What_Is_a_Social_Ecological_Perspective_

This essay will discuss what the term’ social ecological perspective’ is meant, and how it helps us understand and develop practice with children, young people and families ,also discus some of the limitations within using the perspective . The term’ social ecological perspective’, also known as a social ecological model, referred to as a web of relationships back in learning guide3 is a framework model of social sciences that describes how to examine individuals relationships at different levels, and how they are interwoven into their environment, then each in turn into their neighbourhood or community, and then in turn into their wider culture, economy, or society. Also it helps practitioners to examine factors that help and hinder regards to any one situation .The social ecological perspective is a good framework that supports practitioners alongside their other experiences and knowledge. The ecological perspective was initially presented by Urie Bronfenbrener (1979) as a model examining the social influences upon children’s development. (Bronfenbrenner, u, (1979) ( The ecology of human development: Experiments by nature and design, Cambridge MA Harvard university press) Bronfenbrenner’s model is a map with a child at the centre, which is useful when explaining how each environment is interwoven, and how influences and relationships affect the human body .Bronfenbrenner wished to illustrate how human development is influenced by the mutual influences and relationships within, and between the different systems or environments, including the following: ® A child’s own innate capabilities and their biological and genetic characteristics. ® The Stresses and supports of primary carers and extended family. ® The stresses and supports of direct (e.g. schools) and indirect (e.g. a parents workplace) contacts within a neighbourhood and community. ® The stresses and supports created through cultural beliefs, expectations and values at the societal level. A social ecological perspective approach can be used in a variety of circumstances within education and health and social care issues, also can be used and adapted in many ways. Using a social ecological perspective can help us look at a situation or issue and help us to decide where the problems exist, in order to give support or intervene when and where appropriate .For example : A 8 year old boy has started to behave badly at school. In the past his behaviour was generally good, but has started to behave badly, and teachers are unable to cope with him. A behavioural psychologist is then asked to come in to school and annualise these behaviours in order to give teachers strategy’s to cope with the young boy. The behavioural psychologist now needs to find out why these behaviours started to occur. The behavioural psychologist will then need to speak to the parents, friends, and teachers of the young boy, look at his background, relationships, in order to find out where the problems have arisen from in order to get the right help and support for the young boy. Another example in a different setting: A Young girl of 14 has developed an eating disorder and her mother has taken her to seek help from a councillor. The councillor will need to look at all the relationships of the young girl and how she feels about them, also what other influences may be affecting the young girl to want to be very slim in order to help and give support. These examples show that the social ecological perspective can be used in a variety of ways by different types of practitioners. Using the ecological perspective knowing the child’s background, characteristics, strengths and weaknesses can help us to pinpoint where and why problems arise in order to give support and intervene when and where appropriate. It gives us a deeper understanding of the variety of influences that can affect a situation in which contributes to an individual’s well-being. However there are limitations when using a social ecological approach, such as they are unable to identify issues between elements .for example: such as some children living in poverty may be able to do well in school, and on the other hand, a child with parents who have well-paid jobs can easily do less well in school. It could easily lead to stereotyping certain individuals when it is not necessarily the problem, and it also does not represent changes to people and communities over periods of time. Also the model may overlook the reality of day to day issues that practitioners face for example: The practitioner’s caseload, the personal development needs of the practitioner, and conflicting priorities of the practitioner are not visible within the model. Practitioners are also interwoven in their own social ecologies and practice is used at different levels. Although a social ecological perspective is a framework that helps to understand a deeper view of children’s lives it does not necessarily define what is good or bad for them. Pulling all the information together a social ecological perspective, alongside other knowledge and information is a useful tool to help practitioners to examine individual’s relationships and find factors that help or hinder a situation in order for them to pinpoint where and why problems exist in order to give support or intervene when and where appropriate. Words used: 859