WAS IT ETHICAL?WHATE WOULD YOU DO?...CHILD AND YOUTH CARE IN SOUTH AFRICA

SCENARIO 1
"You had better know  this", she said. It was the child and youth care worker from one of the group homes. "Samangele and Lindo (not their real names) are not just sexually active. They go on a rave looking for a good time and having sex with boys in sort of sex parties"
"How do you know?" 
"When she was at school, I found Lino's diary. I read  it. She writes all bout it". 
"Diaries are private".
"But these girls are in my care.You and I have to deal with it as professionals. We must plan interventions. They are at risk."

 The mind raced.  

Sure there was work to do with the two girls. Sure our having knowledge came from reading Lino's otherwise private journalised diary. How can they be carefronted on a professional child and youth care worker's prying? 

Dilemma.

Question is. Did  the child and youth care worker do the right thing? Was it ethical? What would you do?

SCENARIO 2
 The child  and youth care worker stumbled upon a young person pouring out his heart to another child and youth care worker in the programme. That night the child and youth care worker called him to one side.The young person explained the sharing to be based on a connection he did not have with her, as his primary care worker."I am your Primary child and youth care worker", she said. "You are a young person in my focus group. The first one you come to if you have a problem is me. I am responsible for helping you. If you have a problem you come to me...not just anyone else in the programme. I'll decide if you need to tell the social worker or anyone else."

Dilemma.

Question is. Did  the child and youth care worker do the right thing? Was it ethical? What would you do?

SCENARIO 3.
Partricia was 10 and intellectually challenged. She was in, what was then called a "special class" in a mainstream school. The school was constantly contacting the management of the facility to report that teachers were experiencing challenges with her behaviour. Her impulsivity was of concern. It seemed as if living residentially with older girls in the same dormitory setting she became or, was made, sexually aware beyond her age. It was when she was found pulling boys behind the girls toilet and revealing herself that the school said they couldn't manage her.

 The multi-disciplinary team met, which included the chairperson of the Child Care Committee and who was a counselling sexologist. Decision was to refer Patricia to to the sexologist for assessment.  

At the next meeting of the Child Care Committee, the sexologist said that the Patricia must be put onto contraceptives. 
"But she's only 10 and she hasn't menstruated. She's      
pre-menstrual. Can we do this? 
"I recommend it", she said. "She could menstruate at any time and you have to prevent an early pregnancy. The mother is not able to make a rational decision. It's up to you".

 It went back to the multi-disciplinary team.
"Put her on contraception. The injection". 

Management put a premenstrual 10 year old girl on contraception.

Question is. Was it ethical? What would you do

SCENARIO 4
They were a resident married couple. Only the male was employed as a child and youth care worker. Gossip and unsubstantiated rumours circulated among the young people in the facility that his wife had allegedly seduced one of the boys. 

 The husband as a staff member went to a social service professional employed by the facility, a qualified Counsellor and Marriage Guidance Counsellor and asked for counselling supervision. Who agreed. The child and youth care worker went for weekly counselling. 

In another forum in the programme the boy spoke of his confused state and confirmed the rumours. He said he had consented. 

At the time the boy concerned was a few months under the age of consent. This made the wife legally liable for alleged statutory rape. The Counsellor felt trapped between the  confidentiality of a 'client' and the alleged breach of the law by an unemployed adult resident, which would have led to the removal of service of the couple and so then the loss of employment of an innocent child and youth care worker.

 The Counsellor's decision was to remain silent.

Dilemma   

Question is. Was it ethical? What would you do?

SCENARIO 5
There they were. Two boys sitting on the office block steps at 07.00 hours. Dejected and angry. A backpack between them. The Manager, a registered Social Service Professional and a child and youth care worker went to the office early that morning and there they were. He knew them well. They had been placed in the residential facility and had been there for about 4 years. The decision of the multi-disciplinary team to return them to the parents on extended leave had not been taken lightly. Their relationship with the parents was solid and positive... So what was this?

The boys said that on the previous day their primary child and youth care worker come for a home visit ... a three monthly review. She came again at 6.00am that morning and told them they were going back

The child and youth care worker had left them on the stairs for the Manager to find and readmit them then went to her unit to sort out her group. She later said that it was in the boy's best interest. She couldn't take the struggle for food in the household.

 The incident was reported to the facilities Management Board together with the Facility Manager's intention to report the incident to the South African Council for Social Service Professions. The Board refused to allow the report saying that such action could result in the loss of employment for the child and youth care worker, her lively-hood and her source of income.

The Facility Manager followed the instruction

Question is. Was it ethical? What would you do?