Dealing with family distress in schools

Social workers and teachers in schools deal with families in distress. When a child is having trouble in school, families will respond in their preferred style of dealing with problems. The challenge for social workers and teachers is to understand the meaning behind how the family copes with the distress. Professionals typically have been taught traditional models of family dynamics that identify or label coping styles as either functional or dysfunctional. The authors introduce school-based professionals to the Family Distress and Family Outreach models, which emphasize an appreciation for the family's ability to cope with distress in ways that are consistent with its goals and values. The authors provide a framework for developing and maintaining working relationships with students' parents on the basis of the Family Outreach Model.