Mini Case Study and
Critical Analysis
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For this individual assignment, you will write a 5-page essay that outlines your thinking
around the ideas of family, community, and mechanisms of support. You will then apply
those ideas to a mini-case study that you will select (four options will be offered). Please
cite at least 5 different assigned course materials throughout the paper to demonstrate
your engagement with the course material and provide a grounded foundation for your
approach to family support and community resources.
This paper will have three components:
1. Engaging with ideas of family, community, and mechanisms of support
(2 pages)
2. Mini-case study analysis (1-1.5 pages)
3. Critical Analysis and Concluding Remarks (1 page):
Your paper should be submitted as a Word or PDF and should be no more than 5
pages long (double spaced, with 12-point font). You may use the citation style which is
used in your major, but please be sure to include all needed information in your works
cited or reference page. We will offer tips and guidance in using APA 7th edition (see
Purdue OWL
Links to an external site.
for tips).
Below includes a detailed outline for completing this assignment:
Engaging with ideas of family, community, and mechanisms of
support (2 pages):
How are you defining family, community, and support after engaging with the material
this term?
Describe two or three mechanisms of support (policy, state/federal programs,
community programs, mutual aid, etc.) that feel most in alignment with your ideas of
what families and communities need, deserve, and would benefit from?
What does equitable, culturally-responsive engagement with families mean to you?
Please consider how your own social identities (age, class, color, (dis)ability status,
ethnicity, gender identity and expression, immigration status, race, religion, sex, sexual
orientation, etc.) shape your approach to this work.
Mini-case study analysis (1-1.5 pages)
Imagine that you are a social worker employed full time at a local public library (you may
want to revisit our materials that focus on libraries as a site of community resources and
family support). As part of your work, you hold regular office hours to meet with library
guests, facilitate monthly “coffee hours” featuring local organizations who present on
their services, and coordinate family engagement events.
Select one of the case studies below and draw on the prompts to consider how you
would engage with one of these guests, based on the family and community support
philosophy you outlined above.
Alicia first attended a coffee hour you hosted a few months ago on early care and
learning. Alicia is 34-years-old, has been married to her husband Hector for almost 12
years, and is the mother of Junior (age 10), Emilia (age 8), and Gloria (age 4). She
emigrated from Mexico to the U.S. ten years ago, arriving shortly after Hector. Alicia is
undocumented, but all three of her children were born in the U.S. and are U.S. citizens.
Alicia has never worked outside the home and does not drive. She enjoys caring for her
children, and is considering working outside the home after Gloria begins kindergarten.
Recently, you’ve noticed that in addition to attending occasional coffee hours, Alicia has
begun coming to the library every week to take English language classes offered for
adults by a local nonprofit organization. You’ve had multiple informal conversations, and
decide to follow up with her to see if she’d like to meet with you for a one-on-one
conversation about her goals. Alicia agrees. Consider the following prompts regarding
your work with Alicia:
● Alicia already holds a variety of strengths, forms of capital, and “funds of
knowledge.” What are these? How would you engage Alicia to learn more?
What kinds of questions might you ask?
● Alicia shares with you that she’d like to begin applying for jobs, but she’s
worried about finding childcare for Gloria (age 4) and being able to afford it.
What resources would you share with Alicia?
● Alicia also shares that she is having a hard time connecting with the teachers
at Junior and Emilia’s schools. She wants to engage, but she is worried that
because she is an English language learner and undocumented, that the
schools aren’t a safe place for her to go. How might you navigate this
conversation with Alicia? What steps or resources might you suggest?
Eleanor is a 35-year-old single Black woman who is caring for her 70-year-old father,
Albert. Albert has multiple health problems, including chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease that has been exacerbated by a bout with COVID-19, and is limited in his ability
to drive or walk long distances. Eleanor has recently made the decision to become her
father’s primary caregiver and is considering whether she needs to leave her job. She is
worried that her father will not live much longer and he seems to need more help every
day, including help with groceries, preparing meals, getting to doctor’s appointments,
and activities of daily living like taking medications and grooming. Eleanor is starting to
feel overwhelmed balancing her paid work with her increasing work as a care partner.
Neither Eleanor nor Albert have the financial resources to pay for full time long-term
services and supports. Albert is able to use the local transportation assistance program
and has enjoyed visiting the senior center just a few blocks away from the library. He
enjoys the time with his daughter, but is also concerned that she may be putting her
own future on hold while she is caring for him.
● What are some options for continuing to support Albert’s independence while
his caregiving needs are increasing? How might you advise Eleanor to
support him in this process?
● What else do you want to know about Eleanor and Albert? What strengths
and assets do they already hold? How do you plan to follow up with Eleanor
and offer possible supports?
John, a 69-year-old white man, attended this month’s coffee hour on food and nutrition.
John stuck around after the event to explore some flyers on display at the library, and
you approach John to say hello. John is quiet, but also seems eager to talk to someone,
and both of you head outside for a longer conversation at the picnic table.
John tells you this is his first time coming to the library in ten years. Before he was
incarcerated, he used to bring his grandson here for some of the youth-centered
activities (which they both have fond memories of). John discloses that he has a lot
going on. He has experience with opioid addiction, which landed him in prison for a few
years. He has high cholesterol and is generally concerned about his physical and
mental health. He’s also had a hard time securing a space in public housing because of
his criminal record, and has been hopping around to different extended-stay hotels in
the area.
● Sensing John’s mild discomfort at being back, how do you welcome John
back to the library, and what do you tell him about the kinds of services and
activities the library provides? (You can get creative here! This is “your” library
:))
● He’s distrustful of the government and wary of public aid. How do you
respond to John’s concerns? What resources or referrals do you plan to
gather and share with John?
● What else do you want to know about John? What strengths and assets does
he already hold? How do you plan to follow up with John and build a trusting,
lasting relationship?
Grace is a 17-year-old Asian woman who has lived in the area all her life. She attends
the high school down the street from the library and comes to the library regularly to
have a quieter place to work on her homework. Grace has long been friendly with library
staff, and she schedules a meeting with you to discuss her post-graduation plans. In
addition to completing her senior year, Grace currently works part-time at a local
restaurant. She wants to go to college in the area and study early childhood education.
However, she’s concerned about being able to afford the cost of college. She also has a
long-term boyfriend and they are eager to have a child together in the next five years,
so she’s pondering the cost of raising a child, too, and wondering if it’s all possible.
● What else do you want to know about Grace? What strengths and assets
does she already hold that are important to know about as you engage with
her?
● What resources or suggested next steps might you provide to Grace as she
navigates her college application journey?
● Are there resources in your area you might recommend to Grace as she and
her partner engage in early conversations around growing their family?
Critical Analysis and Concluding Remarks (1-1.5 pages)
In your conclusion, consider how the library guest you’ve focused on (Alicia, Eleanor,
John, or Grace) may be impacted by broader social, structural, or political forces,
including policies (or lack thereof).
What are some of the structural, social, or political factors that may be influencing their
experiences?
Please comment on why it’s important to remember the broader social context when
working with children, youth, and families in their communities.
What is your assessment of the services and resources potentially available to the
library guest you’ve focused on – are there significant gaps or unmet needs? Why or
why not?
Finally, please share one thing you’ve learned from this class that you’d like to carry
forward with you into your professional life.
- Mini Case Study and Critical Analysis
