Leslie Rose O.

Victoriano

Case No. 3 The Case of Jonas

The case of Jonas Batungbakal, 13 years old was referred to the Social Service and
Counselling Division of the Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court for a Social Case
Study Report to guide the court in the proper disposition of the case.

Problem Presented

On September 10, 1980, the minor was arrested and accused of having allegedly taken,
stolen and carried away five (5) lovebirds, all valued at one hundred fifty pesos (P150)
belonging to Cynthia Guadiz of #6 Scout Rallos, Quezon City.

According to the minor the day prior to his arrest he was walking down the street when
his attention was caught by a bird cage hanging form the veranda of one of the houses.
Impelled by curiosity he went inside the balcony of the house and looked at the birds.
The owner noticed his presence and sent him away. In retaliation he went back that
night and took all the birds. Police confiscated the birds when he was arrested.

Minor's Personal History:

Jonas was born in a hospital. According to his mother he was such a big baby at birth
that the doctors had to use forceps to extricate him. Three months later he had his first
epileptic seizure. At first his parents thought he was already dead but then he started
moving again. He was brought to the doctor who prescribes some medication but the
attacks persisted. At age seven he was enrolled in Grade I. However, he had to drop
out of school because of the frequent epileptic attacks which upset his teachers and
scared his classmates.
From that time on he never went back to school. Instead, he occupied himself with
solitary activities such as climbing trees and rooftops, loitering alone, gathering snakes,
swimming in a public pool near their place, and sometimes going with his mother to the
market where she works as a vendor. The neighbors relate that the minor frequently fell
from trees and rooftops. The children in the neighborhood avoided him because of his
epileptic attacks. His favorite past time was catching snakes.

His mother also related that during Jona’s’ stay with his uncle in the province he was
bitten by a snake and had to be brought to the city for treatment. The uncle later refused
to take him back to the province for fear that he would be catching snakes again. Also, a
year ago the minor almost drowned at the swimming pool because of a seizure and had
to be rushed to the hospital for artificial respiration.

Family Background:

The parents of the minor have been separated for almost seven years. The father is
living with another woman in the same community. He still maintains contact with his
children through visits where he invariably asks them for money. Jonas has three older
sisters all married.

The mother works as a market vendor. She and Jonas are residing in the barangay hall
of their barrio which she cleans and maintains in exchange for rent. The barrio captain
said that he let them stay in the place out of pity as they have nowhere to go.

The mother earns enough for herself and Jonas. Although the three older children are
married, they all go to work and hence are able to give their mother some money now
and then. She relates that the family is aware and have discussed the problem of
Jonas. The sisters are for putting him in a place which would provide care and
counselling. None of the sisters could take him in because they have to go out and
work. The mother also has to leave him behind when she goes to market to sell
because she cannot look after him and attend to her business at the same time.
However, each of the sisters is willing to help out financially if and when Jonas needs
such assistance from them.

Guide Questions:

As the court social worker, you will be expected to submit a social case study which will
include a recommendation as to what should be done about the minor. He could be
placed on "recognizance", i.e. under the custody of his another, or he could be placed in
an institution.

1. What other information would you need for your social case study report?
Why or for what purpose?

The other types of information required in a social case study report are underlying
problem, objectives, recommendations, and a plan of action or intervention since,
once the issue has been identified by the social worker, we can move on to
discussing the various potential solutions. Choosing which alternative option to use
is required. Explain briefly how your decision will address the primary issue(s) in
your choice. Never forget to combine theory and practice, as was mentioned in your
problem with regard to the case. Then, instances where one of the suggested
 solutions led an organization, institution, or person to successfully address the
highlighted issue are shown. Finding a practical application for a theoretical idea or
solution is the fundamental purpose of case studies. The majority of the time, issues
can be hypothetically solved.

2. List down and discuss some of the steps you will undertake for the benefit of the
minor. What would be your specific objectives? Your plan of intervention?

