Child Client Literature Review and Case Plan Example: Family Systems, Social Learning and CBT With SMART Goals
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Get it written →Child client case: Literature review or theory, and case plan
Literature review or theory: identify and thoroughly discuss relevant evidence-based research and theory that contribute to your understanding of the client, drawing on prior knowledge and anchoring courses, with at least two scholarly sources. Possible theories include systems theory, psychosocial development theory, social learning theory, family systems theory and cognitive behavioral theory.
Case plan: referring back to your SMART goals video, discuss what will facilitate change, your role as an interventionist and how you will evaluate whether the plan is helping the child. Identify obstacles and actions to address them. Using the reason for referral and the interview, develop a care plan with long- and short-term goals, objectives, interventions (including multidisciplinary teaming and multi-setting collaboration) and follow-up.
Behavior serves a function in a family under stress
Aggression learned through modeling and reinforcement
Thoughts, feelings and actions can be changed with skills
Use your own client: this model uses a fictional 10-year-old, “Jayden,” to show structure. Replace the referral and interview details with your own case, and match the goals to the SMART goals in your video.
Model literature review and case plan
Original example for study purposes (about 1,200 words). The client and details are fictional.
Case summary (fictional). Jayden, a 10-year-old African American boy in fourth grade, was referred by his school counselor after three fights with classmates in six weeks, frequent classroom outbursts and a drop in grades from Bs to Ds. During the interview, his mother, Ms. R., shared that she and Jayden’s father separated four months ago after years of conflict, including arguments Jayden witnessed. His father recently moved out of state, and visits have been inconsistent. Ms. R. now works two jobs, and Jayden’s 15-year-old sister often supervises him after school. Jayden said he feels “mad all the time” and that “nobody listens unless you yell.” He enjoys basketball and drawing, and his grandmother lives nearby and is supportive.
Literature Review and Theory
Family systems theory. Family systems theory views the family as an emotional unit in which each member’s behavior affects and is affected by others (Kerr & Bowen, 1988). Changes in one part of the system, such as a parent leaving, create stress that may show up as symptoms in the most vulnerable member, often a child. From this perspective, Jayden’s aggression is not simply misbehavior but a signal of disrupted family structure: loss of contact with his father, reduced availability of his mother and a shift of caregiving responsibilities to his sister, a form of role reorganization that can strain sibling relationships. Concepts such as triangulation also apply if Jayden feels caught between his parents. Family systems theory suggests that lasting change requires involving his caregivers and strengthening family routines, not treating Jayden alone.
Social learning theory. Bandura (1977) proposed that children learn behavior by observing models and by experiencing the consequences of their actions. Jayden witnessed repeated conflict between his parents, which may have taught him that yelling and aggression are ways to express anger and gain attention. His statement that “nobody listens unless you yell” suggests that aggressive behavior has been reinforced because it produces attention. Social learning theory therefore points to two levers for change: providing positive models of calm problem-solving and changing the consequences of behavior so that appropriate communication, not aggression, is rewarded.
Cognitive behavioral theory and evidence-based practice. Cognitive behavioral approaches assume that thoughts, emotions and behaviors are connected and that children can learn skills to recognize anger triggers, challenge hostile interpretations and use coping strategies. Parent management training, grounded in social learning principles, has strong research support for reducing oppositional and aggressive behavior in children by teaching parents to use praise, consistent routines, clear commands and predictable consequences (Kazdin, 2005). For children exposed to family conflict and loss, trauma-informed CBT models emphasize psychoeducation, emotion regulation and caregiver involvement (Cohen et al., 2017). Together, these theories suggest that Jayden’s behavior is understandable in context and can be changed through skill building for both Jayden and his caregivers.
Case Plan
What Will Facilitate Change
Change will be facilitated by (a) a trusting, consistent relationship between Jayden and the social worker; (b) involving Ms. R. and, where possible, Jayden’s father in learning consistent, positive parenting strategies; (c) building on Jayden’s strengths, his interest in basketball and drawing and his close relationship with his grandmother; and (d) coordination between home and school so that expectations and rewards are consistent across settings.
My Role as Interventionist
My roles include counselor (teaching Jayden coping skills), educator and coach (supporting Ms. R. with parenting strategies), case manager and broker (connecting the family to after-school programs and community resources), coordinator (convening the school team) and advocate (ensuring the school responds to Jayden’s needs with support rather than only discipline). I will practice cultural humility, recognizing the family’s values, strengths and experiences and being aware of the risk that Black boys are disciplined more harshly in schools.
Care Plan
| Goal | Objectives (SMART) | Interventions and collaboration | Follow-up and evaluation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Short-term goal 1: Reduce aggressive behavior at school | Within 8 weeks, Jayden will reduce physical fights from 3 to 0 and use a coping skill (deep breathing, asking for a break) in at least 4 of 5 observed frustrating situations | Weekly individual CBT sessions on anger recognition and coping; a classroom “calm-down” pass agreed with the teacher; daily behavior chart shared between school and home | Weekly review of teacher behavior charts and discipline records; Jayden’s self-rating of anger (0 to 10) |
| Short-term goal 2: Increase consistent caregiving at home | Within 6 weeks, Ms. R. will use a daily routine and praise at least five specific positive behaviors per day, tracked on a log | Six parent management training sessions; help arranging grandmother’s after-school care two days a week to reduce the sister’s caregiving burden | Parent log reviewed biweekly; home visit at week 6 |
| Long-term goal 1: Improve emotional regulation and family relationships | Within 6 months, Jayden will express feelings verbally rather than aggressively, as shown by a 50% reduction in outbursts on the parent and teacher rating scale; family will hold a weekly check-in | Family sessions (mother, sister and, if possible, father by video) on communication and adjustment to separation; coordinate consistent contact plan with father | Standardized behavior rating scale (for example, a parent and teacher checklist) at baseline, 3 and 6 months |
| Long-term goal 2: Improve school engagement and achievement | By the end of the semester, Jayden will raise reading and math grades to C or above and attend an after-school program three days a week | Multidisciplinary school team meeting (teacher, counselor, school psychologist, social worker, parent) to consider a behavior support plan or evaluation for supports; enroll in a recreation center basketball or art program with a positive male mentor | Monthly school team meetings; report cards and attendance records; program participation |
Evaluating Whether the Plan Is Helping
I will use a single-system design, collecting baseline data on fights, outbursts and grades and comparing them with weekly and monthly data. Standardized parent and teacher rating scales at baseline, three months and six months will show whether changes are meaningful. I will also ask Jayden and Ms. R. directly whether they notice changes and whether the plan feels helpful, and I will adjust the plan if progress stalls.
Obstacles and Actions to Address Them
- Ms. R.’s work schedule: offer evening or telehealth parent sessions and short home practice assignments.
- Father’s inconsistent involvement: invite participation by video and help both parents agree on a predictable contact schedule, without placing Jayden in the middle.
- School discipline responses: advocate for restorative and supportive responses rather than suspensions, which could worsen disengagement.
- Stigma or mistrust of services: emphasize strengths, explain confidentiality and involve trusted supports such as the grandmother.
- Possible unidentified needs: if behaviors persist, refer for evaluation of learning difficulties, ADHD or trauma symptoms.
Follow-Up
I will hold weekly sessions with Jayden for eight weeks, biweekly parent check-ins, monthly school team meetings and a formal review at three and six months. After goals are met, I will reduce contact to monthly booster sessions for three months and confirm that the family is connected to community supports, such as the after-school program and a family resource center, before closing the case.
References
Bandura, A. (1977). Social learning theory. Prentice Hall.
Cohen, J. A., Mannarino, A. P., & Deblinger, E. (2017). Treating trauma and traumatic grief in children and adolescents (2nd ed.). Guilford Press.
Kazdin, A. E. (2005). Parent management training: Treatment for oppositional, aggressive, and antisocial behavior in children and adolescents. Oxford University Press.
Kerr, M. E., & Bowen, M. (1988). Family evaluation: An approach based on Bowen theory. W. W. Norton.
[Your anchoring course readings, in APA format.]
Before you submit: include at least two scholarly sources, connect each goal to the SMART goals in your video and make sure every intervention can be traced back to something in the referral or interview.
Frequently asked questions
What makes an objective SMART?
It is specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound, for example “within 8 weeks, reduce fights from 3 to 0.”
Why involve the school in a child’s case plan?
Children spend much of their day at school, so consistent expectations and supports across home and school make behavior change more likely to last.
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