Sustainable social networks for mothers in recovery: the mirror families model

Abstract

ABSTRACT As a profession, social work is concerned with the person in the social context; yet, interventions typically involve formal service provision while the informal network is rarely a focal point. This well-established approach has implications across all fields of social work practice, but perhaps nowhere more so than in the alcohol and other drug treatment and child welfare sectors, as both support socially isolated individuals and families. This article discusses the Mirror Families™ pilot, an innovation in practice introduced to assist women exiting residential treatment create a supportive and enduring social network for themselves and their children. Initial findings indicate the program was effective.