Assessment of the Situation of Sandra Davis a Twenty One Single Mother - Case Study Example

1. Assessment of Need and Risk of a Case Study Sandra Davis, the 21-year-old single parent Both Sandra Davis and her husband Derek are young care leavers. They have opted for early marriage, and it's clear that their marriage has not been quite good. They are homeless, young care leavers who need help. The situation has turned into an ethical dilemma - Sandra being too young to raise her two children who are only aged two years old and the youngest being twelve months. There is only one adult member of the family who can help her - her sister. Sandra has all the rights under the law, for help from the local government and society where she belongs now. My first job is to assess Sandra's situation - what she needs and how can she be helped. First of all, she needs moral support, not physical or financial help from the government or the Social Services or from any agency. I can see that her direct family - direct meaning anybody that can be contacted and can be of help at this very instance - is her sister who can help and guide Sandra all throughout this difficult time of her being single parent. I may also take the initiative of contacting her husband Derek, who visits Sandra occasionally, so that some moves or suggestion of reconciliation, sort of, could be initiated. The couple needs advice, a marriage counseling. If that is not possible, because maybe Derek has gone astray, I have to give more words of encouragement to Sandra to help her to go on with her life. Then I will have to encourage also her sister to help Sandra and give her the necessary support. At this time, Sandra and her children will not be in a good situation if they are placed in the care or support of the Social Services. What this family needs is guidance and support. Support for a part-time job for her to help in the expenses can also make a difference. My job is to guide her, like a sister or a mother that guides and gives her love and moral support that she so desperately needs at the moment. With her sister, we can make a difference on the life of Sandra and her two children. I can make regular visits on Sandra, even help her sometimes tend or look after the kids. She can not do it alone, but I can help her do it alone. This is my job and this is what I have sworn to uphold. I can also give her advices on the proper care of children, of being a single parent. Financially, I can help her find a suitable job for her, not provide her with what the government can offer, like financial aid. First that must be avoided is to make her dependent of any grant from the government or the private sector. Making her real independent and inspiring her to be a successful mother are challenges of my being a social worker. Sandra's success as a single parent, raising two kids at a ripe age of 21, will be my success not only as a social worker but in life as a whole. 2. Assessment of Need and Risk of a Case Study Ms X, a victim of Alzheimer Ms X's situation has turned into an ethical dilemma. The social worker has got to do something. In the case at hand, Ms X is 85 years old and has Alzheimer disease, with many signs of the disease showing. Her situation has become complicated because of the following: she has left her cooker turned on and wandered out of the house without clothes on several occasions she became violent when her daughter tried to take her home on one occasion, causing her daughter to be admitted to hospital with severe cuts and bruises her daughter and neighbours have asked for an assessment by the social worker demanding that Ms X be admitted to a psychiatric hospital A question of legal and moral aspects arises because Ms X has refused to go to a hospital for an assessment of her condition and believes that her daughter should spend time with her. The social worker now has the duty to assess the need and risk of Ms X whether she has to be maintained at home or admitted in a hospital. She has to make sure that the rights of the service user, the carer and the community are protected. Discussion on the provisions of the Codes of Practice which has relation with the Case Study: The Codes has the purpose of setting out the conduct that is expected of social care workers and to inform service users and the public about the standards of conduct they can expect from social care workers. The following provisions have direct connection with the case on hand: Social workers have a duty to: - Protect the rights and promote the interests of service users and carers; Respect the rights of service users whilst seeking to ensure that their behaviour does not harm themselves or other people; - Promote the independence of service users while protecting them as far as possible from danger or harm; Duties of social workers: 1. Protection of the rights and promotion of the interests of service users and carers, to include: - respecting and, where appropriate, promoting the individual views and wishes of both service users and carers - supporting service users' rights to control their lives and make informed choices about the services they receive; 2. Establish and maintain the trust and confidence of service users and carers, to include declaring issues that might create conflicts of interest and making sure that they do not influence the judgement or practice of the social worker. 