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Ecomap examples

This page shows six ecomaps, for a family, a child in foster care, a teenager referred by her school counselor, an older adult home from the hospital, an adult in recovery from substance use and a family resettled as refugees.

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Updated October 2026Notation follows Hartman, "Diagrammatic assessment of family relationships" (Social Casework, 1978)

Family ecomap with the Delgado household in a box at the center and nine systems around it: Luis's job, Ana's job, grandparents, an elementary school, a preschool, a pediatrician, a church, a soccer club and neighbors. Thick lines join the grandparents, the elementary school and the church, a hatched line labeled Long hours joins Luis's job, and a dashed line joins the neighbors. An ecomap key is on the right.
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Genogram Pro. (2026, October 21). Family ecomap [Diagram]. https://genogrampro.com/ecomap-examples

Family ecomap with the Delgado household in a box at the center and nine systems around it: Luis's job, Ana's job, grandparents, an elementary school, a preschool, a pediatrician, a church, a soccer club and neighbors. Thick lines join the grandparents, the elementary school and the church, a hatched line labeled Long hours joins Luis's job, and a dashed line joins the neighbors. An ecomap key is on the right.

  1. The household at the center

    The whole family is the center, so every line is drawn from the household and not from one person.

  2. Luis's job

    A stressful line with the arrow pointing away from the family, because Luis works long hours and is rarely home.

  3. Grandparents

    A strong line with the arrow pointing in, because the grandparents look after Lucia while her parents work.

  4. Neighbors

    A dashed weak line with no arrow, because the family knows the neighbors only by sight.

Family ecomap

This family ecomap shows Luis and Ana Delgado and their children Sofia, 12, Mateo, 9, and Lucia, 4, with the nine systems around their household. The grandparents, the elementary school and the church are strong ties, and Luis's job is the one stressful tie.

Systems in the family ecomap
SystemLineFlowMeaning
Luis's jobStressfulOutLuis works long hours.
Ana's jobNormalReciprocalAna works regular hours and earns a second income.
GrandparentsStrongInThey look after Lucia four days a week.
Elementary schoolStrongReciprocalSofia and Mateo are doing well, and both parents go to school events.
PreschoolNormalInLucia goes three mornings a week.
PediatricianNormalInThe children have regular checkups.
ChurchStrongReciprocalThe family goes every Sunday, and Ana helps at the food pantry.
Soccer clubNormalOutMateo plays, and the family spends weekends at games.
NeighborsWeakNoneThe family knows them only by sight.

Ecomap for a child in foster care

This ecomap shows Jayden, 9, who has lived with his foster parents since 2025 and sees his birth mom at supervised visits. He has strong ties to his foster parents, Grandma Rose, a CASA volunteer and his therapist, and a stressful one to school after two moves this year.

Ecomap for a child in foster care, with Jayden, 9, at the center and eight systems around him: foster parents, his birth mom, Grandma Rose, a caseworker, a CASA volunteer, school, a therapist and a soccer team. Thick lines with arrows pointing to Jayden join his foster parents, Grandma Rose, the CASA volunteer and the therapist, a dashed line labeled Supervised visits joins his birth mom, and a hatched line labeled Two moves joins school. An ecomap key is on the right.

  1. Birth mom

    A weak line with arrows both ways, because contact with his birth mom is limited to supervised visits.

  2. School

    A stressful line with arrows both ways, because Jayden has changed schools twice this year.

  3. CASA volunteer

    A strong line with the arrow pointing in, because the court-appointed advocate is one of the steadiest adults in his life.

Systems in the ecomap for a child in foster care
SystemLineFlowMeaning
Foster parentsStrongInJayden has lived with them since 2025.
Birth momWeakReciprocalThey see each other at supervised visits twice a month.
Grandma RoseStrongInShe calls him every week.
CaseworkerNormalInShe makes monthly home visits and reports to the court.
CASA volunteerStrongInA court-appointed advocate visits him every week.
SchoolStressfulReciprocalHe has moved schools twice this year and is behind in reading.
TherapistStrongInHe has had weekly sessions since he entered care.
Soccer teamNormalReciprocalHe plays every Saturday.
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Genogram Pro. (2026, October 21). Ecomap for a child in foster care [Diagram]. https://genogrampro.com/ecomap-examples

Ecomap for a teenager referred by her school counselor

This ecomap shows Chloe, 15, after her school counselor referred her for therapy over falling grades and late nights online. The swim team and the counselor are her strong ties, and her mom and stepdad, her classes and social media are stressful.

