Masters level lit review

Abstract

The project research for the Department of Child Services will aim to understand what the requirements from the Code of Conduct are, which includes confidentiality, morals, and ethics upheld by all employees. The research will explore the work done by Case Managers and the expectations from Human Resources within the Department. Morals and ethics will be analyzed against the Department’s Policy and Procedures and Code of Conduct. Participants included in the research are from the local field workers, supervisors, local office directors, clerks, and legal staff. A moral and ethical study will be used to compare and contrast perspectives of those involved with the Department of Child Services.

The Indiana Department of Child Services: Morals and Ethics

Introduction

I work for the Department of Child Services in Indiana as a Case Manager and I chose to use the Department as my project focus. With permission from the Department, I will be evaluating the role in moral and ethical aspects of decision-making within the Department of Child Services. Due to confidentiality of clients, statements by judicial officials, counsel, and co-workers I cannot share names in my project so I may use pseudonyms. The Department handles sensitive content daily that it will be challenging and interesting to compare and contrast the moral and ethical perspectives of the various stakeholders involved with child services. This may provide guidelines on how to make those clearer so that there is a shared method to service delivery. Also, I will evaluate the impact of different moral and ethical perspectives on program development and delivery.

From the research conducted I will be able to firsthand elaborate what field worker employees experience with co-workers, human resources, legal staff, and cliental. I plan to interview my co-workers, supervisor, local office director, and legal staff. Due to having daily interactions with those involved in my final project, I will be able to bounce ideas off of them on a regular basis. I will be able to conduct my research and interviews within the allotted timeframe from ease of access and knowledge to the Department’s employees. Also, I have weekly contact with the Department’s legal counsel and will be able to ensure my research does not cross confidentiality. I will be able to regularly document my findings and record them in a journal. I will seek approval from my director to speak with human resource staff if available to discuss current ethical and/or moral boundaries the Department and its affiliates must adhere to.

Project Timeline

Week 3-4

For my literature review, I will seek out resources offered by DCS, including the employee handbook and code of conduct. I will interview DCS employees about their perspective on the moral and ethics in the professional workplace. Edit any instructor feedback.

Week 5

Submit my literature review, including resources from DCS and the legal team. Continue with interviews, include employee experiences. Edit any instructor feedback.

Week 6-11

My research will be noted during weeks 5-11 in preparation for my week 12 journal. I will include how I conducted my research, what resources were used, include all gathered information from employee interviews, elaborate on total research done, explore incident reports (excluding names), examples of moral and ethical code violations given by employees, and fireable offenses by employees. Edit any instructor feedback.

Week 12

Submit my journal. Edit any instructor feedback.

Week 14-15

I will have my draft and capstone video submitted during weeks 14 and 15, allowing time for edits and suggestions from the Professor and the Department’s employees before the final submission Edit any instructor feedback.

Week 16

Make final adjustments or edits to the project. Submit any additional documents requested by the instructor.

Literature Review

The moral and ethical research conducted are reviewed by the Department of Child Services staff to ensure they are adhering to the Policy and Procedures Manual as well as the Code of Conduct. In this study they will be compared against one another to evaluate how they are applied to employees and cliental.

Employees

The Code of Conduct will first establish the Mission, Vision, and Values the Department’s employees must uphold.

“VISION Children thrive in safe, caring, supportive families and communities.

MISSION The Indiana Department of Child Services (DCS) protects children from abuse and neglect and works to ensure their financial support.

VALUES We believe every child has the right to be free from abuse and neglect. We believe every child has the right to appropriate care and a permanent home. We believe parents have the primary responsibility for the care and safety of their children. We believe the best place for children to grow up is with their own families. We believe children and older youth have the right to permanent and lifelong connections. We believe in personal accountability for outcomes, including one’s own growth and development. We believe every person has value, worth, and dignity.” (The Department of Child Services, 2013).

DCS employees are expected to follow all policies and procedures, which are explained and signed during the first week of employment. DCS employees- Case Managers are to be competent in holding their position, which will include a minimum of a Bachelors degree, clear background, and meet all licensing credentials. The procedures are in place to ensure honesty and integrity while carrying out specific goals within each case. It is often explained that each family deserves their confidentiality, much like the standards of HIPPA. Although, DCS is not a healthcare organization they include very personal details about the case, including their full social security numbers, phone numbers, address, past involvements, criminal involvements, sexual partners, income, place of employment, child support, substance use history, sexual orientation, and overall DCS involvement. A DCS employee violates the code of conduct by giving this information to other entities without the clients written permission (exception: law enforcement). DCS employees have the responsibility of the parents and children involved to always ensure the best interest of the child is met (Department of Child Services, 2013).

Clients

Moral and ethics are to be withheld to ensure that a client’s confidentiality and parental rights are maintained. While DCS employees are working with clients, they must obtain their consents to interview the children involved, consent to interview other professionals and known relatives, maintain their confidentiality, and ensure that the client knows their rights. When a client and their children are involved with DCS involuntarily, they have the opportunity to be represented by an attorney. The attorney representing the client protects and defends them and can also appeal any decision made if their basic rights were violated at the time of the children being removed.

DCS employers have a unique working relationship with cliental due to the personal nature of the allegations. Such as, going to the clients home various times of day or night, interviewing family members, interviewing children, interviewing witnesses (doctors, teachers, counselors, family members, other parents, etc.), taking pictures of marks or bruising, taking pictures of their home, asking personal questions, drug screening, and more. DCS employees are liable for mistakes made, therefore strict policy surrounding ethical and moral standards must be kept. DCS employees build working relationships with clients, often via phone, email, and in person. Typically, once a child is removed cases last about one year. DCS employees are expected to politely remind clients who cross the line of an ethical and moral violation, such as inappropriate texting or asking the DCS employee personal questions that it is unprofessional to engage. However, if a DCS employee gets comfortable a family where they are not focused on the case goals, but on being a client’s friend they are at risk of a write up. If a DCS employee engages in a personal or sexual relationship with a client, they are at risk of being fired (Indiana Department of Child Services, 2013).

References The Indiana Department of Child Services. Code of Conduct. (2013, January 1). Retrieved from https://secure.in.gov/dcs/files/Code_of_Conduct.pdf The Indiana Department of Child Services. Administrative Policies and Procedures. (2005, July 1). Retrieved from https://www.in.gov/dcs/files/HR-3-2%20Ethics.pdf