FAMILIES AND DEINSTITUTIONALIZATION - AN APPLICATION OF BRONFENBRENNERS SOCIAL ECOLOGY MODEL

Bronfenbrenner's social ecology model is applied to families that incl ude a member with a developmental disability who are involved in the p rocess of transition from institution to community. An overview of the model is presented as well as discussion of counselors' use of it in providing services to families in this situation. The social ecology p erspective can be applied to enhance understanding of the families and to provide a framework for structuring family support during the comm unity transition process.