The University of Texas at Arlington

Joan Blakey, PhD

Assistant Professor
Social Work-Children and Families
School of Social Work, University of Texas Arlington

UT Arlington Faculty

Dr. Joan Blakey received a Ph.D. in Social Work from the University of Chicago in August 2010. She received her Master of Social Work degree in 1999 and Bachelor of Science degree in 1995 from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. Dr. Blakey’s research interests focus on the intersection of trauma, substance abuse and child welfare. Dr. Blakey’s dissertation looked at the factors that contribute to African American women regaining or permanently losing custody of their children. She found that all the women who participated in her study had histories of trauma and that the women’s histories of trauma interfered with their ability to accept help and build trusting, meaningful relationships with professionals. Dr. Blakey has 20 years experience working with children and families. The majority of her experience has been working with families that are involved with the child protection system.

Service Learning Class

SOCW 6324: Direct Practice with Children and Families

This second year required course for family and children focuses on direct social work practice with children and their families. The rationale for the course is that in many settings, social workers often are the first, and sometimes the only, helping professionals available to provide services to troubled and troubling children. Social workers, therefore, need a core base of assessment and intervention skills to work effectively with a variety of problems that children, parent(s) and family members commonly encounter.

Academic Outcomes

• Demonstrate knowledge and skill in direct practice with an area of specialization: child and family services.
• Complete multidimensional, biopsychosocial assessments with client systems and groups in their area of specialization, taking into account client strengths, diversity and social justice.
• Develop and apply appropriate, evidence-informed, empowerment-based intervention plans within their area of specialization.
• Critically analyze theoretical models of micro practice to challenge societal oppression and discrimination, as well as for decision-making in practice.
• Demonstrate an understanding of race, gender, sexual orientation, ability, culture, and other client characteristics, in conducting culturally sensitive, competent, and ethical social work practice.
• Demonstrate the ability to evaluate practice activities by use of outcome and process techniques, using the results to modify practice.

Service Learning Project

Understanding the Impact of Trauma on Children and Families
Goal: Increase awareness of the effects of trauma

1. For students to understand the myriads ways trauma can impact individuals and families.
2. To understand the ways trauma can interfere with the helping process.
3. To explore/find ways to serve victims of trauma in ways that doesn’t exacerbate their effects.

Description of the Service Learning Project:

1. Masters students in this class will interview a family that has been impacted by trauma (domestic violence, rape, childhood physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect/abandonment, forced prostitution, war, robbery, severe car accident, natural catastrophe). These interviews will ask families about what happened to them, how it has impacted their families, what if any services they have utilized to deal with the problem and what if anything was helpful and not helpful about the services.
2. Write up these families stories. They will submit the interview as part of their assignment.
3. As a group, we will find commonalities in their stories and develop a curriculum that can help other survivors.
4. The model for helping trauma survivors will be developed over time. The students will identify the different components that need to be a part of the model based on their interviews with families.

Product/Result: (Grant/Brochure/Celebration/Student Reflection/etc.)

1. Develop a model that will help other trauma survivors.
2. Create a pamphlet that we could leave in public places that would let trauma survivors of the places on campus that they could go for help.