When I first read the case study, I felt worried about Joanne because she is pregnant and without a family. Furthermore, she is homeless and young. I also think of her vulnerable situation and feel sorry for her because she has to make such tough choices, like abortion or telling the father, at a young age. Nevertheless, I had some doubts concerning her past actions, such as being out late for no particular reason and having quarrels with her parents. In general, my first impression was a call to support Joanne compassionately, but at the same time, take the responsibility of showing her the right way forward.
The values that comprise my point of view involve empathy, lack of judgment, and clients’ rights for self-determination. All clients have a right to be treated with care, and first of all, when they are experiencing hard times. Nevertheless, it is necessary to address the fact that my middle-class background and upbringing may be the reason I have this standpoint regarding parent-child relationships. Iit is parents who should be able to do this rather than just giving their children some support. I might have some bias that Joanne did or should do something to bring peace to the family or to reconcile with her parents, on which I based my own life experience of privilege as a person from a higher class. My role as her social worker requires me to refrain from forming any prejudgments and view her with an open-minded attitude rather than negativity. My function is to figure out what her view and objectives are since it is necessary to provide quality and compassionate care in what is a difficult and difficult time for her.
The professional values of the Social Work Code of Ethics and the Standards of Practice govern the way I relate to patients, colleagues, and the wider community (Banks, 2020). The principles of service, dignity, and worth of persons, and integrity lead me to give the services and ensure Joanne is treated with dignity. The guidelines help me establish the trust relation, to either remain aside from judgment or encourage independent thinking. I cannot be the judge of her choices, so I have to let her make her own decisions based on her understanding and values.
Standard III: Consent is the directive that guides me to obtain Joanne’s informed, unconflicted consent before I provide services or share information and give her the right to withdraw the consent at any time. It lays responsibility on me to be sensitive to her autonomy by creating space for her choices to be as meaningful as possible and guidance towards the relevant resources. The importance of integrity also tests me to react truthfully and in a way that is right with good moral principles when I need to face complex situations, which means setting aside my own beliefs to let Joanne’s needs be the dominant factor.
Although these ethical and professional standards of practice might vary from one profession to another, they are still the best guidelines for me to treat Joanne with dignity and respect and to support her during a challenging transitional period in her life by providing a client-centered approach that takes her autonomy into account.
I might have to confront the conflict between my personal pro-life views and Joanne’s right to decide her fate in this third trimester. Nevertheless, the Code of Ethics requires a growing professional to put my personal views on hold and to respect the client’s values and purpose (Reamer, 2018). Therefore, I would have to ponder objectively on any bias and uphold Joanne’s decisions.
As a social service worker, I am trained to provide short-term counseling and referrals, connect individuals to resources, and render practical support to clients in my agency’s confines (Maynard-Moody & Musheno, 2022). I will inform Joanne about the alternatives existing for her pregnancy, housing, education, and other necessities, and I will try to connect her to the necessary services. Yet, I cannot think for her or do the procedures that are within the domain of the medical and the clinical. In case legal problems, health issues, or other matters outside my sphere of competence appear, I will turn to my supervisor for advice and make appropriate referrals to professionals such as social workers, health care providers, or lawyers. As a member of the multidisciplinary team, I will make sure that Joanne receives the best care, considering her individual needs under my scope of practice.
In case of an ethical issue where I am doubtful of the way to resolve it, I will first take a moment to think about the situation and the values and biases that I hold. Next, I will resort to the Code of Ethics, agency procedures, literature, and my colleagues to figure this one out. I will capture the process by which I will make a decision, considering both the client’s rights and preferences. In addition to this, I may choose to ask a supervisor or get advice from an ethics board as well to ensure that I act as a professional. The target is to be more of a careful, reflective approach that guards the client.
References
Banks, S. (2020). Ethics and values in social work. Bloomsbury Publishing.
Maynard-Moody, S. W., & Musheno, M. C. (2022). Cops, teachers, counselors: Stories from the front lines of public service. University of Michigan Press.
Reamer, F. (2018). Social work values and ethics. Columbia University Press.
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