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Client characteristics of the Family Service Centres of Greater Vancouver

University of British Columbia

The Family Service Centres of Greater Vancouver Area is composed of a Main and branch offices. At this time, the Agency is asking whether the service delivery patterns in the Main and branch offices match the characteristics of their respective clients. As a result, this study was undertaken with the following general hypotheses: that there are significant differences between the Main Office, North Shore and Burnaby branches of the Family Service Centres of Greater Vancouver in the characteristics of those requesting service, the nature of their request and the type of approach to the Agency. A cross-sectional survey was made of all persons approaching the Main, Burnaby and North Shore offices during a four week period in October/November, 1967. A data schedule was used by intake personnel to secure information on the total of 411 approaches. Information regarding four variables was sought—socioeconomic status, family life stage, request for service, and type of approach. The Blishen Occupational Class Scale and the Duvall Family Life Stages were used as models. A computer was used in analysing the data. The findings revealed that there were some differences between the three offices in the four variables tested, and that the differences were most marked in socioeconomic class. The general hypothesis was therefore accepted. Further, it was found that generally, the clients came from the lower socioeconomic classes, and that they were child rearing families. Strikingly few aged persons approached the Agency for service. Information/referral was the most requested service in the total sample, and self-referral was found to be the most common type of approach. It is concluded that the Agency should consider varying the service delivery patterns to meet the unique constellation of needs of the clients approaching each office. There are implications also for a general evaluation of services in relation to client characteristics as well as for further research.

Text

2011-07-26

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http://hdl.handle.net/2429/36334

Social Work

University of British Columbia

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