Genogram maker / Ecomap maker
Ecomap maker
An ecomap is a diagram of a person or family in the centre and the outside systems around them (school, work, health care, friends, agencies), with lines showing how strong, weak or stressful each connection is. Build one below, or start from an ecomap example or template.
What an ecomap shows
Social worker Ann Hartman introduced the ecomap in 1975 to show a family “in its life space”. The family sits in the centre circle; around it are the systems it depends on or struggles with. The lines between them answer three questions at once:
- How strong is the connection? Line thickness: thick for strong, thin for ordinary, dashed for tenuous.
- Is it a support or a stress? Hatching marks a stressful or conflictual connection.
- Which way does energy flow? Arrows point toward whoever receives time, money, care or attention.
Read the example: grandmother’s childcare is a strong flow into the family, the father’s night-shift job is strong but draining, school is a two-way source of stress, and there is no regular doctor. In one picture you can see both where the family is supported and where it is stretched.
Systems to consider
- Extended family and kin
- School, nursery or college
- Work and income, benefits
- Health care: GP, hospital, mental health services
- Friends and neighbours
- Faith community
- Recreation, sport and clubs
- Social services, courts, probation
- Housing
- Culture and community groups
Pair your ecomap with a genogram of the same family: the genogram explains the history, the ecomap shows today’s support network. For how both fit into an assessment, see genograms in social work.
Frequently asked questions
What is an ecomap?
An ecomap (or eco map) is a diagram of a family or individual in the centre, surrounded by the systems they interact with (school, work, extended family, health care, friends, faith community, agencies), with lines showing the strength and quality of each connection. It was developed by social worker Ann Hartman in 1975.
What do the lines on an ecomap mean?
A thick solid line is a strong connection, a thin line an ordinary one, and a dashed line a tenuous one. Hatched or crossed lines show stressful connections. Arrows show the direction of energy or resources: into the family (support) or out of it (demands).
What is the difference between an ecomap and a genogram?
A genogram maps the family across generations: structure, events, health and relationships inside the family. An ecomap maps the present-day relationships between the family and the outside world. They complement each other and are often done in the same assessment.
What is an ecomap used for?
To assess a client’s support network and stressors at a glance: who and what helps, what drains energy, and where the gaps are. Social workers use it in assessments and care planning, counsellors to explore isolation and resources, nurses to map a patient’s care network, and school staff to understand a student’s world outside the classroom.
How do I create an ecomap?
Put the person or household in the centre circle, add a circle for each outside system that matters (family, friends, work, school, health care, faith, recreation, agencies), then draw a line to each one: thick for strong, dashed for tenuous, hatched for stressful, broken for ended. Add arrows for the direction of energy, short notes, a key and the date. The maker above does the drawing and the key for you.
What is an ecomap in nursing?
In family nursing, an ecomap is part of the family assessment (for example in the Calgary Family Assessment Model). It shows the patient’s formal care (GP, district nurse, home care) and informal care (family, neighbours) and highlights risks such as poor transport or social isolation.
Can I make an ecomap for one person?
Yes. Put the individual’s name in the centre circle instead of the household, and map their personal systems: work, friends, services, hobbies, online communities.