Ethical Issues In Foster Care Essay

While there have been numerous reforms made to the child welfare system in Tennessee in regards to providing care for the children, one area that desperately needs to be defined is the provision of care while these vulnerable children are in the custody of the Department of Children’s Services. Currently there is no policy that addresses the responsibility for making sure that these children are provided healthy and timely meals while being held in the local office or while during transport from the office to court, facilities or placements. The caseworkers who have the responsibility for these children are taxed with providing these meals out of their own pocket and then seeking reimbursement which could lead to ethical issues. The children
are also placed in an uncomfortable position of having to ask for food. This paper will provide a proposal for a clear and well-defined policy that addresses: (1) the need for this change including theoretical evidence to support, (2) a proposal of a community program to address the need, and finally (3) the possible cost that may be incurred to implement this policy and program.

Introduction The mission of the Department of Children’s Services (DCS) is to “foster partnerships to protect children, develop youth, strengthen families, and build safe communities”
(http://www.tn.gov/youth/dcsguide.htm).
Children and teen-agers in the care of the Department of Children’s Services are struggling to cope with and deal with the traumatic and confusing events that brought them into care. Their lives have become chaotic and they may feel alone and depressed; often the most stable person in their lives is their caseworker. “Traumatic experiences and an increased susceptibility for further wounds from unstable environments created in foster care continue to increase the vulnerability of this already fragile population” (Jones Harden, 2004, p.30). Caring for children and youth in foster or substitute care can be truly complicated and demanding. When a child is in custody the state is to assume full responsibility for a child‘s well-being and permanency. Children who are in the care of DCS deserve permanency. Permanency is not just about placement but it is also continuity and stability and knowing that their basic needs will be met while in care. They are often placed in facilities or resource homes that are far from their home community. This requires the youth to be transported whenever there is a court hearing, Child and Family Team Meeting, medical appointments and visitation with their family. They may also spend a considerable amount of time in the DCS office after being placed in custody or while waiting on placement and during this time they require and deserve
nourishment.
Project identification Currently there is no defined policy or program to ensure that children are being fed while being transported by their caseworker or while detained in the DCS office for extended periods of time. According to Administrative Policy 3.16 which addressed allowable travel expenses, an exception states “DCS Transportation officers and employees buying lunches for children/youth when transporting children/youth will be reimbursed for lunches purchased. A receipt for the lunch purchased must be obtained and attached to the reimbursement claim”. (Department of Children’s Services) This policy does not outline when these lunches or meals are to be provided. “Policies set general guidelines, but workers are responsible for using their discretion or judgment with specific cases” (Kirst-Ashman, 2012, p. 181). While there is a policy that allows the caseworkers to be reimbursed, some either do not have the money up front or simply do not think about the needs of the child when in care resulting in further unnecessary trauma to the child. Additionally, there may be an ethical conflict as not all caseworkers submit their receipts and are spending their own money on clients however they are not paying for all client’s needs. There may be a violation of boundaries particularly if a “worker spends his/her own personal funds to support clients’ needs, particularly if agency won’t pay for clients’ needs, while worker chooses to assume cost on his/her own” (Dietz & Thompson, 2004, p. 12). Boundaries are “the limits that allow for a safe connection based on the client’s needs” (Peterson, 1992, p. 74). According to the National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics, “Social Workers’ primary responsibility is to promote the well-being of the clients” (NASW, 1999.
p. 7). The same standards for well-being should apply to caseworkers as do the parents. “Most children (59.2 percent) enter foster care due to neglect, which is ―often the result of inadequate housing, poor child care, or insufficient food or medical care” (Badeau & Gesiriech, 2003, p. 4). These children suffer from food insecurity issues that should not be perpetuated once in custody but rather should be able to count on having their basic needs fulfilled by the caseworkers they have come to trust in the process. “Food insecurity is defined as uncertain or limited availability of adequate supplies of nutritional safe food” (Oberg, 2011,
p.1). In response to this significant shortcoming, I am proposing a program that provides a fully stocked food pantry in the DCS office that contains kid-friendly and nutritious foods. This pantry would be maintained by community partners such as Rolling Hills Church and Graceworks Ministries. Rolling Hills currently maintains a clothes closet for children in foster care and have indicated they would be fully supportive of an additional program to provide food. Graceworks Ministries currently operates programs within the community such as providing backpacks of food for children in the school system that exhibit a need and also have generously provided school supplies and help to many DCS families in the past. Their knowledge and assistance would be invaluable to starting this project.