Learning Outcomes
- Recognise situations involving ethical issues
- Use ethical decision-making frameworks
Identifying Ethical Issues
Not all care situations involve an ethical dilemma. But foster carers need to proactively assess if certain decisions demand ethical reasoning.
Warning signs include:
- Competing regulations
- Values-based conflicts
- Potential disproportionate impacts
Red flags warrant pausing to deliberately evaluate ethical dimensions.
Ethical Decision-Making Process
Always handle ethical dilemmas with PEACE:
- Ponder the facts and the ethical issue at hand.
- Examine the regulations, values, and principles involved.
- Assess the possible decisions and their consequences.
- Consider the alignment of each option with ethical principles.
- Execute the decision that best reflects the identified values.
Getting Guidance
In simple or complex situations with overlapping considerations, foster carers can seek guidance from:
- Peers
- Written resources
- Supervising social workers and agency staff
Collaborative deliberation reinforces responsible ethical decision-making.
Learning from Experience
Analysing the reasoning behind judgement calls after situations are resolved represents a valuable reflective exercise for continuous ethical development.