CASE STUDY NO 2

HUMAN GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT

John and Susan Barry live in a sprawling cottage in the countryside, three miles from the nearest town. John is a 41-year-old mechanic who works at a garage ten miles away. He is often on call for accident pickups which means he is out late and regularly busy at weekends. John has a gambling problem which he has tried on several occasions to overcome but always wants to back the next horse. Sometimes he can go a week without going to the bookies but has found online gambling a harder source to cope with.

He feels it helps him to escape from worries about paying the mortgage and the mounting bills that never seem to end, no matter how hard he works. He knows his wife is spending a large amount of money but can’t seem to find out where. Communication in the Barry household is virtually nonexistent. Susan Barry is a 40-year-old pharmacist who recently lost her job when caught stealing products containing codeine and sleeping pills from her place of work. Although she promised to pay for all she stole, CCTV showed an extensive period of stealing and abuse of the drugs while on the premises. Shortly after losing her job, Susan was involved in a car crash.

Breathalyzer tests at the scene showed a substantial amount of drugs in her system. As her young son was also a back seat passenger in the car, Susan subsequently lost her driving license for 5 years. Susan also has a bipolar diagnosis going back a few years, triggered by early menopause. Lately, Susan has been purchasing pills from the internet, at astronomical costs. She feels that without these she cannot sleep or cope with life. A good cook, Susan feels she has completed her duties if she has a decent meal and clean clothes for the household.

The Barry’s have two teenage children, 13-year-old Jack and 18-year-old Eva. Jack Barry is a shy lad who is tall for his age and has always been slightly overweight. He has recently started extreme dieting and would be classified as suffering from anorexia nervosa. He is a great sportsman but feels under pressure from social media to look a certain way to fit the sporty stereotype. He either walks or cycles the three miles to school every day, as a form of exercise, in addition to the training he does as a member of both the school rugby and football teams. Jack is excellent at both sports and has a very positive relationship with his teammates.

They are either training, playing matches or going go-carting together during free time. However, Jack is always disappointed after matches because his parents never show up to watch or cheer him on. Although his sister turns up regularly with one of her boyfriends, usually drunk and shouting loudly over everyone, Jack, on these occasions, wishes he could disappear. Jack did want to be a mechanic, like his dad but dad did nothing to encourage his passion. Since the accident with his mother, Jack has come to fear cars and is terrified to travel with mum. Academically bright, Jack feels he may now decide to do something completely different.

Eva Barry is studying to do her Leaving Cert in the summer. She wanted to study nursing at a university in England when she finishes but her mums’ accident and constant sickness has turned her off the idea. Recently her grades have started to slip as Eva often mitches classes, preferring to spend time out drinking and socializing instead of studying and attending school. Notes home about her poor attendance and grades have gone unnoticed by both parents and indeed, they never question her whereabouts or why she is not home some nights for her dinner until midnight, often in a drunken state.

A very pretty girl, she dates several men at the same time and has no problem being intimate with them all. Her reputation is suffering as a result but Eva loves the attention she gets. She has also started experimenting with gateway drugs, in addition to drinking alcohol and smoking weed. Her boyfriend’s pay for her several habits and Eva feels special and valued as a result. Her old friends are starting to avoid her as her addictions and sexual promiscuousness increase. As long as the boys give her the attention she needs, Eva reckons she no longer needs her old friends. She doesn’t even mind the idea of taking a year or so out after her Leaving Cert.

Section 1: Needs Identify one need for each adolescent, Jack and Eva, which is being met in the present situation. Identify the one need for each adolescent, Jack and Eva, which is not being met in the present situation. All needs must be different.

Section 2: Strategies Identify how each of the following could help meet the needs of both adolescents in their present situation.

(a) The Family: 5 items for each parent.

(b) The Community: 5 community-based organisations that can help.

(c) The Government: 5 government services that can help.

(d) Individuals: 5 individuals not mentioned in the sections above.

Section 3: Skills List and discuss 5 skills which you think would be required by the parents to enable them to meet the adolescences’ needs in the present situation. Discuss at least 5.

Section 4: Action Plan Outline the 5 best strategies you believe would lead to greatly improving the chances for the adolescents in the present situation to have all their needs met. Deal with the large issues first