ethical considerations in working with homeless youth and families

Ethical considerations in working with homeless

youth and families

Ethical Considerations in Working with Homeless Youth & Families

AGENDA

• Identify the what and why of ethics

• Identify common ethical standards in working with homeless youth & families

• Identify common ethical issues when working with homeless youth & families

• Identify possible solutions


Pre Survey

Introductions – one ethical issue you encounter

Is it unique to working with this population?

What Are Professional Ethics?


While the law establishes a minimum standard proscribing policy and practice, ethics defines the ideal

intellectual approach to moral issues

“Professional ethics is not synonymous with personal morality or governmental

regulation; it is the organized and systematic articulation of child and youth care values and their application to the

issues encountered in practice.” Martha A. Mattingly, University of Pittsburg



Professional ethics include:

•Core values – those absorbed from our family and culture, and those developed from life experiences



•Core values - those absorbed from our family and culture, and those developed from life experiences

•Ideals towards which the profession strives – i.e. safety and well-being of children and youth



•Core values - those absorbed from our family and culture, and those developed from life experiences•Ideals towards which the profession strives – for example safety and well-being of children and youth

•Standards of professional conduct – for example to never intentionally do harm

Why should programs serving youth &

families be interested in ethical

considerations?

What Are the Benefits of Adherence to Professional Ethics?

•Protection of a vulnerable clientele

•Protection of the professional who no longer stands alone in the face of difficulty, but stands with the profession

•Protection for the agency, organization or practice group

Why should programs serving youth be interested in ethical considerations?

Professional ethics can be thought of as representing the values of child and youth care to which the field holds a common commitment. When working with youth this is a commitment to protect, nurture, and enhance the well-being of children and youth. Thus we must………

Why should programs be interested in ethical standards when working with youth?


• understand their vulnerability



• understand their vulnerability• understand whether current practices “do no

harm”



• understand their vulnerability• understand whether current practices “do no harm”• understand the impact of staff attitudes and behavior,

agency policy and governmental policy and regulation



• understand their vulnerability• understand whether current practices “do no harm”• understand the impact of staff attitudes and behavior,

agency policy and governmental policy and regulation• understand challenging conflicts in the core values and

standards of care

Common Ethical Principles

Beneficence: provide for the good of the client with at the least doing ‘no harm’, doing what is in the best interests of the client• Appropriate Boundaries• No dual relationships• No personal gain


Autonomy: Self Determination

Justice: Fairness, impartiality, cultural competence

Competence: provide only those services the professional is competent to provide


Fidelity: faithful to the client- confidentiality and trust - limitations,

Common Ethical Issues with Youth

Consent?

Confidentiality?

Who is the client?

Common Ethical Issues with Youth

Record keeping & documentation

Boundaries

Trust building

Ethical Practices & Concerns

Allowing youth self determination

Addressing unsafe behavior

Contacting parent or guardian

Ethical Practices & Concerns

Sharing information with schools, CPS, other service providers

Maintaining boundaries and trust building

Non-traditional settings

Runaway, pushed out,and unaccompanied youthare a growing proportion of

children in homeless situationsThey often know what they are

running from, but have no realistic idea of what they

are running to.

Applying Ethics to work with unaccompanied youth

Ethical Considerations for Working with Homeless Youth & Families

AGENDA

• Identify the what and why of ethics

• Identify common ethical standards in working with homeless youth & families

• Identify common ethical issues when working with homeless youth & families

• Assess ethical practices and concerns in your work setting when working with homeless youth and families

What are some of the ethical considerations you might

encounter when working with the youth in this video?

Common situations that have ethical implications when working with youth

Meeting with youth in “non-traditional” settings

Mistaking friendship for appropriate trust building

Keeping Confidentiality – to whom to tell what? When the youth says “Don’t tell anyone.”

Reporting abuse and neglect – concerns for youth safety

Reporting runaway – concerns for youth safety

Addressing risky behaviors – if you do, will they leave?

