Objective of this Assignment: This assignment offers students the opportunity to research different types of families that they might come across while working in the field working with young children as well as resources that are available to support them.

Instructions: Choose one ‘type’ of family from the list below (this list is not exhaustive and you are welcome to examine one that is not mentioned here).

Suggestions for “types” of families you can focus on:

• Single parents

• Teen parents

• Aboriginal families

• Nuclear families

• Grandparents raising grandchildren

• Sibling families

• Club sandwich and super club sandwich families

• Gay/lesbian families

• Foster families

• Adoptive families

In your paper, please be sure to focus on the following points:

• Include a thorough description of the type of family you have selected to research.

• Determine possible influences the family has on the community.
• Determine possible influences the community has on the family.
• Identify and discuss some specific community organizations/agencies that are currently available to these provide support to families.

• Provide recommendations that would enhance positive interactions with the different support systems, while demonstrating respect for diverse opinions, values and belief systems (i.e., what would make these families feel more comfortable in accessing the support?)

• Provide recommendations or suggestions regarding gaps in community supports. More specifically, is there enough support for that particular “type” of family? If so, why do you think so? If you believe there is not enough support, what do you believe would be a beneficial resource? Describe the details of what you envision.
• End your research paper with a conclusion to sum up the main ideas that you discussed.

Format:

• Communicate clearly and concisely in a typed document. Your paper should be 5-7 pages in length excluding title page and references.
• Analyze, evaluate and apply relevant information from 4 or more credible sources by paraphrasing and selectively incorporating short quotes into your own sentences. Be sure to properly cite all work and ideas that are not your own. Not doing so is considered plagiarism and will result in a zero for this assignment.

• Apply APA style guidelines. All citations need to be included in the list of references, and all references must be used and cited in your paper. The referencing format must follow the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA). An APA tutorial can be reviewed at the following link: http://www.apastyle.org/learn/tutorials/

• Include section headings to indicate and guide the reader through the major sections of your paper and use transition sentences to introduce each section.

• Use 1 inch margins, double spaces, Times New Roman size 12 font.

• Use academic language (no contractions) that is free of grammatical and spelling errors