Baby Kim Case Study

¶ … personal biases and prejudices that a human service professional would have to set aside to assist this family?

Most of us have preconceived notions about recreational drug users and we associate that behavior with personal psychological issues and family dysfunction. In this particular case, there does not appear to be any objective evidence that suggests the drug use is negatively affecting the family in the ways we might typically expect within any home where the two parents or adult caretakers take illegal recreational drugs.

What ethical standards (Statements #1-9, The Human Service Professionals Responsibility to Clients) relate directly to the Baby Kim Case? Explain your answer.

Statement 4 relates most directly to the case because the central concern at issue is whether or not the parents' drug use poses a danger or harm to the children in the home.

Which of the 9 statements might be challenging for a human services professional working with Baby Kim's family? Why?

Statement 2 and Statement 3 might be challenging in this case. That is because if the parents are providing good care to the children and maintaining an appropriate home environment, the human service professional has an obligation to respect and accept the clients without subjective judgment of behavior that does not pose a danger or harm to the children. Statement 3 poses a potential conflict between the obligation to protect the client's right to privacy and confidentiality, but there are possible violations of local, state, and federal laws at issue.

4. How would you adhere to Statement #2 and make sure that you are treating the client with respect, acceptance and dignity?

I would consult my supervisor to request guidance where Statement 2 seems to require ignoring the drug use once it is determined that it does not pose a danger or harm the children, whereas Statement 3 might require a formal report of illegal activity nevertheless.

5. What specific actions or services would you suggest to assist this family?

I would suggest frequent monitoring to make sure that the parents' recreational drug use does not become a danger to the children or change the quality of the home environment. I would also suggest drug counseling, especially for the mother because if the particular choice of recreational drug involved. Finally, I would suggest increased evaluation of the children to identify any possible issues as soon as they develop.

6. Based on what you've learned, why do you think the children were placed in foster care? What information from your readings supports or contradicts this decision?

It seems clear that the children were placed in foster care because parental drug use is typically associated with dangerous and harmful conditions for children in the home. The mother's drug use was discovered through the blood tests performed on Kim and the evaluating professional determined that the mother's drug use posed a danger to the children. The less common cases where parents are fully competent and functional despite recreational drug use would contradict this decision.

7. Do you think social services should work to keep Kim's family together? Why or why not? Explain.