October 24, 2013 | Quebec

No One Develops Entirely on Their Own

Family members, loved ones, friends, professionals, and community resources may all be present in the life of someone receiving support through special care counselling.

Together, these people and resources can form a support network.

Understanding this network is important because an intervention does not take place in isolation. The people surrounding a child, adolescent, adult, or older adult may have relevant information, provide different forms of support, or, depending on the situation, participate in the intervention process.

In CDI College's Special Care Counselling – JNC.1U program, students learn to consider the needs of the person, their family, and their support network. The training also explores resources and services that may be available in different situations.

Why is it important to consider not only the person, but also the people and resources around them?

What Is a Support Network?

A support network includes the people and resources that may play a role in a person's life.

Its composition can vary considerably from one situation to another.

For a child, parents or other family members may play an important role. In a school setting, teachers and other professionals may also contribute to the support being provided.

For an adult or older adult, the network may include loved ones, professionals, or community resources.

There is therefore no single model for what a support network should look like.

In the Special Care Counselling – JNC.1U program, the Networks and Services course teaches students to consider the needs of the people receiving support, their families, and their support networks, as well as the available services.

How Can a Support Network Help You Better Understand a Situation?

A Special Care Counsellor observes a person within a particular context.

However, that person may behave differently at home, at school, within a community organization, or in other situations in their daily life.

People who know them in these different contexts may therefore have complementary information.

They may help provide a better understanding of certain habits, the situations in which difficulties arise, or strategies that have already been used.

This does not mean that everyone will necessarily have the same perspective. Different observations may actually contribute to a more complete understanding of the situation.

Sharing information must, of course, take place within the appropriate professional framework, particularly regarding confidentiality.

👉 Learn more: Teamwork in Special Care Counselling: Collaborating to Provide Better Support

Is Family Always Part of the Support Network?

Family can play an important role, particularly for children and adolescents, but every situation is different.

The Special Care Counselling – JNC.1U program addresses collaboration with families in several areas of learning, including those related to the helping relationship.

This collaboration requires consideration of the needs, expectations, and circumstances of the people involved.

The role of a Special Care Counsellor is therefore not simply to give instructions to family members or others in the person's life. It also involves listening, gathering relevant information, and establishing a professional relationship that supports collaboration.

However, depending on the person's age, circumstances, and intervention setting, the family's role may vary.

Why Is It Important to Know What Resources and Services Are Available?

Some needs extend beyond what one person or one setting can provide.

Knowing what resources and services are available then becomes particularly important.

The Networks and Services course in the Special Care Counselling – JNC.1U program introduces students to the mandates of various organizations and settings, available services, community networks, and the process for requesting services.

This knowledge helps place an intervention within a broader system of support.

A Special Care Counsellor is not expected to address every need alone. Understanding the roles of different resources helps identify where interventions fit and how they can work alongside the support provided by others.

Can a Support Network Help Promote Independence?

Supporting someone does not necessarily mean doing things for them.

A support network can help create conditions that allow a person to develop or maintain certain skills and participate more actively in their daily life.

In the Special Care Counselling – JNC.1U program, interventions may focus on developing social, cognitive, psychomotor, and communication skills, as well as self-esteem, responsibility, and problem-solving.

The people around an individual may sometimes help provide continuity for certain strategies or create opportunities to practise these skills in different contexts.

The person's own needs and abilities, however, remain central.

The network is there to provide support, not to remove the person's involvement in decisions and activities that concern them.

Why Is Consistency Among the People Providing Support Important?

When several people are involved in supporting someone, actions that are completely disconnected from one another can make the intervention more difficult to understand.

Collaboration enables the sharing of relevant information and a clearer understanding of the objectives being pursued.

The Special Care Counselling – JNC.1U program prepares students to collaborate with other professionals and participate in the development and implementation of intervention plans.

The intervention plan can therefore serve as a reference point for identifying needs, objectives, and selected strategies.

This does not mean that everyone in the support network has the same role. Consistency instead comes from understanding each person's responsibilities and communicating clearly about the objectives of the intervention.

👉 Learn more: Intervention Plans in Special Care Counselling: Observe, Plan, and Adjust

Can the Support Network Have Needs Too?

Supporting someone can also affect the people around them.

This is why the Special Care Counselling – JNC.1U program does not focus exclusively on the needs of the person receiving support. The Networks and Services course also considers aspects related to the family and support network.

This broader perspective is important.

Understanding the situation as a whole may require considering the resources available to the people around the person, their concerns, and some of the challenges they may be experiencing.

This does not mean that the intervention must address all of these needs. Rather, it helps provide a better understanding of the context in which the person lives and identify resources that may be relevant.

What Happens When a Support Network Is Limited?

Not everyone has the same level of support around them.

Some people may have several family members, friends, and resources they can rely on, while others may have a much smaller network.

This can affect the types of support available in everyday life.

Knowledge of community resources and other services then becomes particularly important. It helps identify forms of support that may be available beyond the person's personal network.

The Special Care Counselling – JNC.1U program introduces students to different settings and resources that people may be able to access.

A support network, therefore, does not necessarily consist only of family members or loved ones.

Why Is It Important to Respect Professional Boundaries?

Collaborating with a support network does not mean that all information can be freely shared.

Special care counselling takes place within a professional framework in which confidentiality, ethics, and the responsibilities of everyone involved need to be respected.

Students in the Special Care Counselling – JNC.1U program explore these dimensions throughout their training.

This distinction is essential: effective collaboration depends on the appropriate sharing of relevant information, not unrestricted disclosure.

Special Care Counsellors therefore need to be able to work with several people while respecting both the person receiving support and the professional framework in which the intervention takes place.

Understanding the Person Within Their Environment

Support networks reflect an important principle of special care counselling: a person cannot always be understood separately from their environment.

Their relationships, family, the professionals supporting them, and the resources they can access may all contribute to a better understanding of their situation.

In CDI College's Special Care Counselling – JNC.1U program, students develop an understanding of networks and services, collaboration with families and professionals, and the needs that may exist around the person.

The objective is not to involve as many people as possible. It is to understand who may have a relevant role, what resources are available, and how different forms of support can work together around the person's needs.

FAQ

1. What is a support network in special care counselling?
A support network can include different people and resources around a person, such as loved ones, professionals, or community organizations. Its composition varies depending on the person's age, needs, environment, and circumstances.

2. Why can family be important in an intervention?
Family members may have information about the person and what they experience in different contexts. Depending on the situation, collaborating with family can improve understanding of the person's needs and support specific intervention objectives.

3. Why do Special Care Counsellors need to know what resources are available?
A person's needs may require support from different resources or services. The Special Care Counselling – JNC.1U program explores the mandates of different organizations and settings, available services, community networks, and the process involved in requesting services.

Explore Further

👉 Special Care Counselling: Understanding the Field and Career Opportunities

👉 Do You Have the Right Profile to Work in Special Care Counselling?

👉 Special Care Counselling and Social Reintegration: Supporting Greater Independence

👉 Learn More About CDI College's Special Care Counselling – JNC.1U Program