Consider the dilemma described, and imagine how you might feel if you found yourself in a similar situation. Think about the
ethical obligations you would have as a social worker or social work student. Post a description of the steps you would take to
address the situation in an ethical manner. Justify your response with evidence from the Readings. Discussion posting demonstrates
an excellent understanding of all of the concepts and key points presented in the text(s) and Learning Resources. Posting provides
significant detail including multiple relevant examples, evidence from the readings and other scholarly sources, and discerning
ideas.
Dilemma:
You are a social worker in a public health department providing services to pregnant women. As part of your duties, you provide
parenting education, support, and connection to community resources, and you follow up with the families and their newborns for six
months after birth. Ms. C has been a client of yours during two pregnancies in the last three years. She has a 15 year-old, a nine
year-old, a three year-old, and a newborn. On this day, you are making a routine visit to Ms. C, who lives in an older mobile home
in a rural area of the county. You take with you a newly hired social worker who is in training. When you arrive at the house, you
find that it is clean and the two older girls are busy doing their homework. The three year-old is playing, and Ms. C is feeding
the baby.
During the visit, the new social worker asks Ms. C whether she is looking for work. When you discreetly ask her about birth
control, the social worker remarks, motioning to the 15 year-old daughter, “You better get her on birth control if you do not want
more babies around here.” Ms. C does not respond to the other social worker, instead maintaining her focus on you. You can tell
that she is bothered by the remark about her daughter.