Promoting family protective factors in working with low-income families
Abstract
Using a strengths-based perspective of social work, this article discusses family protective factors in working with low-income families in Mongolia. Based on an overview of international and national studies on family protective factors, the authors used cross-sectional primary data from 256 social workers and welfare officers of Khoroo (an administrative subdivision of Ulaanbaatar) and secondary data from a nationwide survey of 3,000 households. The research found that the most important protective factors were the happiness of the parental relationship, maternal warmth toward the child(ren) and the quality of the child-rearing conditions. On the other hand, for poorer families, the most important factors were being healthy and safe and living in peaceful stable family. The article also explores formal and informal family support systems that are available to poor or lower income families, based on data from their sources of income. Family strengths, resources and protective factors are discussed, along with family risk factors. The article finds that evidence-based family support services are recommended and necessary when working with disadvantaged families in the Mongolian context.
References
In English
Adilbish, B. Mongolian social workers’ perceptions about protective factors against child maltreatment. Doctoral thesis. Flinders University. Retrieved from
Andersson, G. (2005). Family relations, adjustment and well-being in a longitudinal study of children in care. Child and Family Social Work, 43-56.
Belsky, J., & Vondra, J. (1989). Lessons from child abuse: The determinants of parenting. In Child maltreatment: theory and research on causes and consequences of child abuse and neglect (pp. 153-202). New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.
Bowers, E. P., Eye, A. V., Arbeit, M. R., Weiner, M. M., Chase, P., & Agans, J. P. (2011). The role of ecological assets in positive and problematic developmental trajectories. Journal of Adolescence, 34, 1151-1165.
Connolly, M. (2007). Practice frameworks: Conceptual maps to guide interventions in child welfare. British Journal of Social Work, 37, 825-837 .
Garbarino, J. (1977). The human ecology of child maltreatment: A conceptual model for research. Journal of Marriage and Family, Vol 39, No 4, 721-735.
Garmezy, N. (1985). Stress-resistant children: Search for protective factors. In J. E. Stevenson, Recent Research in Developmental Psychology (pp. 213-229). Oxford: Pergamon Press Ltd.
Little,. et al. (2004). Research Review: Risk and protection in the context of services for children in need. Child and Family Social Work, 9(1), 105-117.
Masten, A. S., & Reed, M. G. (2005). Resiliencein development. In C. R. Snyder, & S. J. (.), Handbook of positive psychology. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
National Statistics Office & World Bank. (2020). Mongolia. Poverty Update 2018. Retrieved from 1212.mn: http://1212.mn/BookLibraryDownload.ashx?url=Poverty_report_2018_ENG.pdf&ln=En
Orthner, D. K., Jones-Sanpei, H., & Williamson, S. (2004). The resilence and strengths of low income families. Family Relations, 53(2), 159-167.
Saleebey, D. (2009). The strengths perspective in social work practice. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.
Scannapieco, M., & Connell-Carrick, K. (2005). Understanding child maltreatment: An ecological and developmental perspective. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, Inc.
Vanderbilt-Adriance, E., & Shaw, D. (2008). Protective factors and the development of resilience in the context of neighborhood disadvantage. Journal of Adnormal Child Psychology, 36, 887-901.
Weigel, D. J., Lowman, J. L., & Martin, S. S. (2007). Language development in the years before school: a comparison of developmental assets. Early Child Development and Care, 177(6-7), 719-743.
Werner, E. (1993). Risk, resilience, and recovery: Perspective from Kauai longitudinal study. Development and Psychopathology, 5, 503-515.
In Mongolian
Batkhishig, A., Tumennast, G., Dulamsuren, E., Ayush, D., & Tsolmon, B. (2016). Ulaanbaatar hotyn ger horoollyn orchi dahi jendert suurilsan huchirhiilel sedevt chanaryn sudalga [Qualitative study on gender-based violence in ger areas of Ulaanbaatar]. Gender studies. Ulaanbaatar.
Odgerel, Ts., Burenjagral, T., Tuendelger, S., & Boldmaa, N. (2018). Mongolyn ger buliin onoogiin nuhtsul baidal, tulgamdsan asuudluud [Current situation of Mongolian family, urgent problems]. Department of Family, Child and Youth Development, World Vision Mongolia and Social Policy Research Institute, Ulaanbaatar.
Taiwan Fund for Children and Families Representative Office in Ulaanbaatar. (2018). Social
welfare activities. Retreived from: http://www.tfcf.org.mn/?page_id=2581
