RunningHead:ETHICALDILEMMAPAPER

EthicalDilemmaCaseStudyPaper
AaliyahHoliday
UniversityofNorthTexas

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TheDilemma
Withinthesocialworkprofession,therewillbetimeswhenanethicaldilemmawill
occur.Anethicaldilemmainsocialworkisdefineasacircumstancewhichoccursonlywhen
twoormoresocialworkvaluesareinconflict(Murphy,1997).Itisourjob,associalworkers,
tohandlethedilemmainaprofessionalandwisemanner.Thebestwaytodothisistofollowthe
stepbystepprocess.Inthebeginningtotheend,itisimportanttokeeptheclientsneedsfirst.
Intheethicaldilemmacasescenarionumberone,ayoungtwoyearchildnamedKendra
hasbeenabandonedbyherdrugaddictedmother.Afterseveralcontactsandnoresponsefrom
themother,KendraisplacedinthefosterhomeoftheDoefamily.TheDoesincludeMr.and
Mrs.Doeandtheir24yearoldson,Tony,whohasschizophreniaanddesperatelywantstolive
onhisown.Hisparentsdonotbelievethatisthebestsolutionforhim.Kendraisadjustingvery
welltotheDoefamily,andMr.andMrs.Doewouldliketogothroughtheprocessofadopting
Kendra.AlliswelluntilTonyconfessestosexuallyabusingKendra.TheDoesclaimthatTony
islyingsohecanbekickedoutofthehousetobeabletoliveonhisown.Aninvestigationis
writtenup,andKendraisplacedtemporarilyinanotherfosterhome.Duringthemedicalexam,it
seemsthatKendrashowsnoclearsignsofbeingsexuallyabusedbyTony.Sincethe
investigation,Mr.andMrs.Doehasplacedtheirsoninalivingfacilityoutsideofthehousetobe
independentasTonyhasdesired.TheDoesstillwanttoadoptKendraandofferherapermanent
placement.
TheethicaldilemmaforthiscaseisPermanencyversusPhysicalSafety.Thedecisionis
whetheryoungKendrashouldstaywiththeDoefamilydespitetheallegedsexualabuse

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confessionfromTonyorifKendrashouldgobackintoanotherfostercaresystemtofindanother
familytobeadoptedby.
ThemostimportantpartytothinkaboutisKendra.SinceKendraissoyoung,sheneeds
tobetakencareofbyatrustworthyperson.Thechildprotectiveservicesagencywerenotableto
getincontactwithKendrasmother,anditcanbeassumedbyheractionsthatthemotherdoes
notwanttakecareofKendraanymore.TheDoeFamilyisanotherimportantpartyinthiscase
dilemma.TheyarealovingfamilywhohavecometoloveKendrawhilecaringforherasa
fosterfamilyuntilTonyinterruptstheprocessofadoptiondietohisconfession.
InordertoeffectivelyhelpKendra,acarefulanalysismustbeusedalongwiththeuseof
ethicalvaluesandethics.Additionally,asasocialworker,wehavetobeawareofanynegative
orpositiveinfluencethiscausesontheclientandtakeitintocarefulconsideration.

PositionOne
ItisunclearhowlongKendrahasbeenwiththeDoefamilysinceKendrasmother
abandonedher.ItcanbeassumedthatithasbeenseveralmonthsbecausetheDoeshavegrowna
deepinfatuationwithyoungKendra.Mr.andMrs.Doeshouldreceivepermanentadoptionof
Kendrabecauseoftheriskofnotfindinganothergoodhome,Kendrasyoungage,andto
maintainstability.Despitemanydifferencesofopinion,agreementexistsregardingthegoalof
furtheringthebestinterestsofthechildandtheimportanceoffamilyinsociety.Familiesshould
besupported,childrenshouldonlyberemovedasalastresortandreturnedtotheirfamilies
(Mosek,2004,323343).Withinthefostercaresystem,itisundeterminedhowlongachildwaits
tobeadoptedbyasuitablefamily.Timecanvaryanywherefromafewmonthstofiveyearsor

