L13

2

Legal and Ethical Issues in Child Abuse and Neglect

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Legal and Ethical Issues in Child Abuse and Neglect

Client confidentiality about child abuse is the ethical challenge that is mainly neglected when children are abused and neglected. Confidentiality issues with child abuse develop when there is a contradiction between this value and others. When a client (a kid) is injured or neglected, the idea of secrecy may be at odds with other ethical considerations. As a general rule, social workers are expected to maintain client confidentiality. The courts play a crucial part in the decision-making process when protecting children who have been abused. For instance, in 1974, Congress passed CAPTA1, which gave states legal authority to implement their child protection policies and provided funding for new programs and national research to ensure these policies were implemented (Parton, 2020). However, primary ethical considerations should be explored to better appreciate the intricacies of child abuse and neglect, even while the law and standards of practice give ample support for the attitude of reporting suspected child endangerment.

Case study Vignette

Sally, one of my new clients, has told me that her father often beats her and her brother, who is 14 years old, resulting in bruises. Because Sally's father has announced his intention to leave the house shortly, Sally claims that this issue is already being addressed. As a result, Sally does not want me or the Children's Aid Society (CAS) to intervene because she fears her father's violence may escalate. While technically, I must wait a few weeks for the father to move out to end the continued abuse against the children, my client has requested that I notify the Children's Aid Society (CAS), implying that doing so would result in less damage for her and her family. What would you do first if you were in my situation? Either the former or the latter.

Reference

Parton, N. (2020). Addressing the relatively autonomous relationship between child maltreatment and child protection policies and practices.  International journal on child maltreatment: research, policy and practice,  3(1), 19-34.