Identify the relevant values and ethics (as defined by codes of ethics) that a social worker may draw upon when carrying out their roles and responsibilities.
- Values and Ethics
- Please think critically about how law/policy/guidance may cause tensions with social work ethics, and how any such tensions could be resolved. In doing so you will be expected to draw upon specific codes of ethics and relevant research/literature.
Identify the relevant values and ethics (as defined by codes of ethics) that a social worker may draw upon when carrying out their roles and responsibilities.
Case Study: The Campbell Family
The Campbell family are a black British family of Jamaican heritage living in Salford. Ionie Campbell is 55 years old and lives in a 2-bedroom terraced house. She was widowed in her 20s and raised her two daughters as a single parent and they are both now adults. Three years ago, Ionie’s oldest daughter, Kenise (who is now 32), moved back in to live with Ionie, along with her own children –Aleesha (who is now 15), Daryl (who is now 8) and Ruby (who is now 5). Aleesha attends Higher Brook High School, and Daryl and Ruby attend Springfield Primary School.
Kenise Campbell has suffered from mental health issues throughout her adult life and often goes through periods where she struggles to get out of bed, to manage basic household tasks or to appropriately supervise the children. It was because of these issues that she moved back in with her mother 3 years ago. Since this time her mental health has continued to deteriorate and Ionie undertakes the majority of the household tasks and care for the children.
Aleesha’s father is unknown, but Daryl and Ruby’s father is Jason –a 35-year-old white British man who lives locally. He is named on Daryl and Ruby’s birth certificates. Jason lives locally with his wife and their baby. He sees Daryl and Ruby every weekend but does not have them overnight.
Recently Ionie has been diagnosed with cancer. She spent two weeks in hospital –during which time her younger daughter (Angelique) came to stay at the family home so she could visit her mother, and she stayed for an extra week to help around the home. However, Angelique returned to her job in Spain a month ago. Ionie is suffering from extreme tiredness because of her treatment, and has episodes of dizziness, nausea and confusion. She also must attend hospital appointments every few days. As a result, she is struggling to undertake the housework, to make meals and to supervise the children. She is also missing socialising with her friends at their weekly bingo sessions. Ionie has a Macmillian nurse who visits fortnightly to offer support to Ionie with her treatment.
Ionie’s diagnosis has had a further impact on Kenise’s mental health, and she now rarely leaves her bedroom during the day. At night times she often leaves the house and the family do not know where she goes. At Ionie’s insistence, Kenise has reluctantly spoken to the GP about how she is feeling. She has told him that she feels low all the time and self-medicates using sleeping tablets, and occasionally other drugs that she gets from a friend to help her sleep during the day. When she wakes in the evening, she sometimes hears voices that tell her to go for a walk, which she does, but she often cannot remember where she has been or recall much information about her walks.
Springfield Primary School have noticed that Daryl and Ruby have seemed increasingly tired and withdrawn in school over the past month. They often attend in dirty clothes and often forget their packed lunch. Their attendance has also dropped over the past month, and they are often late for school. Aleesha often brings them to school now, and they often walk home alone. Often the children say they are hungry and have not had breakfast.
Daryl has severe asthma, and the school nurse has raised concerns that he has not been attending the asthma clinic and his medication has not been renewed. This meant that in the last week when he had an asthma attack in school, he had no inhaler and had to use another child’s inhaler. When the school rang Ionie after the asthma attack, she seemed confused and said she did not know he had asthma, even though she has previously taken him to all his appointments. Springfield Primary School liaised with Higher Brook High School who told them that Aleesha’s school attendance had dropped from 100% to almost non-existent over the past month. Friends of Aleesha’s who attend the school have been round to the house to visit her and have told teachers that the house is now dirty and untidy and that Aleesha often asks her friends if they can bring some food round. She has told her friends that she is often going with her grandma to her hospital appointments and is scared to leave her grandma at home with just her mum.
Springfield Primary School have referred Aleesha, Darryl and Ruby to the statutory Children and Families Team.
Ionie’s Macmillan nurse has referred Ionie to the Adult Social Care Team.
Kenise’s GP has referred her to the Mental Health Team.