Social Work Practice With African-American Families: An Intergenerational Perspective

Be more effective by understanding African American families from an intergenerational perspective

Social workers looking to provide competent practice with African American families may be more effective by using a new strengths-based approach from an intergenerational perspective. Social Work Practice with African American Families presents a comprehensive look at this new approach to view, assess, and provide services to multigenerational families and communities. It closely examines this useful innovative framework which encourages opportunities for action to create solutions for survival and change. The approach dynamically considers the changing demographics in American society, key issues, and the various challenges pertinent to the African American community.

This text offers a strong, culturally competent approach to social work practice for African American families that takes into consideration the latest policies, programs, and demographic changes. It also incorporates the voices of African American families, along with teaching that focuses on strengths derived from the transfer of information and support between multiple generations. The book is extensively referenced and provides tables to clearly present data. Topics discussed include:

• the importance of strong kinship bonds
• demographic changes
• mutually supportive intergenerational relationships
• intergenerational policy
• intergenerational programs
• cultural genograms
• assessment issues
• long term care giving issues
• intergenerational influences on education
• the role of intergenerational knowledge transfer in church
• community programming
• and much more!

Social Work Practice with African American Families is a valuable resource for social workers, counselors, educators, and students in African American studies and family studies.

Cheryl Waites, EdD, MSW, is an associate professor and associate dean of the School of Social Work, at Wayne State University. She received her BA in sociology from Hunter College (CUNY), her MSW from Fordham University, and her EdD in counselor education from North Carolina State University. Dr. Waites is a Hartford Faculty Scholar. Her areas of research include healthy aging, health disparities, intergenerational relationships, and culturally appropriate and responsive practice. She has also studied promising practices for enhancing gerontological social work education and training. Dr.Waites received a grant from the Institute of Geriatric Social Work at Boston University and conducted a capacity-building project to provide training opportunities for practitioners interested in developing competencies in working with older adults and their families. She was also a recipient of a Geriatric Enrichment in Social Work Education grant, sponsored by the John A. Hartford Foundation and the Council on Social Work Education. She instituted and evaluated an educational change process designed to infuse aging content across the socialwork curricula. Dr.Waites has received several other grants in the areas of family-centered practice, cultural competency, and social work education. Dr. Waites has numerous publications in refereed journals, and has written several book chapters, teaching/training books, and technical reports. Dr. Waites has also presented her research at numerous international, national, and regional conferences.