Free genogram template

Genogram and Eco-Map Template

The family inside, the outside systems around it, and the quality of each connection.

Updated October 2026 · PDF, PowerPoint, PNG and SVG · no sign-up

Quick answer

A genogram and eco-map template puts the household’s genogram in a central circle and surrounds it with outside systems such as extended family, school, work, health care, faith community and friends. Connection lines show whether each tie is strong, tenuous or stressful, with arrows for the direction of energy or resources. It combines family structure with the support around it.

Open in GenogramAI (free) Download blank PDF

Download the genogram and eco-map template

Free files, no sign-up or email. Print the blank, edit the PowerPoint, or reuse the example image with a credit to genogramai.com.

When to use a genogram and eco-map template

Use the combined template when an assessment needs both who is in the family and how the family connects to the world around it. The genogram in the centre shows the household’s structure; the eco-map around it, first described by Ann Hartman in 1978, shows the systems the family deals with: school, work, health care, faith community, friends, extended family. Social workers often draw both at intake because supports and stressors outside the home drive many of the decisions they make.

Each connection line records quality as well as existence: a thick solid line for a strong, supportive tie, a dashed line for a tenuous one, and a hatched line for a stressful one, with arrows showing whether energy and resources flow towards the family or away from it. Add or rename the outer circles to fit the family; child services, courts, benefits offices and treatment providers are common additions.

For a standalone eco-map, see the Eco-Map Template. For a deeper explanation of when to use each tool, see Eco-Map and Genogram. If the focus is one child’s placement, the Child Welfare Genogram Template is more specific.

The blank template and a filled-in example

Left: the blank printable. Right: the same template filled in for a fictional family in GenogramAI.

Blank genogram and eco-map template: A household genogram (two parents and two children) inside a central circle, with six outer system circles (extended family, school, work, health care, faith community, friends) linked to it by connection lines. A key with strong (thick solid), tenuous (dashed) and stressful (hatched) lines, and arrows for the direction of energy or resources. — Blank: A household genogram (two parents and two children) inside a central circle, with six outer system circles (extended family, school, work, health care, faith community, friends) linked to it by connection lines. A key with strong (thick solid), tenuous (dashed) and stressful (hatched) lines, and arrows for the direction of energy or resources.

Genogram and Eco-Map Template filled in: Genogram with Eco-Map Example: Family and Outside Systems drawn in GenogramAI with a genogram key — Filled in: The completed example is a fictional household whose genogram also shows the outside systems around it, such as school, an employer, health care, a faith community and child services, with connections drawn as supportive, tenuous or stressful. Read the full example

Open this example in GenogramAI to start from the finished layout: it copies into your account (the Free plan holds 2 genograms) and every person, line and condition stays editable.

How to fill in a genogram and eco-map template

1
Draw the household genogram
Place the people who live together inside the central circle with their partner and child lines.
2
Name the outside systems
Label the outer circles with the systems that matter to this family; add or remove circles as needed.
3
Draw each connection
Link each system to the household or to one person, choosing strong, tenuous or stressful lines.
4
Add direction and notes
Add arrows for the flow of energy or resources and note what each connection involves.

Symbols this template uses

Drawn the way GenogramAI draws them. Every other symbol is in the genogram symbols guide and the genogram key.

Symbol	What it means
Central circle	The household, with its genogram drawn inside.
Outer circles	Outside systems: extended family, school, work, health care, faith community, friends, and any others relevant to the family.
Thick solid line	A strong, supportive connection.
Dashed line	A tenuous or weak connection.
Hatched line	A stressful or conflicted connection.
Arrow on a line	Direction of energy or resources: towards the family, away from it, or both.
Institution box	In GenogramAI, a service or institution linked to one person, with dates.

Common mistakes to avoid

Drawing systems without showing the quality of each connection. The line type carries the assessment.
Linking every system to the household circle. Link to the individual member when only one person is involved, such as a child’s school.
Listing only problems. Strong supports are as important to record as stressors.
Forgetting arrows. Whether resources flow in or out often explains why a family is depleted.

Who uses this template?

Social workers, child welfare caseworkers, family therapists, community and home health nurses, and BSW/MSW students learning assessment tools.

Common uses

Intake assessments in social work and community health
Child and family assessments that require both tools
Planning supports and referrals
Discharge planning in hospitals
Teaching assessment tools in social work programs

What the template covers

Household genogram in a central circle
Six labelled outer system circles
Key with strong, tenuous and stressful lines and arrows
Notes lines for supports and stressors
Editable PowerPoint and SVG versions

What is free?

Free and paid, plainly

All five files on this page (blank PDF, PowerPoint, SVG, example PDF and PNG) are free to download and use, with no sign-up. In GenogramAI, the Free plan includes 2 genograms, 5 AI credits a month, all 64 relationship types, medical shading and PNG export, with no card. PDF, SVG and GEDCOM export, file import and photo import are on paid plans; Professional is $12/month.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a genogram and an eco-map?

A genogram maps family members and relationships across generations. An eco-map maps a family’s connections to outside systems such as school, work and services. The combined template shows both: the family inside, the systems around it.

What do the lines on an eco-map mean?

A thick solid line is a strong connection, a dashed line is tenuous, and a hatched line is stressful. Arrows show whether energy and resources flow towards or away from the family.

Who created the eco-map?

Ann Hartman, a social work educator, described the eco-map in 1978 in "Diagrammatic assessment of family relationships", published in Social Casework.

Can I make an eco-map in GenogramAI?

Yes. GenogramAI has a separate eco-map editor, and a genogram can also show institutions linked to individual people. Open the completed example to start from a combined chart.