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If you were their social worker... where would you start?

2K views 50 replies 30 participants last post by  davel745  
#1 ·
Ok, for those of you with netflix streaming as an option.... We just watched a very interesting documentary about a family in W. Virginia titled "The wild and wonderful Whites of W. Virginia. Do NOT watch this program if you are the least bit squeamish about graphic violence, nudity, extremely vulgar language, the use of illegal drugs and other socially unacceptable behaviors. The program covers the real life experiences of five generations of the "White" family in W.V. Everything from the celebration of "grandma" 85th birthday with family all around, and a pictorial history of grampa (long since deceased) and his amazing dance steps to picking up family members from prison and graphic photos of the killings that landed them there. It portrays kids being raised in a, shall we say, less than savory environment, The joys of births, and the grim reality of deaths, CPS taking new borns from their mothers and whole host of other of lifes wonders and unpleasantries. Although the White family are from a small mining town in WV this family could be any one of several that I know right here in my own county in Ky. They are good folks who love their children and family ties are very strong but they seem to have a bit of trouble getting their lives together. After watching the program my Yvonne and I began discussing it, and the question came up... if you were a social worker... where would you begin to try to help this family? If some of you have netflix, and the intestinal fortitude to watch it, I thought it might make for an interesting discussion here. Again be forewarned... this program is not for children, and is not pleasant for adults. Its an uncut version of life as it exists for far too many in our country.
 
#2 ·
A typical social worker is in no way qualified to help a family like you describe. Maybe a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) or a MFCC (Marriage, Family and Child Counselor) or even a Psychiatrist or Psychologist.
 
#3 ·
I'd start by yanking that show off the air. Try a black ghetto family, drugs, welfare, and crime. Name it "The Blacks". See how long that show would be on before a whole chorus of whiners would have it gone for defamation.
 
#4 ·
A typical social worker is in no way qualified to help a family like you describe. Maybe a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) or a MFCC (Marriage, Family and Child Counselor) or even a Psychiatrist or Psychologist.
I am thinking it would prolly require a team effort.... Its a long term way of life for these folks... and there are quite a few of them.
 
#6 ·
I'd start by yanking that show off the air. Try a black ghetto family, drugs, welfare, and crime. Name it "The Blacks". See how long that show would be on before a whole chorus of whiners would have it gone for defamation.
This isnt about racial issues.. its about class issues, long term geographic isolation, culture, poverty, entitlement mentality. The family name just happens to be White but it could just as easily be Black.
 
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#8 ·
I guess it's just different around here. There's a general underlying theme of "Best left alone" here. Often stated as "It's bad luck to mess with people like that" A whole lot of people it's unwise to mess with. They got this far, I reckon they'll muddle through.
 
#10 ·
I haven't seen the show, though it sounds interesting.
I don't believe you can help someone out if they do not wish to be helped. leaving them alone is probably the best option a social worker could do.
It is interesting... about an hour and a half documentary style thing. You and Zong may be right though, "butting out" has kept my nose in pretty good shape fer 60 years now. My original question was purely hypothetical but I do know that there are far too many folks with this general mindset, thus leading to future generations of the same kind of miseries. Just thought some folks here might have some ideas on how to break the cycle when its been ingrained for so long. We know filling up our prisons dont help, we know rehab programs are pretty much useless, we know handing out entitlements doesnt help... Just looking for some new ideas maybe. :shrug:
 
#11 ·
That might be the safest plan, fer sure, but I am not sure its going to help these good folks out of their situation. :)
Agreed, but why is it anyone's responsibility but theirs? They probably don't even think they have a "situation". It's their reality and all they know and they probably see it as normal. For some reason, we have been indoctrinated to believe that if everyone isn't just like everyone else they have a problem that needs societies ( governments ) help.
 
#12 ·
Agreed, but why is it anyone's responsibility but theirs? They probably don't even think they have a "situation". It's their reality and all they know and they probably see it as normal. For some reason, we have been indoctrinated to believe that if everyone isn't just like everyone else they have a problem that needs societies ( governments ) help.
Yep, they pretty much see it as normal... and thats the sad part to me. Is there a possibility that too much government help is part of the problem? Of the entire group interviewed only one of the cousins was working, the rest seemed to have mastered playing the system. That one had also moved away from the rest of the family and out of WV, he had moved to MN.
 
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#13 ·
Yea, when somebody comes knocking on your door offering you free food and money, depending on your state of mind at the moment, its pretty easy to say, "Why Not?" Then you tell yer cousin Donnie and he gets himself arrested and a social worker comes ask him does he want some of that free food and money, then offers him some fuel assistance. You find out about that and call them up, wondering why Donnie deserves free oil and you don't. On and on it goes.
 
#15 ·
We have lots of similar family dynamics around here like that and I dont know if there even is a solution worth trying. In some respects, I am for letting people lead the lives they choose and like poppy said, that may the norm to them and they just dont really know anything different. I do think there is something to the notion that we create these situations by making it too easy to not work and live off the dole. So many people now days lack pride of any type and think nothing over living off the labor of others.

But back to your original question, I dont have much except monitor the children, maybe have parenting classes required if they are getting subsidized health care (and they must be), and trying to build the local economy (and that would take magic in some of these places). I would also move to only offering commodity items for food assistance and perhaps some sort of reward system for doing something productive to help themselves. That sounds strange but right now we reward people for doing nothing and if they grow a big garden I would be in favor of rewarding effort like that by assisting them with some implements and maybe even a small loan or grant for an old tractor. Lots of these folks seem to have lost the old time pride and self sufficiency these areas used to have and maybe trying to get back to that heritage is one way to break the cycle. Certainly what we are doing now isnt effective.

Thanks for the recommendation by the way. I think we will check it out.
 
#18 ·
I read about that show on a blog called fredoneverything. He grew up just down the road from that town, and understands these people. I gather they think we're the ones with peculiar behavior. What they do is what they know, and aren't interested in changing. Any interference could easily get a person killed.
 
#20 ·
If you were gonna try to "fix" it, the only hope would be the children. If they were exposed to another way of living, it might catch hold. Might, mind you.
 
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#21 ·
I've watched about half the movie, and unless there is a surprise ending, I'm about done watching it. heck, I married into a family twice as rough as them. My own family history, written and recorded since the late 1700's makes the whole White gang look like the Mormon tabernacle choir.
 
#22 ·
I would start by asking them if they wanted out of their situation. You are already unqualified if you have already decided they want or need out. In addition you cannot do a thing for them until they do want it. Truth is they are not where they are by accident. Regardless of the list of reasons they in fact choose it. They may not even like it but they still choose it.