Please pick 3 of the provided topics, your choice, and define AND provide a solid real-life example for each topic. Each question is worth (1) point total. It will be scored ½ point for your definition and ½ point for your example. Please post all completed quizzes to your Individual newsgroup. DUE THURSDAY!!!
1. Neutrality: State of being neutral, being unengaged between others, and taking no part in sides. Example, the mother of Tiffany had to remain neutral when deciding upon allowing her to go to her father’s house, the mother must keep her personal feelings from interfering with her decision.
2. Confidentiality: Privacy or secrecy, limited to the people authorized to use the documents or information. Example, the therapists must keep all information confidential as no topic is spoken upon outside of the room with the client. The client’s information is confidential, therefore sworn to be kept safe and private.
3. Advocacy: The influence of decisions affecting the interests of a person or persons. Advocacy is to help clients negotiate more effectively. Example, the health advocacy is promoting and supporting health care, in which the advocate supports the enhancement of health care, quality of health care, and the availability of health care to patients. Discuss the benefit of the BATNA approach when dealing with a powerful negotiator or a strong personality, such as an agency administrator of the client themselves (2 pts).
Since BATNA means the Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement the benefit to this approach is that BATNA gives the client an alternate plan when things start to get out of control. The BATNA approach can also benefit a client as he or she can use it to their advantage and be able to walk away from the negotiator. If the BATNA is strong then the bargaining power is stronger. If your BATNA is strong then the agency will be more willing to negotiate. Agencies like to avoid court, which benefits the person because the person can use the interest-based approach to negotiating.
3. List 3 characteristics that are used in developing efficient negotiation skills (3 pts).
a. Analysis
b. Strategies
c. Skills
4. As a human service professional, what is your ethical obligation regarding advocacy? (1 pt).
Being aware or developing awareness of one’s own values and priorities the make sure that your values don’t impose on your clients values, promoting changes for clients and causes, and influencing change.
5. Briefly discuss one of the barriers that are experienced in regards to effective service delivery (1 pt).
Finding a solution: Finding the solution is the most important factor in the service and not being able to find a solution creates no result or outcome for the client. Therefore leaving the client with no answer to their problems or concerns.
CASE SCENARIO (5 PTS)
Benjamin is a sight-impaired 7 year old foster child. He has been attending a mainstream public school and excelling. Benjamin is bright and sociable, and he seems very contented with his situation. