Teaching Note—Drawn Together: Collaboration Between Social Work and Education to Address Family Trauma

ABSTRACT

In the past few decades, scholars and practitioners have given increasing attention to the experiences of families affected by trauma related to substance use, homelessness, and incarceration. As parents seek to restore and maintain parental bonds during traumatic separations and transitions, interdisciplinary family literacy interventions can be impactful. Given their shared interests, social workers and educators are uniquely positioned to work with community-based stakeholders to implement trauma-informed interventions. Research suggests that MSW graduates do not feel confident in their ability to demonstrate clinical competencies related to assessing substance use, implementing family interventions, and engaging in interdisciplinary teamwork. This teaching note describes the implementation of a trauma-informed family literacy intervention and explores ways to use this model in an interdisciplinary social work and education course.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Qiana R. Cryer-Coupet

Qiana R. Cryer-Coupet is an assistant professor of social work at NC State University,

Angela M. Wiseman

Angela M. Wiseman is an associate professor of education at NC State University,

Ashley A. Atkinson

Ashley A. Atkinson is a doctoral candidate at NC State University,

Stephen Gibson

Stephen Gibson is a doctoral student at Virginia Commonwealth University, and

Ann M. Hoo

Ann M. Hoo is a family engagement specialist in North Carolina.