Ecomap for a teenager, with Chloe, 15, at the center and eight systems around her: her mom and stepdad, her dad, a school counselor, classes, friends, social media, a therapist and a swim team. Thick lines join the school counselor and the swim team, hatched lines join her mom and stepdad, her classes and social media, and dashed lines join her dad and her friends. An ecomap key is on the right.

  1. School counselor

    A strong line with the arrow pointing in, because the counselor noticed that Chloe was struggling and made the referral.

  2. Social media

    A stressful line with the arrow pointing away, because Chloe puts hours into it every night.

  3. Swim team

    A strong line with arrows both ways, because practice is the one place where she still feels good.

Systems in the ecomap for a teenager referred by her school counselor
SystemLineFlowMeaning
Mom and stepdadStressfulReciprocalThey argue with Chloe every day about grades and curfew.
DadWeakInHe moved to another state and calls now and then.
School counselorStrongInShe made the referral and checks in every week.
ClassesStressfulOutHer grades have dropped since spring.
FriendsWeakReciprocalShe has drifted away from her old friends.
Social mediaStressfulOutShe is online until late most nights.
TherapistNormalInHer intake appointment is booked.
Swim teamStrongReciprocalShe practices four days a week and likes her coach.
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Cite this diagram

Genogram Pro. (2026, October 21). Ecomap for a teenager referred by her school counselor [Diagram]. https://genogrampro.com/ecomap-examples

Ecomap for an older adult after hospital discharge

This ecomap shows Walter, 81, at home after a hospital stay for a fall, with most of his support from his daughter Karen, a home health nurse and his neighbor Joan. His son lives abroad and he has stopped going to the senior center, so both of those ties are weak, and his one stressful tie is to his insurance, over a disputed claim.

Ecomap for an older adult after hospital discharge, with Walter, 81, at the center and nine systems around him: his daughter Karen, his son Paul, a home health nurse, a primary care doctor, Meals on Wheels, his neighbor Joan, a senior center, insurance and a church. Thick lines with arrows pointing to Walter join Karen, the nurse and Joan, dashed lines join Paul and the senior center, and a hatched line labeled Claim dispute joins insurance. An ecomap key is on the right.

  1. Daughter Karen

    A strong line with the arrow pointing in, because Karen has visited every day since Walter came home.

  2. Senior center

    A weak line with arrows both ways, because Walter has not been back since his fall.

  3. Insurance

    A stressful line with the arrow pointing away, because Walter spends hours on the phone about a disputed claim.

Systems in the ecomap for an older adult after hospital discharge
SystemLineFlowMeaning
Home health nurseStrongInShe visits three times a week to check his wound and blood pressure.
Daughter KarenStrongInShe visits every day and manages his medications.
Son PaulWeakNoneHe lives abroad and rarely calls.
Primary care doctorNormalInA follow-up visit is booked for next month.
Meals on WheelsNormalInA hot lunch is delivered on weekdays.
Neighbor JoanStrongInShe checks in on him every morning.
Senior centerWeakReciprocalHe has not gone since his fall.
InsuranceStressfulOutA claim for his hospital stay is in dispute.
ChurchNormalReciprocalHe watches the service online, and members visit him on Sundays.
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Cite this diagram

Genogram Pro. (2026, October 21). Ecomap for an older adult after hospital discharge [Diagram]. https://genogrampro.com/ecomap-examples

Ecomap for substance use recovery

This ecomap shows Marcus, 34, eight months into recovery, with an outpatient program, a sponsor, recovery meetings and his daughter as his strong ties. The stressful ties are to old friends who still use, to probation and to his ex-partner, with whom he is negotiating custody.

Ecomap for substance use recovery, with Marcus, 34, at the center and eight systems around him: an outpatient program, a sponsor, recovery meetings, old friends, his employer, probation, his daughter and his ex-partner. Thick lines join the outpatient program, the sponsor, the recovery meetings and his daughter, and hatched lines join his old friends, probation and his ex-partner. An ecomap key is on the right.

  1. Sponsor

    A strong line with the arrow pointing in, because Marcus talks to his sponsor most days.

  2. Old friends

    A stressful line with the arrow pointing away, because Marcus has to work at keeping away from friends who still use.

  3. Daughter

    A strong line with arrows both ways, because Marcus and his daughter see each other every weekend again.