Giving Money, taking kids home, leaving youth in unsafe setting

Failing to report or to act on information shared

Dealing with “I only trust you” with certain information

When are laws and regulations in conflict with professional ethics and/or

agency policy and procedures?

Know Pertinent Federal and State Laws and Regulations

State Family Code

State Health and Safety Code

Federal: Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

Federal: Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)

Know Professional Ethical Codes

Social Work

Licensed Professional Counselor

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist

Licensed Psychologist

Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor

When are all three in conflict with personal values and

morals?

How do you decide what is an ethical practice?

Choosing an Ethical Decision Making Model

Law and Minimum Standards under

the Law

Professional Code of Ethics

And Standards

Agency Policy and Procedures

What are the legal

considerations?

Are professional ethics and

agency policy in conflict?

Ethical Decision Making Model

Does the model used

take all these factors into

consideration?

Do my own personal values

conflict with legal, agency or

professional standards?

Using a Model

Without a model: A model: No uniformity – each

decision stands on it’s own and is less defensible

Is uniformly applied to all situations

May or may not be a logical and articulated decision making process

Provides for a logical and articulated decision-making process

May feel on your own in making a decision

Provides guidance in the process

Documentation may be haphazard

Provides a structure for documentation

Using structure is important

Example of an Ethical Decision-Making Model

Essential Steps for Ethical Problem – Solving

1. Determine – whether there is an ethical issue and/or dilemma. Is there a conflict of values or rights or professional responsibilities? For instance there may be an issue of self-determination of an adolescent vs the well being of the family.

2. Identify – the key values and principles involved. What meanings and limitations are typically attached to these competing values? For example, rarely is confidential information held in absolute secrecy, however, typically decisions about access by third parties to sensitive content should be contracted with clients.


3. Rank – the values or ethical principles, which – in your professional judgment – are most relevant to the issue or dilemma. What reasons can you provide for prioritizing one competing value/principle over another? For example, your client’s right to choose a beneficial course of action could bring hardship or harm to others who would be affected.

4. Develop – an action plan that is consistent with the ethical priorities that have been determined as central to the dilemma. Confer with colleagues and supervisors about potential risks and consequences of alternative courses of action. Can you support or justify your action plan with values/principles on which the plan is based?


5. Implement – your plan, utilizing the most appropriate practice skills and competencies. How will you use core skills such as sensitive communication, skillful negotiation, and cultural competence? For example, skillful colleague or supervisory communication and negotiation may enable an impaired colleague to see her/his impact on clients and to take appropriate action.

6. Reflect – on the outcome of this ethical decision making process. How would you evaluate the consequences of this process for those involved: Clients, professionals, agencies? Increasingly, professionals have begun to seek support, further professional training and consultation through the development of Ethics Review Committees or Ethics Consultation processes.

Ranking ethical principles* – a higher level principle is more compelling than one based on a lower ranked principle:

1.The principle of protection of life2.The principle of equality and inequality3.The principle of autonomy and freedom4.The principle of least harm5.The principle of quality of life6.The principle of privacy and confidentiality7.The principle of truthfulness and full disclosure

*Lowenberg, F.M. & Dolgoff, R. (1992) Ethical Decisions for Social Work Practice, 4th ed., Itasca, Ill: F.E. Peacock Publishers, Inc.

Case situations

•Use the worksheet and decision-making model to work through each situation.


Post Survey

Contact Information

• Hotline: 1-800 446-3142

• Jeanne Stamp: 512-475-6898 [email protected]•www.utdanacenter.org/theo

mailto:[email protected]

Texas HomelessEducation Office

1-800-446-3142http://www.utdanacenter.org/theo

The University of Texas at AustinCharles A. Dana Center2901 N IH 35, Room 2.200Austin, Texas 78722

ethical considerations in working with homeless youth and families

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