Responding to an Ethical Dilemma Case Study
Responding to an Ethical Dilemma Case Study
INSTRUCTIONS:
Students are required to demonstrate active participation in this course through participation in class and responding to case studies and questions posted on OWL. Read the following case scenario, answer the questions that will guide you to complete the 8 steps in Ethical Dilemma Decision-Making.
Case Scenario
You are a social worker practicing in a community based family resource agency that provides social work services, social support, parenting programs, parent peer support group programs and day programs for children The agency also provides over night care (also known as respite) for children living with their parents or for children in the care of the local children’s aid society to give respite for birth parents, foster parents and kin families.
You are working with a young mother, Shawna, age 19 and her toddler, William, age 18 months. After meeting with Shawna two times you have gathered information to complete an assessment and you begin to develop a plan for how the agency can help. Shawna tells you that she wants to learn to be a better parent than her parents were to her and so that William will be a happy child. She also talks about feeling stressed and alone. She explains that she cannot rely on her mother for help with looking after William and she has few friends. She asks to be able to use the respite services of your agency and to have William stay overnight two nights a week. You explain to her that the agency’s policy is to keep overnight respite to one time per month. You also explain that frequent use of overnight respite can be detrimental to a young child’s development and needs for continuity of care by his parent. After explaining to Shawna that the agency does not provide respite for families not attending programs at the agency and respite is usually provided once a month, Shawna tells you that she is interested in day programs for William, parenting program for herself, and participation in a mother’s group once a week.
Shawna and William attend the agency programs the next week. Although William’s play program and her mother’s group are scheduled for one day a week, Shawna is at the agency each day being in the playroom. Often, she drops into your office without an appointment for a chat. On a few occasions, you had to end the conversation because you had appointments with other clients.
Later that week, Shawna calls and reports she is experiencing an emergency and she needs to have William stay that night in the respite program. You agree and arrange for overnight care. William seems to do well overnight and Shawna picks him up and attends the mother’s group program the next day. A few days later, Shawna again calls to request respite because she has an emergency. You advise her that it is against agency policy to provide respite more than one time per month. Shawna is upset, asks you why you will not help her and says that you are just like her mother; never able to help. Without your knowledge, Shawna speaks to the social work manager responsible for the respite program and asks for respite for William. The manager approves her request and William stays that night. You are not consulted.
You learn of the situation the next working day and you want to talk to Shawna about concerns that she is overusing the respite program. You call Shawna to arrange a meeting with her for the next time she and William are at the agency. Before you meet with Shawna you meet with your supervisor about the situation and to explore options. You are aware that Shawna has few supports in her life at this time and she may tend to view the agency as her only source of support. Shawna and William arrive for the scheduled appointment. Shawna brings you a small bouquet of flowers and a scented candle.
QUESTIONS
- Identify the ethical issues in this case scenario.
- Identify the personal values that impact this situation.
- Discuss two variables that influence this situation.
- Get feedback from others- discuss this case situation with some of your classmates and identify two points from those discussions.
- Appraise the ethics and values in this situation by identifying what is the top priority and/or which ethic is most important to the situation.
- Develop two alternative solutions to address the ethical issues and outline the pros and cons of each.
RUBRIC
| Question # | Grade value assigned |
| 1 Ethical Issues | 1 |
| 2 Personal Values | 1 |
| 3 Two variables | 1 |
| 4 Feedback & consultation | 2 |
| 5 Priorities | 1 |
| 6 Two alternative solutions | 2 |
| Writing skills and organization of material | 2 |
