- Nijam (41) and his wife Grace (38) came to Australia with their children Hassan (17) and Miriam (15) five years ago. The family fled Sudan eight years ago, and came to Australia as ‘accepted’ refugees after spending three years in a UNHCR refugee camp in Uganda. The family received strong support on arriving in Canberra from a local refugee support group and have good connections with other Sudanese families that they have met through their Mosque. Miriam settled quite well into primary school and now, in Year 10, has strong and accepting peer group and speaks excellent English. Hassan started high school when the family arrived and found the transition more difficult. He left school at the beginning of this year (Year 12) and has been working at a fruit and vegetable market in Belconnen. He is a good worker and well-liked by his employer and co-workers. His parents are unhappy that he left school and often say that they didn’t take all the risks they did in fleeing Sudan so that he can ‘just work in a fruit shop’. Hassan feels strongly that his parents favour Miriam and don’t ‘understand him’. He has begun staying out late and drinking with his work mates, which further upsets his parents. Nijam and Grace are still traumatised by their flight from Sudan, their time in the refugee camp in Uganda and by adjusting to living in Australia. They have become stricter in their response to Hassan and feel that he does not respect them, his parents, as he should. Hassan resents the limitations his parents are imposing on him and is threatening to move into a house with three of his work mates.
Grace feels that the family is at a crisis point and has made an appointment for the family to see you, the social worker at the local community health centre.
2). Emily (36) has three children, Sarah (16), David (14) and Lizzie (11). Emily separated from the children’s father (Mick) ten years ago and while the children have occasional contact with their father, essentially has been bringing up the children on her own. Three years ago she met Adam and after a long period ‘dating’ Adam moved in with Emily and the children six months ago. The children liked and accepted Adam until he moved in but considerable tension now exists between them and Adam. Adam has begun to exercise what he believes to be ‘reasonable authority’ with the children but Sarah in particular is very vocal about him not being her father and not being in a position to ‘boss her around’. Emily can see that Adam is trying to do the right thing but has been unable to convince him to ‘back off’ a little as he believes the children should show him more respect.
The existing tensions are now threatening the relationship between Emily and Adam, and Emily has made an appointment for the whole family with you, the social worker at the local child and family centre.
- Tess is 24 years old and has two young children, Samantha (7) and Matthew (5). Tess moved in with the children’s father, Ian, when she was 16. This was particularly upsetting to her mother Francis. Tess also has two older brothers with whom she has little contact and her father left home when Tess was 12 and she now has no contact with him. Tess and Ian separated when Tess was 20 and Ian is now working in WA and has little contact with Tess and his children. When Ian left Tess started going out partying with her friends three or four nights a week and left the children with Francis. About two years ago Francis refused to provide this frequency of care for her grandchildren, believing that Tess had to take more responsibility. Tess continued to go out often leaving her children with friends and acquaintances. A year ago the school reported to the child protection authorities that both Sam and Matt were not being looked after, often coming to school without any lunch and inappropriately dressed. Six months ago the children were placed in foster care on the basis they were neglected and are doing well with their foster family.
- Tess has been missing her children and has convinced her mother to support her in getting the children returned to her care. As a result Tess and her mother have come to see you, the social worker in the Marymead foster care team about having the children returned to her. The Child Protection authorities are waiting on your report before even considering Tess’s request.
