You are a social worker working for an agency which provides support and case management to families
Question:
You are a social worker working for an agency which provides support and case management to families in need. Your particular role is to work with families who have children with special needs. You speak Arabic and work mainly with families from the Middle East
The Yusrats have recently been reunited after having been separated for four years. Yasmin Yusrat has been in Australia with her two children for over a year. Her husband, Hassan, has just been released from immigration detention, although he has not yet been granted refugee status.
You have been working with Yasmin and her two children, Yassar (10) (who has an intellectual disability) and Fatima (14) for some time. Yasmin has learned English and is an enthusiastic participant in the social and craft groups run at the centre. She has even gained employment as a receptionist at an NGO associated with the centre. Fatima has also been working there after school.
Their accommodation is for women and children, and Hassan has been staying there secretly as he has nowhere else to go. Yasmin has recently received an eviction notice due to her breach of the lease conditions and has two weeks to find alternative accomodation
Hassan speaks no English, is unemployed and rarely leaves the house. He has not participated in casework sessions and appears withdrawn. His lawyer has called you and has asked you to write letter in support of his application for refugee status. He also needs help with income support, and Yasmin has recently been assessed as ineligible for a carer's pension as Centrelink had insufficient evidence of Yassar's disability.
Since Hassan's arrival, you have noticed some changes in Yassar's behaviour, he is rude and sometimes aggressive towards his mother and sister, Yasmin tells you he hits her and his sister. You have also noticed some bruising on his legs. Yasmin has not attended the group for weeks and has called in sick to her job. You run into a teacher at Fatima's school in the supermarket who you know from Interagency meetings and she tells you Fatima is not attending school and has told her that she is to be married.
You receive a phone call from police who say that they have Hassan in the cells. A neighbour called them and alleged that they have seen bruises on Yasmin and heard loud voices and crying and arguing late at night. Police ask you to attend and assist in interpreting the interview with Hassan.
Yasmin refuses to be interviewed and won't talk to police. When police attend the house Yassar kicks a police officer in the shins and Fatima tells them to "f**k ". The children are taken to the police station.
When you arrive at the police station they ask you to sit in on interviews with the 2 children.
The police have taken out an Interim Apprehended Violence order on Fatima's behalf.
Identify the socio-legal issues present in this scenario and with each one
- Identify the relevant law, your ethical and professional responsibilities and discuss what strategies you would use to address the issue
- You are asked to prepare the report for the Children's Court after the children are charged with assaulting the police officer
Outline briefly the issues you would cover.
Smith and Roberson Business Law
ISBN: 978-0538473637
15th Edition
Authors: Richard A. Mann, Barry S. Roberts