#GENOGRAM SYMBOLS IN SOCIAL WORK HOW TO#

The Ecomap, for example, is a popular family assessment tool developed within social work and helps social workers to map family communication and relationships between the family and other systems (Hartman & Laird, 1983). Family interventions in social work practice are guided by systems theory and are, therefore, concerned with structure and interactions within the family as well as interactions between the family members and larger systems (Franklin & Jordan, 1999). Early contributors to family therapy pioneered interventions based on systems theories.

'Practitioners began to define presenting problems in terms of family dynamics, and goals for treatment focused on changing patterns of family interaction. Assessment, In Encyclopedia of Social Work. Specifically, assessment guides treatment planning, as well as informs intervention selection and monitoring.' Both quantitative and qualitative methods may be used to create an integrative skills approach that links assessment to intervention. Early assessment models were based on psychoanalytic theory however, current assessment is based on brief, evidence-based practice models. 'Assessment is an ongoing process of data collection aimed at identifying client strengths and problems.

Measurement instruments can be used as part of assessment and evaluation.

For graphic assessment tools, go to Genogram and Ecomap.

Assessment is a continual process from engagement to termination.

Therefore, a second document, known as an ecomap, can be very useful to support genograms by providing an idea of who the young person sees as important.

Is there any relationship or contact with his maternal aunt (Eve)?.

Who does he see as his grandparents – Grace and James or Grace and Simeon?.

Does he have a relationship with his father?.

If we consider Harry in the example above, the following questions are not answered: With what are termed “ blended families” on the increase, genograms do not reveal the amount of contact there is between family members, or who is important to the child (i.e. Whilst providing a useful summary of the family relationships, genograms do not cover the dynamics in the home and wider family. ages, dates of birth, year or date of death etc.) as this adds more context.

Record as much as you can in terms of additional information (e.g.

It may be useful to add colours to identify specific family groups within the genogram.

It doesn’t have to just be in black and white.

This allows you to keep track of changes over time.

Date when the original genogram was completed, and when any subsequent information is added.

Ensure that you use a large piece of paper – on many occasions an A3 sheet may be necessary due to the complexities of family dynamics.

A quick access guide that you can print for ease of reference can be found at the bottom of the page. You can see that there is a lot of information that can be stored for quick access using a genogram. Initially, it may look confusing, but let’s break it down and look at what the individual parts of the genogram are telling us.

Click on the image to see a larger version. Females are represented by circles, and males by squares. Each line in the genogram represents a generation, with all the children on the bottom line, the parent’s generation above them and the grandparent’s generation at the top of the diagram. Through working with him, you have established who the adults are in his immediate family, going back to his mother’s parents. Harry (represented by the green block) is a pupil at your school. Norton and Company Inc.)īy creating and using genograms and ecomaps with children and young people you can establish a lot about the context the child or young person is living in, who is important to them and who may have parental responsibility. A genogram offers the clinician a basic picture of who clients are, where they come from, and who matters in their lives.” “Simply put, a genogram is a map of who you belong to. McGoldrick (2016) describes a genogram as:

Genograms use a common set of symbols, and we will explain how to use these to construct and read a genogram. By creating and using genograms and ecomaps with children and young people, you can establish a lot about the context the child or young person is living in, who is important to them and who may have parental responsibility. A genogram is another way of describing a family tree and can be useful for establishing who is living in the home, who is in the wider family network, and whether there is contact or not.

#GENOGRAM SYMBOLS IN SOCIAL WORK HOW TO#

Genogram symbols in social work