3. Promote the independence of service users while protecting them as far as possible from danger or harm. 4. Respect the rights of service users while seeking to ensure that their behaviour does not harm themselves or other people. - recognising that service users have the right to take risks and helping them to identify and manage potential and actual risks to themselves and others; - following risk assessment policies and procedures to assess whether the behaviour of service users presents a risk of harm to themselves or others; - taking necessary steps to minimise the risks of service users from doing actual or potential harm to themselves or other people; ANALYSIS Under the Code of Ethics, the social worker has a duty to respect basic human rights as expressed in The United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This is first and foremost that should be safeguarded by the social worker. The rights of both the service user and the carer are her primary concerns. She has to assess the need and risk that will give the best judgement. Moreover, she has to let Ms X and her daughter aware of their rights but that both have to understand each other's situation. The daughter has to have more understanding, but her right should not be disregarded too. The social worker must choose between reason and respect for the service user. First she has to answer the following questions: Can Ms X take care of herself Is Ms X in her right mind to decide which is right and appropriate for her situation Can she reason or decide what is best for herself Has her daughter the right to decide what is best for the mother. The dilemma now is who has the right to reason out what is good for Ms X - Ms X herself, or her daughter, or the social worker If the social worker says that Ms X can't decide for herself, she has to be admitted to a hospital for a psychiatric assessment of her condition. There is that risk of her right being violated. But for whose benefit and how much good can this action offer The common good is the spirit of the law, the Codes of Ethics. Ms X has refused for an assessment, arguing that her daughter should let her stay at home. By arguing alone that she remain in her home with her daughter giving her constant or daily visit, she has displayed enough talent or power that she is in her right mind, and that she can still take care of herself. The signs of the disease are normal for somebody sick with Alzheimer. But is there reason to be alarmed Can close watch remedy the situation What about the safety of her daughter and the community The Code of Ethics The Code of Ethics says "social workers have a duty to respect basic human rights as expressed in The United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international conventions derived from that Declaration." The first and foremost duty is respect for basic human rights. Ms X has the basic human right to remain at home, be given regular visit by her daughter with the assistance of the social worker. This is her decision which has to be given weight before the social worker can decide for Ms X. Under the Codes of Practice, the social worker has a duty to promote the independence of service users while protecting them as far possible from danger or harm. This is where the ethical dilemma occurs. The social worker has to protect the service user from harm. And Ms X is into this situation where she becomes violent. The provision on self-determination by service users states the following: 4.1.3 Self-determination by service users Social workers will help service users to reach informed decisions about their lives and promote their autonomy, provided that this does not conflict with their safety or with the rights of others. They will endeavour to minimise the use of legal or other compulsion. Any action which diminishes service users' civil or legal rights must be ethically, professionally and legally justifiable. Do Ms X's recent actuations - hurting herself and her daughter in the process - run in conflict with her safety or with the rights of others The social worker has to examine this very closely in accordance with the Codes of Ethics and Practice for social workers. The social worker must know where to take side, because she can be violating the right of the service user, whose rights and welfare she has to protect. The Codes say that she has to promote the independence of service users while protecting them as far as possible from danger or harm. The basic insights of Utilitarianism The purpose of morality is to make the world a better place Morality is about producing good consequences, not having good intentions We should do whatever will bring the best benefit (i.e. intrinsic value) to all of humanity. In the utilitarian calculus, we calculate the hedons (positive) and dolors (negative) Hedons and dolors maybe defined in terms of pleasure happiness ideals preferences We will calculate: How many people will be affected, negatively (dolors) as well as positively (hedons) How intensely they will be affected Similar calculations for all available alternatives Choose the action that produces the greatest over-all amount of utility (hedons minus dolors) In our case study, calculating on Ms X's right to be at home and not to be admitted in a mental hospital on one hand, and her daughter and neighbours' right to be at peace. Benefits if she gets admitted in a hospital: she will be properly taken cared of in a mental institution; she will be safe and will not harm herself her daughter and neighbours will not be harmed and safe, and will have peace of mind Costs: cost to taxpayers because her daughter can not afford the hospital bill In the Utilitarian concept, which right should be more protected in our Case Study where Ms X maintained that she should stay at home and her daughter should giver her daily visits In the Utilitarian Calculus, the daughter and the community will be more affected - more dolors (negative) and less hedons (positive), if Ms X will not be admitted in a psychiatric hospital. Under the Utilitarian calculus, the social worker should conduct an assessment of need and risks and eventually admit Ms X in a psychiatric hospital. What will happen with this decision 1. Ms X will be totally secured and safe in the hospital. 2. The daughter and the community will have peace of mind and also safe from Ms X's sometime violent behaviour. 3. The Codes of Practice and Ethics are followed in relation to the rights of both Ms X and the Community. References British Association of Social Workers, Code of Ethics, can be found at http://www.pstanford.dsl.pipex.com/baswcode.html, retrieved 2007-04-21. General Social Care Council, Codes of Practice, can be found at http://www.gscc.org.uk/Good+practice+and+conduct/Get+copies+of+our+codes/, retrieved 2007-04-21. Stuart Mill, J. Utilitarianism, can be found online at http://etext.library.adelaide.edu.au/m/mill/john_stuart/m645u/ Read More