This can be particularly helpful for safety planning using the family network, including Family Group Conferences or exploring Life Long Links. (2012) indicated that whilst not used in a high number of cases, those workers who co-created a handwritten genogram with a family (in contrast to the worker completing the system genogram) would include more extensive wider family members. I would take either a big sheet of paper or lots of pieces I could later join together, some coloured pens and draw a genogram and key, focused on the unique dynamics of the family.Ī study by Laird et al. I quickly fell in love with the concept – more than just asking and drawing who was in the family, but exploring the relationships, family scripts and social GGRRAAACCEEESSS within the family network. Prior to this, I had used the genogram/family tree function on the local authorities recording system, but other than using and adding to this to understand who (to our knowledge) was in the biological family, I had not used it as a tool for direct or relational work with families.Ī genogram is a visual tool that shows a family tree and is used to give a pictorial representation of a family system.

Author: Hannah Scott When I was two years into my social work practice, I was introduced to the cultural genogram through systemic training.

Genogram symbol key for sickness