The Institutional Affiliation
Reading review
The chapter Cheryl Zlotnick and Luann Devos called Transitional Families, explores peculiarities and aspects of living in a transition state. First of all, it defines the transitional family as a family whose “structure, living situation, or both” are in flux. The author’s argue that the number of transitional families in nowadays society increases and the issue should be addressed more intensively. The Unites States Department of Housing and Urban Development reported that one-third of people who used homeless centers were families (2008).
Transitional families can be divided into a few subgroups. Families that belong to the first one look for shelters to spend a night. The second subgroup is difficult to count since members such families prefer to reside at their friends, relatives, etc. Both subgroups, regardless of the type of their temporary residence, face a number of challenges that put their lives at a risk. Instability caused by having no home results in health, social, and other issues. Not only housing but other factors such as “unstable family unit or change in the family members” can lead to instability (Zlotnick &Devos). Children whose parents cannot provide them with basic necessities often decide to put them in foster care or ask friends or relatives to take care of the kids. All these children, including the once who live in homeless situations, have three similarities.
First of all, most of them live in poverty for generations. Many homeless people have been raised in poverty and keep struggling through it as they raise their own children. The second similarity is the origin of the transitional families. According to the statistics, “almost half of the homeless families are African American or black, and another quarter is Latino or Hispanic” (Zlotnick &Devos). A similar situation is observed in a foster care. Most children are of color since they come from poor immigrant families. The third similarity refers to illnesses caused by the homelessness. It has also been proven that people who live in poor but stable conditions suffer from various kinds of mental illness less that those who have no home at all.
As it has been already mentioned before, a public health and a social justice are the most important issues caused by the transitional lifestyle. Poverty and instability aren't just economic problems anymore. They are directly related to health since it depends on the social and the economic status of the person. The latest studies have shown that children who live in families with an average or high income, experience less disease, while children who live in families with low income or in poverty, “exhibit even higher rates of morbidity” (Zlotnick & Devos). An important fact is that families with low or poor income are still more protected and healthier than those who belong to the category of homeless. Children in homelessness and foster care face a number of health issues, in particular, mental as they grow up, go to school and become adults. Scientists argue that problematic behavior and other difficulties are not necessarily caused by the inability to receive health and other services but by the events that lead to placing a child to foster care, separation from the parents, etc. Unfortunately, there still isn't a deep and complete study on the impact of such experience in during a childhood. Nevertheless, it is clear that they might be destructive. The Life Course Epidemiology framework explores the effects of exposures “that occurs during gestation, childhood, or adolescence” ( Zlotnick & Devos).
A social justice issue is equally important. Families passing through transitional conditions receive less or worse treatment, they have no stable income, no social status, they aren't able to qualify for decent education, employment, etc., which became a serious social justice problem. Along with poverty, there are other disparities such as ethnic and racial. According to the statistical research, more than 30% of foster care children are African American or black while children of the same origin are reunified with their birth parents much less than white and Latino kids. One more social justice issue refers to the interconnection between the number of gay, lesbian, bisexual, etc. and the welfare. The risks caused by the above-mentioned issues and divergences lead to dangerous impacts that don't end with a single generation.
Among issues that I find interesting are the studies completed within the Life Course Epidemiology framework. One of them suggests, for example, that problems with mental and physical heath caused by being in a foster care aren't related to its duration. In other words, longer stay in foster care didn't necessarily result in worse heath condition while shorter foster care stay could have caused more dramatic consequence. It is important to remember in practice since the right understanding of transition condition elements guarantees correct and effective treatment. Another interesting element of transitional families study is the Urie Bronfenbrenner's theory. He argues that the society consists of layers which complement and influence each other. Children are the center and parents are the closest layer of the model suggested by the scientist. As a child grows up, they establish a connection with other layers and external elements like culture, community, etc. The last but not the least part of the bio-ecological model is time. Altogether, the elements create an environment which determines further development of a child as they grow up and interact with more and more layers of the society. It often leads to their own observations of differences between them and other children.
I absolutely agree with the authors' statement that “the nature of the parent-child relationship is the core” of the theory developed by Bronfenbrenner and other analysis. Parents who live under stress and pressure are unable to provide their kids with mentally stable conditions necessary for their development. Children influenced by homelessness and poverty become vulnerable, they suffer from complexes and fail to assert themselves as individuals. Another important conclusion arising from it is “meeting clients where they are” which means that social workers and other specialists must provide the patient with the most basic needs such as shelter, food, etc. before they move to the next stage ( Zlotnick & Devos). Another important step is to help the member of the transitional family understand that they need a treatment and how they will benefit from it. It is also important to make sure that the connection between a child and a caregiver is well-established and secure. It is crucial both for the development and for treatment.
The information obtained through the reading is absolutely helpful in the work with children and their families. It helps to understand how transitional conditions influence children mental and physical health, what measure to take in order to develop the most effective therapy, and how to bring a child to a happy and healthy state.
References
Zlotnick, C. & Devoss, L. (n.d.). Transitional Families.
