Petey novel by Ben Michelson, is a touching story of Petey, who was taken to an insane asylum of the state by his parents, Roy Coburn and Sara, at the age of 2 years. One doctor advised Petey’s parents that their son had an intellectual disability, and some even labelled him an “idiot” without knowing he was affected by cerebral palsy. Struggling to communicate and connect to people while also bound to a wheelchair, Petey always had reasons to remain generous and kind (Michelson, 1998). Some of the themes evident in the story are ethics, discovery, disability, friendship, mental health, and the inspiring nature of the human spirit. Even though ethics is essential when providing disability services, there are instances where ethical considerations did not govern the services and treatment Petey received while living in his group home concerning his transfer, friendship, and other human needs.
When handling people with disability, treating them with respect and dignity is essential while also upholding their rights. Ethical behaviour is needed when delivering service to people with disability. Hence, one should never harass, abuse, neglect, or exploit them (Robinson et al., 2022). Some ethical concerns relating to Petey’s services and treatment include neglect, abuse, conflicting goals, and not being allowed to participate in decisions that concern his needs. For instance, when Petey was transferred to the adult ward from the infant’s ward, he met Calvin Anders, a new patient. Their friendship grew as Calvin helped him form words, vocalize, and use gestures to communicate (Mikaelsen, 1998). During that time, they met compassionate caregivers who positively impacted their wellbeing. However, Calvin and Petey were transferred to different facilities, affecting their connection and wellbeing. The scenario showed that the caregivers did not consider Petey’s voice and friendship needs in the decision-making. Being away from the parents at a young age and not being allowed to make lasting friendships led to distress and psychological harm.
Human Services professionals should identify clients’ needs and help them to plan and advocate for those needs at all levels, societal, community, and individual. Human rights were not enforced in the book Petey. For instance, throughout the book, it is evident that he was not involved in deciding or planning his care within the facility (Mikaelsen, 1998). Ethically, it is essential to consider patients’ emotional, psychological, and health needs, among others (Carter, 2020). In the story, Petey is also made to experience psychological harm and distress due to not being allowed to have lasting friendships.
When providing care to people with disabilities, support services are needed to enhance their wellbeing. Ethics can play a significant role in helping to identify the support services that patients need (Gaventa et al., 2020). Petey would have benefited from support services such as training and education, personality training, friendship, and leisure while in his group home. Since Petey was taken to his group home at an early age, it would have been necessary to provide him with training and education support to develop some competency. Personal training would have also been essential. During his time with Calvin, he showed the ability to learn (Mikaelsen, 1998). He also needed friendship, which shows that he would have benefited from well-organized support services that encouraged his ability to make and maintain friends.
In conclusion, Ethical behaviours are essential when delivering service to people with disability. Hence, one should never harass, abuse, neglect, or exploit them. Petey novel by Ben Michelson is a touching story of Petey that shows why people with disability need support services. The ability to provide such services can lead to positive outcomes.
References
Carter, M. (2020). Ethical deception? Responding to parallel subjectivities in people living with dementia. Disability Studies Quarterly, 40(3), 144–165. https://doi.org/10.18061/dsq.v40i3.6444
Gaventa, B., Stahl, D., & McDonald, K. (2020). Public health ethics and disability: Centering Disability justice. Public Health Perspectives on Disability, 1(2), 129–148. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-0888-3_6
Mikaelsen, B. (1998). Petey. Little. https://www.amazon.com/dp/1423131746?ref_=cm_sw_r_mwn_dp_9PAKMPWCDQNTTKT65X71
Robinson, S., Graham, A., Canosa, A., Moore, T., Taylor, N., & Boyle, T. (2022). Ethical practice in disability services: Views of young people and staff. Ethics and Social Welfare, 16(4), 412–431. https://doi.org/10.1080/17496535.2022.2072519
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