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moredependingonthecircumstances(EnlightenMe,2015).Kendramaybewaitingmostof
herlifeforaidealperfectfamilyforfitherchildhoodneeds.
AccordingtotheTexasDepartmentofFamilyandProtectiveServicesHandbook,an
intakecannotbetakenunlessthechildorchildrenatriskofsexualabusecanbeidentified.The
factorstoconsiderforsexualabuseisthechildsage,whomadethereport,childsattitudeinthe
presenceoftheperpetrator,perpetratorshistoryofsexualabuse,etc(DFPSHandbookSection
42304231,2008).Ifthereisnotenoughsufficientevidenceofsexualabuserelatedtothevictim,
theinvestigationisdroppedandthechildremainsinthehousehold.Tonyhasgivenacaseof
sexualabusetoKendra,buttherewasnotanyphysicalevidenceordamagetoKendrasbody
fromthemedicalexamination.Asstatedearlier,Tonysuffersfromschizophreniaandismentally
disabled.Someofthecognitivesymptomsofschizophreniaincludespoorexecutive
functioning,unabletopayattention,makingthingsup,delusions,andmemoryloss(WebMD,
2006).Withthesesymptomsintoconsideration,Tonycouldhavefalselyconfessthestoryof
sexualabuseinordertobeputofthehouse.Afterthisinvestigationwassetup,theDoesdid
moveTonyoutofthehouseinordertosavetheirchancesofadoptingKendra.SinceTonywill
belivinginthesamehouse,Kendrashouldstillinagreatsafetyafterthefalsesexualabuse
report.
DuetoKendrasyoungage,shehashadalimitedmemoryandexperienceofbeingcared
byaproperguardian.AccordingtoChildDevelopmentTracker,bytheageoftwo,toddlers
starttoextendtrustingrelationshipstootheradultsandstarttoshowpreferencesfortheseadults.
ShehaslivedgoodlifewiththeDoesuptothispoint.IfKendraisremovedfromtheDoes
household,shewillbestrippedawayfromtheonlyhomeshehaseverknown.Shewouldhaveto

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constantlystartoverinordertoadjusttonewenvironmentandnewpeopleinanotherfoster
home.

PositionTwo
Theothersideofthisethicaldilemmaisphysicalsafety.IntheDFPSHandbookSection
1931.5(2008),physicalsafetyisdefineastheextenttowhichthelivingenvironmentcreates
theconditionforthreatsorharmtothechild.Thefamily,house,andsocialsettingmustan
overallsafeenvironmentforthefosterchildthroughtheirlifeforpotentialadoption.Thisalso
appliestobirthchildreninthefamily.
Asafosterchild,mostkidsenterthefostercarewithtraumaticeventssuchasabuseor
abandonment.YoungKendraisdealingwithabandonmentfromnotonlyhermother,butalso
fromtheoriginalcaregiverKendrasmotherleftherwith.Birthtotheageoftwoarethecritical
yearsoflifeforachildbecausetheygothroughparentattachment.LauraKerrdevelopedthe
attachmenttheory.Theattachmenttheoryhasbecomeanincreasinglypopularframeworkfor
understandingthedifficultiesexperiencedbyfosteredandadoptedchildren.Itproposesthat
infantsandtoddlersrequirearelationshipwithanemotionallysensitivecaregiverwhoprovides
consistent,predictable,andattunedcarethroughouttheirearlyyears(Kerr,2014,p.427).
IntheDFPSHandbookSection2100,sexualabuseischaracterizedassexualconduct
harmfultoachildsmental,emotional,orphysicalwelfare,includingconductthatconstitutesthe
offenseofcontinuoussexualabuseofyoungchildorchildren,failuretopreventsexualharm,
encourageachildinsexualbehavioprs,orchildpornograghy.Throughtherewasnotany
physicalbruisesandmarksthatindicatedsexualabuse,wedonotknowthementaland

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emotionalabuseKendramayhaveexperiencedfromtheallegedattack.Also,Tonysmental
healthconditionscangreatlyaffectKendraifsheweretobeadoptedbythefamily.Inthefuture,
TonymaybeawareofhisactionsorthoughtsandmayinflictharmontoKendra.Thereisalways
apossibilityofharmwhentakingcareofsomeonewithschizophrenia.

NASWCodeofEthics
ThereareafewregulationsfromtheNASWCodeofEthicsthatcanbeappliedtothis
ethicaldilemma.Someethicalstandardsincludethefollowing:1.01Commitmenttoclients
statesthatsocialworkersprimaryresponsibilityistopromotethewellbeingofclients.Our
clientinthiscaseisKendra,sosheisthemainfocusinordertopromotewellbeingforher.1.06
ConflictofIntereststatesthatSocialworkersshouldinformclientswhenarealorpotential
conflictofinterestarises,andtakereasonablestepstoresolvetheissueinamannerthatmakes
theclientsinterestprimaryandprotectclientsinteresttothegreatestpossibleextentSincea
conflictofinteresthasariseinthiscase,asocialworkerhasaresponsibilitytotheclienttogo
throughthenecessarystepsprocessinordertoresolvetheconflict.1.14ClientsWhoLack
DecisionMakingCapacitystatesthatwhensocialworkersactonbehalfofclientswholackthe
capacitytomakeinformeddecisions,socialworkersshouldtakereasonablestepstosafeguard
theinterestsandrightsofthoseclients.AlthoughKendraisatatalkingstageattheageoftwo,
sheneitherdoeshavetheabilitytounderstandtheethicaldilemmasheisinnorcanshemakean
informeddecisionbasedonthefacts.Asasocialworker,wehavetotrytomakethebest
decisionforher.2.05(a)Consultationstatesthatsocialworkersshouldseektheadviceand
counselofcolleagueswheneversuchconsultationisinthebestinterestsoftheclient.Whenthe

