System

With regard to current issues and tasks, the family is actively creating space for their three children within the marital structure and is even considering a fourth child. More specifically, the family is coming to terms with the challenges of childrearing and developing effective strategies in that endeavor. The addition of responsibilities has required both parents to allocate tasks between themselves thoughtfully. The most prominent areas of shared responsibility include household management, financial duties, and general childrearing tasks — such as helping with homework and participating in play and exploration.

Both parents hold demanding professional roles. The father works as an electrician on a contractual basis, meaning he is sometimes home for several consecutive days and away for several days at other times. The mother is a high school science teacher. Both have had to find ways to participate meaningfully in the household and parenting responsibilities described above. Work–family balance is an ongoing negotiation for this couple rather than a fixed arrangement.

The family is also primarily focused on the health and wellbeing of their children. Responsibilities in this area include, but are not limited to, ensuring proper nutrition and suitable clothing. As the children grow, both parents will become increasingly preoccupied with supporting their children's emotional and social development — particularly through providing opportunities for meaningful social contact.

The family's caregiving structure draws heavily on extended family support. The children's maternal grandmother, who lives approximately twenty minutes away, takes on the caregiver role each morning before the mother leaves for work. When the father is home and the mother is at work, he assumes responsibility for household tasks, and the grandmother is able to rest. In accordance with general gender role patterns within this household, the mother manages most domestic chores when she is not working. This flexible, cooperative arrangement reflects the family's adaptive approach to meeting the considerable demands of their current life cycle stage.

Conclusion

The family assessed here exemplifies many of the defining characteristics of CFAM's third stage — families with young children. From navigating emotional adjustments at individual and relational levels, to distributing practical responsibilities across two working parents and an engaged extended family, the family demonstrates both the complexity and the resilience typical of this developmental phase. Within a few years, as Drake and his sisters move into adolescence, the family will face a new set of emotional processes and developmental tasks — a transition for which their existing relational strengths appear to provide a solid foundation. Understanding these family developmental stages remains essential for practitioners seeking to offer meaningful, context-sensitive support.