Ethical Issues In Foster Care

Ethics Assessment
Law 211
Baker College
January 29,2014

I decided to interview An Hunt. Ms. Hunt is a Family Service Specialist for a local social service agency. Ms. Hunt has been working in this field for two and a half years in the Foster Care Unit. Ms. Hunt reported their being many ethical issues that she faces everyday. Some of those ethical issues come from her own bias's about what is acceptable and what is unethical according to her own norms and what is actually written in policy. Ms. Hunt reported that honest is very important in the child welfare system. Ms. Hunt reported that the discussions that she make will affect a child and family for the rest of their lives. Ms. Hunt reported being privileged to her clients personal information ( social security numbers, account number date of birth address etc.) and how keeping that information confidential was very important.
Ms.
Hunt reported that is a worker does not have a strong. Ms. Hunt reported that is a person did not have strong ethics fraud could easy happen. Ms. Hunt reported observing fraudulent situations in another department that deal with state benefit for SNAP and Medicaid. Ms. Hunt reported that worker have approved their friends for medicaid and other benefit that they were not eligibility to received. Ms. Hunt reported all of the incidents where workers were unethical they all were fired. Ms. Hunt reported that in her department they sometimes have to terminate the parents parental rights to their children and have to often attend court hearing where she updates the judge on how the parents are working on improving what initially brought the children into Foster Care. Ms. Hunt reported that again being honest and factual about that parent will make an impact on whether a child will be returned to their biological
parents.
Ms. Hunt compared her experience with a family and how another worker handle the a similar situation. Ms. Hunt report that in her case the mother completed everything on the service plan and the children were return to the parent. Ms. Hunt reported a coworker having the same situation were the other mother completed everything on the service plan, but because this worker openly discussion the dislike for the family the children did not go home because this worker was not have been truthful about what the parent actually completed. In that case the child was adopted and the parents rights were terminated. Ms. Hunt reported that usually when someone does something unethical they are usually caught and maybe suspended of fired. Ms. Hunt reported that the worker in the incident that was earlier discussed was asked to resign due to that worker being employed for 10 years. Ms. Hunt reported that when developing an ethical course of action it important to have all of the information about the situation. Ms. Hunt reported that it maybe idea to ask for advice from other worker and to really think about how your decisions will effect others. Ms. Hunt reported to make an ethical decision you must put your own bias's om the back seat and focus on actual fact of the case. Ms. Hunt reported that in order to have longevity in business you must have strong ethic and follow the polices and procedures.