Family Therapy Case Paper

In this case study of Sally who father came into his twelve-year-old daughter room intoxicated one night and briefly fondle her. This incident just happens one time and now the father, mother and daughter are in therapy together to go over this incident. The father enrolled in substance abuse program as well to give him so help. The family doesn’t want to get the law or child protective involved and the therapist feel like if he/she does the family might stop coming to therapy session. The therapist is worry if the family ever do break up that the mother and daughter can sue therapist for not taking action as well. One ethical issue in this case involves the law been broken by the father who fondle his daughter because he was intoxicated. There is no
reason for a father to fondle/molest a child because the law has been broken and for the safety of the child, the father needs to be held accountable for his actions. The family also seek therapy and that’s good sign, but another ethical issue is that if the family didn’t want to report the incident because the family said they didn’t want to, then the therapist should report it because harm was done to the child, and not worry about if the family will or will not come back to session. The therapist is taking a chance that be the last time, but what if it happens again, the therapist would feel ashamed, guilty because the therapist didn’t report it to the authority. The best interest in this case is to make sure the child is safe in the environment of their home, away from any neglect, abuse or child molestation inside the house. The question is if don’t report the father for abuse, what message is sending to the child, that it is normal for father, or adult to fondle her and that if it happens again, she going to feel hurt from it but she won’t report because of the first incident that nothing come of it.
Therapists have so many clients, and cases like these can be emotional especially dealing with a child. Clients can have their say in the matter but as therapist we have make the difficult choices and not worry about if the clients will come back and see you if you don’t do what they want you to do. My recommendation/solution to this case would be to report the case to the authority, for the main reason that a child was abuse. I would get the law enforcement involved as well as child protective service too. My solution is not get the child taken away from both parents, but an investigation should occur, to make sure this wasn’t the first time that this incident has happen. I want to make sure the mother isn’t keeping any information from us, because mothers will sometime protect the father over their own children and if so then the child might need to be in better environment than with her parent’s. “All states now require mental health professionals and school personnel to report incidents of child abuse, or suspected child abuse.” After hearing about this law, it’s makes perfect sense that all states have to report because child abuse have to stop, and being suspicious of child abuse
can save a child future. As therapist, I don’t want to do what’s best for my clients, but also follow guidelines and rules. These rules protect not only human service workers, but also clients in a way to help the clients get the help they need, even going into custody for the crimes that has been committed.