1. THE FAMILY AND ITS STRUCTURE
What is a family? A family is
a group of individuals who are
intmately related, living under
the same roof, supporting and
maintaining each other
socially, economically and
emotionally
Within a family there may be
found a conjugal pair,
consisting of a husband and a
wife, and a consanguine family
or blood relatives such as a
mother and her children or a
father and his children.
Members of a family also
share the following
characteristics:
• Common surname
• Resemblance (in most
cases)
• Same religious beliefs (in
most cases)
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2. THE FAMILY TREE

3. HOW A FAMILY BEGINS
Courtship. – This is normally the
first sign that indicates that two
persons are interested in starting a
family. What is courtship?
Courtship is the period in a
couple's relationship which
precedes their engagement and
marriage, or establishment of an
agreed relationship of a more
enduring kind. In courtship, a
couple get to know each other and
decide if there will be an
engagement or other such
agreement.
Courtship may include the couple
going out together in public,
(often known as dating), for a
meal, movie, dance, sports or
other social activity. Courtship
may also involve private
activities which usually include
much talking together, perhaps by
telephone or by electronic means
such as text messages or e-mail.
There is often exchange of letters,
gifts, flowers and songs.
Some other means by which
families begin:
• Arranged marriage – parents
choose partner for child
• Shot-gun marriage – forced to
marry because of pregnancy
• Marriage of convenience –
person marries for wealth,
status, nationality etc.
• Family tradition -
• Elope – two persons run away
to start a family.
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4. WHAT ARE THE FUNCTIONS OF THE FAMILY?
1. To ensure that new babies
actually survive to become
adult members of that society.
2. To regulate sexual activity.
3. To ensure that children are
satisfactorily socialised into the
norms and values of society.
4. To provide economic support
for other family members.
5. To satisfy our emotional
needs for love and security.
6. To provide us with a sense of
place and position in our society
Preparing for Parenthood
• Get a good education/skill to
secure employment.
• Be knowledgeable about
family planning techniques.
• Build emotional strength to
have patience to deal with
difficulty of child rearing.
• Learn child psychology to be
able to cater to the needs of
children at different stages.
• Budget your time to give
quality time for children –
they need love, affection,
attention and socialization.
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5. WHAT ARE THE FUNCTIONS OF THE FAMILY?
• Create a healthy and
peaceful environment for the
child.
• Be healthy, drug-free, and
free from communicable
diseases such as AIDS.
• Study first-aid techniques to
be able to deal with
emergencies as they arise.
• Be knowledgeable about
one’s religion to be able to
pass on these teachings to
offsprings.
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Juvenile Delinquency
Who is a juvenile? A juvenile is
an individual under the age of
18 years. A juvenile delinquent
is an individual under 18 years
who engages in negative
activities. These include:
• Drug abuse
• Stealing
• Robbery with violence
• Use of obscene language
• Gambling
• Defacing school property
• Possession of pornographic
materials
• Sexual permissiveness.
- Since 1960

6. CAUSES AND SOLUTION TO JUVENILE
DELINQUENCY
Many studies have been done to
find out the cause of juvenile
delinquency. Evidences indicate
that this is a reaction to:
1. Growing up in a
dysfunctional family.
2. Feeling unwanted, unloved,
abused and humiliated.
3. Suffering from low self-
esteem.
4. Poor academic performance
5. Living in depressed.
communities and
communities where crime is
prevalent.
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Addressing this social problem
will vary depending on the child
and the situation. Possible
solutions include:
• Counselling and rehabilitation
• An education system that builds
self-esteem and is sensitive to
students with emotional
problems
• Applying moral education and
emotional support to change
destructive behaviour
• Building of communities with
an emphasis on sports and
recreational activities.
- Since 1960

7. TYPES OF FAMILY
 The Marital Nuclear Family
– consisting of mother, father
and children living under the
same roof.
 The Extended Family –
consisting of 2 or more
generations living together
under the same roof.
 The Sibling Household –
both parents are absent so
the eldest brother/sister takes
care of the younger ones.
 Single-parent Family – one
parent living with his/her
child /children.
 Common-law Union –
consisting of unmarried
mother, father, and children
living under the same roof.
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 Visiting Relationship – woman
lives without a permanent
partner; she is visited at
intervals by male which results
in birth of children.
Causes of Single-parent Family
 The death of one partner.
 Divorce
 Legal separation
 A woman bearing a child fro a
male who refuses to marry her,
or whom she refuses to marry
or live with.
 A deliberate choice not to
marry but to adopt
child/children.
- Since 1960

8. MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE
What is marriage? This is the
legal union of a man and a
woman for which a marriage
certificate is obtained.
Annulment of a marriage – the
declaration by a court that a
marriage is invalid.
Divorce – the legal dissolution
of a marriage.
Separation – the situation in
which a husband and wife
mutually agree to live apart or
by an order of the court.
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Reasons for the Failure of
Marriages
 Financial problems – a spouse
may never had a steady income
or may have been retrenched.
 Neglect – a spouse may be
neglected because one or the
other may be too tied up with
household chores or attending
to the demands of children.
 Loneliness – the demand of a
job sometimes result in a
spouse being seldom at home.
 Interference – by in-laws in the
affairs of the couple.
 Infidelity – discovering that
one’s spouse is unfaithful; this
is almost unforgivable.
- Since 1960

9. MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE
 Abuse – mental, physical or
sexual.
 Unrealistic expectation –
some couples feel that the
honeymoon will continue
indefinitely; they are not
prepared to deal with the
challenges and problems of
family life.
 Independence – conflict may
arise when a working woman
demands that she spend her
money as she wishes; some
men feel threatened and
insecure if their wives earn
higher income.
 Youthful marriage – lack
marital skills.
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Grounds for Divorce
 Infidelity
 Abuse
 Separation by consent of both
parties
 Irreconcilable difference
- Since 1960