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confessionofsexualabusecameaboutfromTony,thesocialworkerhadtoconductafull
investigation.ThisincludeshavingdoctorsexamineKendraforanyphysicalsignsofsexual
abuse.ThesocialworkerhastogotothefullextenttoseeofanyharmwasdonetoKendra.

Reasoning,Rationale,andResolution
Usingtheethicaldecisionframework,Iwasabletoidentifytheethicalissuesandwhoit
allaffected.Thenfollowedupbydecidingwhatweretheviablecoursesofactionandthe
potentialbenefitsandrisksofeachactionfortheclient.Consultingwithacolleagueisthenext
step,andlastlyoncethedecisionhasbemade,documentationisrequiredinordertokeepinthe
fileoftheclientforfuturereferences.
BasedontheresearchofthetopicandtheNASWCodeofEthics,theconclusioncameto
bethatKendrashouldstaywiththeDoefamily,andtheDoefamilyshouldbeabletocontinue
theprocessofpermanencyforKendra.ThesexualabuseruleintheTexasDepartmentofFamily
andProtectiveServicesstatesthatwhenthereisntenoughevidencegatheredagainstthe
accused,thecaseisdroppedandthechildremainswiththefamily.Itwouldbeunnecessaryto
removeKendrafromtheDoehouseholdandmakeKendragothroughtheunbearableprocessof
findinganotheradoptivehome.Mr.andMrs.Doeevenwenttotheextentofremovingtheirson
Tonyfromthehouseandbeplacedinanarrangedlivingfacilitysothathecanseekhis
independence.Sinceheismovedout,anypotentialharmfromthatfamilymemberwillbe
almostnonexistentwithinthesamehouse.TheDFPShandbookalsostatesthatremovalofa
childshouldbetheverylastoptioninmostcases.Removingachildfromafamiliartoan
unfamiliaronewillcausemajorchilddevelopmentwithintheirlife.

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8
Reflection

ReflectionbyAaliyah:
Mymostimportantvalueisfamily.Everyonedeservesthelove
andexperienceofthemeaningoffamily.IdofullyunderstandtheneededprocessofCPS,but
removalfromthehomeshouldnotbethefirstoptionallthetime.Myviewofthethiscasestudy
wasforpermanency.IbelievedthatKendrawasbestfitwiththeDoefamily.Ifounditveryodd
thatTonywouldsupposedlyconfessedtosexuallyabusingKendra.Inmostcases,thereportis
givenbyclosefamilymember,friend,orevenbyschooladministrative.Theperpetratordoesnot
willinglyconfessespeciallyiftheallegedperpetratorisknowntohaveamentaldisability.
TheonlyresourceIcouldrelatethiscasestudytowasthelifestoryofAntwoneFisherin
FindingFish
.ThroughoutFisherslife,helivedinaveryunsafeandunlovedfosterhome.He
sufferedalotofphysical,emotional,andpsychologicaldamagewhilelivinginthisfosterhome.
Fishercontinuedtokeepastrongmindandeventuallyleftthebadfosterhome.Eventhoughhe
left,hewasfacedwithhomelessness,beingpoor,andalostoftheworld.ThatswhyIbelieve
permanencyisimportantforKendra.
IaskedAnabelaboutheropinionofmydecisionofthecasestudy.Sheagreedwithme.
ShestatedthattheDoesshouldbeabletoadoptKendrasincetherewasntenoughevidenceof
sexualabuse.Itseemtoherthattheirson,Tony,wantedtodoanythingtomoveoutofthehouse
tobeanormalperson.Itsunderstandableinmostcases,butnotwhenapersonliesaboutsexual
abuse.Therearerealpeopleinthisworldwhogothroughthathorribleexperience,anditisnt
righttojustmakeupastory.AnabelalsostatedthatMr.andMrs.Doeshouldreceiveasecond
chancesincetheirsonhasbeenmovedoutofthehouse.

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9
References

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