Early intervention with children and families: a collaborative challenge for social work

Abstract  In this essay, we carry out a self-reflection on the intervention of Social Work in ANIP in families with children exposed to environmental risk factors. We conducted a systematic review of the literature, highlighting (i) the importance of the family-centered approach and its interconnections with the transactional/ecological systems perspectives and (ii) the contribution of the concepts of Enabling/Empowering Families to the paradigm shift and, consequently, the replacement of clinical/welfare models with an intervention in which the family emerges as an active/fundamental element in the processes of change. From the results, we can highlight (i) the challenges for professionals in implementing collaborative practices with families and (ii) the demands of working in an early intervention team, both in terms of knowledge of the theoretical frameworks underlying mediation with families and in terms of training to make decisions based on evidence and the specificities of children/families when faced with concrete circumstances, in order to better respond to their unique needs.

Keywords:  Risk; Children; Early Intervention; Family-centered Support Model; Social Work