Read the case CAREFULLY: Identify the ethical dilemma (e.g., what are the choices faced by the social worker?).
2. Go the NASW Code of Ethics and read carefully the descriptions of each of the following standards:
Social workers’ ethical responsibility to clients Commitment to clients (1.01)
Self-determination (1.02)
Informed consent (1.03)
Competence (1.04)
Cultural competence and social diversity (1.05) Conflicts of interest (1.06)
Privacy and confidentiality (1.07)
Clients who lack decision-making capacity (1.14) Consultation (2.05)
3. Choose THREE (3) standards that you think are most relevant to the ethical dilemma case.
4. Discuss/explain thoroughly how and why you think each standard is applicable to the case.
5. Address the degree to which there may be conflict between standards and or parts of standards.
6. Rank in order the NASW standards in terms of their ethical relevance to the case.
7. Identify personal values that may be relevant to the case, and explain how these values influence your thinking about the case
8. Identify and discuss any potential conflict or discrepancy between your personal values and the professional values from the Code of Ethics discussed in #3 and #4.
9. To what degree do your personal values conflict with or shape your interpretation of the professional values as applied to the case? Consider how you will “recognize and manage personal values in a way that allows professional values to guide social work practice.”
10. Based on your rank ordering of professional values (above) and relevance of personal values, identify the next steps you would take to resolve this ethical dilemma.
references must only be scholarly references
dilemma :
Ethical Dilemma Case #2
Self Determination or Child Safety?
Maria (aged 30), who has 4 children, suffers from domestic violence. She had contemplated divorcing her husband but never did. As a result of this domestic violence, Maria became depressed and had attempted suicide several times since last year. She also told her children she wanted to die with them as she did not want to leave them behind. Sara (age 9), her eldest child, shared this in confidence with her school counselor. Maria was referred to the Department of Children and Families (DCF) and soon after she was Baker Acted into an inpatient psychiatric hospital. The children were subsequently placed in foster care.
Following Maria’s discharge, the children were returned to her care at the family’s request. DCF shared with Maria their concerns and explored safety plans for the children. Maria proposed that she move out of the house with the children as she had already made up her mind to divorce her spouse.
Furthermore, Maria also agreed to continue with treatment for her depression. Three months after the children’s return, Sara shared with the school counselor more information and pleaded with the counselor not to tell her Child Protection Officer (CPO) or her mother what she had shared because the mother had warned her that the CPO would place her and her siblings in foster care again if they are aware of the information.
The school counselor shared the information with CPO in confidence after she explained to Sara that she had to inform CPO so that they can get help for her mother, Maria. When CPO spoke with Maria about her bringing the children to meet their father, she denied. She demanded to know the source of CPO’s information and alleged that someone is “making up stories to destroy my family”. She accused CPO of not trusting her and being concerned only for the children. She also demanded that CPO close her case and leave her family alone as they had been doing fine the past 3 months.
