Many ethical dilemmas for social workers are related to family dynamics. Social workers are frequently hired by the court system to help adjudicate challenging cases regarding custody of children in divorce proceedings, but they are also called in to testify about the mental health of one or both of the defendants in a case in family court.
The attached video demonstrates how adults and children can become negatively affected by parental alienation; the result of psychological manipulation of child/children in demonstrating fear, animus, or disrespect for another parent or family member.
All students will have viewed the encrypted video regarding a case of parental alienation. Please use this case as the basis of your analysis as a social worker who has been hired to provide expert testimony on behalf of the mother and why she should not go to jail. This presents an ethical dilemma for you as a practitioner as you know the mother to be bi-polar, but you also place value on the health, protection and well-being of children and the sanctity of family.
Describe the ethical dilemma and the state clearly the two professional values in conflict.
What are the principles, according to Beauchamp & Childress, that would be applicable?
Utilizing either Beauchamp & Childress' or Mattison's model of ethical justification, how do you separate the practice considerations from the ethical components?
Please use an informed decision as to the theoretical framework you would apply to this case? Deontological or Utilitarian?
Sample Solution