Upon completion of this social case study report, we should be able to:

- Jonas’ disorder has a big impact on his quality of life, he has to be evaluated and
treated.
-Talk about the diagnosis and treatment plan for Jonas, who had recurring seizures
when he first presented.
- Describe how status epilepticus should be managed, and inform anyone who doesn’t
already know about the condition.
- Provide a conceptual framework for programs and services like financial assistance,
which covers medical and livelihood programs.
- Attending classes once more in order to finish his degrees and secure employment in
the future in order to live a better life.
- Inform Jonas about his behavior and make it clear that it is completely undesirable in
both the family’s tradition and the community. Additionally, let his family and other
people who are close to him know about the wrongdoing he committed so that they can
pay closer attention to Jonas.
- Link Jonas with any agencies that offer welfare services and support to help him
improve his well-being.

PROBLEMS INTERVENTION EXPECTED RESULT

Jonas has an epileptic - Jonas requires - Jonas will have a
seizure. knowledge about better life; he will
his epilepsy as well have a continuous
as emotional and treatment from his
social assistance. condition with the
The physician can help of his doctor.
provide some of About the hospital
each, but not bills, it will subsidize
enough, nor for the the cost by the
weeks, months, and medical assurance
years that they are such as Phil health
required. and HMO.

Jonas and his family are in
the poorest sector of the
society. Her mother earned
is only enough for her and
to his son Jonas. They
currently living in Brgy.
Hall, his mother cleaning
exchange for the rent.
- His seizure disorder
- Refer Jonas see a will not occur often
psychologist, due to the better
psychiatrist, or treatment from his
community worker doctor.
who specializes in - People in the
diagnosing and community will
treating epilepsy. understand Jonas
about his condition
- The epilepsy by educating them.
specialist
community worker
may help Jonas,
their family, and the
community by
offering support,
being an informed,
empathetic listener,
removing their fear
of the unknown,
promoting
compliance, and
providing
information.
- Free access to
health care.
Refer them to a specific They will have their own
institution that can handle house that will be provided
their case and crisis by the people or institution
situation right away, such that can help them. Their
as the DSWD or any current social functioning
livelihood programs and will enhance and improve.
medical services. It offers Their well-being will be
a range of integrated good as well through the
services, including help of the organization
referrals for urgent and particular individuals
medical, legal, and such as social workers,
psychosocial care as well clinicians, and others.
as direct financial and
material assistance.
Jonas stopped studying
due of having seizure
disorder which upsets his
teachers and afraid his
classmates.
- Jonas must be put in Jonas may manage a
contact with the seizure disorder with the
appropriate support, help of his family, friends,
education, and therapy and a social worker, with
options for continued the correct assistance. He
outpatient treatment. will be able to go back to
school, earn a degree, and
- As social workers, we live a much better life
ought to emphasize because of the assistance
education as well. There is and support of these
a variety of epilepsy- people.
related material online.
The majority of it won't,
and not all of it will be
applicable to every person.
We can assist Jonas and
his family in sorting
through it to find the
information they require.

- In addition, we must
acknowledge that Jonas'
family also requires help,
particularly in view of the
fact that Jonas was labeled
as a child who will need
continued care from their
family members through
maturity. Connection to
resources and assistance,
as well as education, are
equally crucial when it
comes to the family.
He stole five lovebirds that - Jonas needs By getting treatment as
all valued 150 each, out of counseling and soon as compulsive
curiosity. cognitive behavioral stealing begins may help
treatment to prevent Jonas to steal
address his again, and through the
irrational curiosity help of therapist/counselor
about specific items he will be able to not do
that can lead him to
 steal them. With this what he did before.
kind of therapy, the
therapist will assist
him in learning to
quit harmful
behaviors and deal
with the thought that
underlies them.

3. How are you going to get the rest of the family involved in his treatment?

Gather the family members, such as his sisters and mother, and if I can reach his
father, I will proceed. Rebuilding trust between Jonas’ family and others who are helping
him recover can take some time. But if trust and communication are restored, there are
many ways that Jonas’s support from friends and family may help him through his
treatment. The supportive but strict caregiver who pushes their loved one to make
deliberate and constructive decisions can be a parent. Individual, group, and family
therapy sessions are a component of behavioral treatments. These may assist Jonas in
tracing the roots of his actions.

4. What would be the nature of your recommendation to the Court? Justify it.

Recommendation:

As a social worker, I recommend to the court that the client seek counseling and
therapy due to the misbehavior he has committed in the past in order to get him
back to normal and to reinforce some of the areas of his wellbeing that have
been indicated in the aforementioned intervention plan.