Challenges Facing Today's Families and Why Social Work Matters

Extract

There are so many important events taking place in the nation and in the world at this time. Yet, in preparing for this issue of Social Work and reviewing the manuscripts, I was struck by the importance of families in addressing how individuals and communities process information and place meaning on the challenges around them. So often the first thought is to consider how to respond to the individual, the community, and the broader society. However, it is the family structure that is often left to negotiate these challenges and to help people navigate what is being experienced. Therefore, it is important to consider challenges facing contemporary families and the vital role that social workers play in responding to families in practice.

Evolving and Persistent Challenges Facing Today's Families

The definition of what constitutes a family has evolved. There is greater awareness that the family is no longer just a nuclear unit, but is inclusive of different models of families from the extended family to intergenerational families to families that are not restricted by sexual orientation (Congress & Gonzalez, 2012; Van Hook, 2016). The fluid nature of how families organize themselves is something that has been helpful, particularly in diverse communities. Billingsley (1988) and Hill (1999) talked about the importance of the family unit in adapting to new norms, addressing cultural traditions, providing socialization, and helping to determine the meaning of challenges that are faced in communities and by individuals.