Systems in the ecomap for substance use recovery
SystemLineFlowMeaning
Outpatient programStrongInHe has group and individual sessions three days a week.
SponsorStrongInThey talk most days.
Recovery meetingsStrongReciprocalHe goes four times a week and now chairs one.
Old friendsStressfulOutThey still use, so he keeps away from them.
EmployerNormalReciprocalHe is back at work after a leave.
ProbationStressfulOutHe has monthly check-ins and drug tests.
DaughterStrongReciprocalHer weekend visits started again in June.
Ex-partnerStressfulReciprocalTheir custody talks are tense.
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Cite this diagram

Genogram Pro. (2026, October 21). Ecomap for substance use recovery [Diagram]. https://genogrampro.com/ecomap-examples

Ecomap for a refugee family

This ecomap shows the Darwish household in its first year after resettlement in 2025. The resettlement agency, the mosque and the relatives abroad are strong ties, and the warehouse job and the landlord, who is owed two months of rent, are stressful.

Ecomap for a refugee family, with the Darwish household in a box at the center and nine systems around it: a resettlement agency, English classes, the children's school, a clinic, a mosque, relatives abroad, a warehouse job, a landlord and neighbors. Thick lines join the agency, the mosque and the relatives abroad, hatched lines join the warehouse job and the landlord, and dashed lines join the clinic and the neighbors. An ecomap key is on the right.

  1. Resettlement agency

    A strong line with the arrow pointing in, because the family relies on the agency for almost everything in its first year.

  2. Relatives abroad

    A strong line with arrows both ways, because the family keeps in touch through video calls.

  3. Landlord

    A stressful line with the arrow pointing away, because rent arrears are the most urgent problem the family has.

Systems in the ecomap for a refugee family
SystemLineFlowMeaning
Resettlement agencyStrongInA caseworker helps with housing, benefits and paperwork.
English classesNormalOutBoth parents go to evening classes.
Children's schoolNormalReciprocalThe children are settling in, and the parents need an interpreter at meetings.
ClinicWeakInThe family waits weeks for appointments.
MosqueStrongReciprocalThe family goes every Friday and has made friends there.
Relatives abroadStrongReciprocalThey talk on video calls several times a week.
Warehouse jobStressfulOutThe father works night shifts at a warehouse.
LandlordStressfulOutThe family is two months behind on rent.
NeighborsWeakNoneThe family has not met most of them yet.
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Cite this diagram

Genogram Pro. (2026, October 21). Ecomap for a refugee family [Diagram]. https://genogrampro.com/ecomap-examples

Read an ecomap line by line

Every line joins the center to one system and is drawn in Hartman's notation, with the line type for the quality of the tie and the arrows for the direction of energy.

  • Strong

    A strong, supportive tie.

  • Normal

    An ordinary tie.

  • Weak

    A weak or occasional tie.

  • Stressful

    A stressful or conflicted tie.

A tie that is close and tense

Common mistake
Correct

A teenager who is close to her mom but argues with her every day has one tie with two qualities. A strong line beside a stressful one looks like two separate ties, so draw one line for the main quality and write the other in a short label, such as Still close.

Questions people ask

Can you provide an example of an ecomap?

Yes, the family ecomap at the top of this page shows the Delgado household with nine systems around it, including strong ties to the grandparents, the elementary school and the church, a stressful tie to Luis's job and a weak tie to the neighbors.

How do you create a family ecomap?

Put the household at the center, then add a circle for each system the family deals with as a whole, such as work, school, health care, church and extended family. Join each circle to the center with a strong, normal, weak or stressful line, and add arrows for the direction of energy, as in the Delgado ecomap.

How do you draw an ecomap for social work?

Put the client or household at the center and add the systems from your intake, such as family, school, health care, social services and work. Choose each line's type from what the client tells you, and add arrows for whether support comes in or energy goes out. Write details such as supervised visits or a claim dispute as short labels, and export the map with its key for the case file.

How to make an ecomap
Can I use these examples for an assignment?

Yes, you can open any example in the free ecomap maker, change the names and systems to fit your case and export it as a PNG or PDF with a small Genogram Pro badge. To use an image as it is, copy its APA, MLA or Harvard citation from the panel next to the example.

What is an ecomap in social work?

An ecomap is a diagram that social workers draw of a client or family and the systems around them, such as school, health care and social services, with a line for how strong or stressful each tie is. Ann Hartman designed it for child welfare work in the 1970s.

What an ecomap is

Start your ecomap from this example

Open it in the free ecomap maker, swap in your own people and systems, and export it as a PNG or PDF.

Open this example in the ecomap maker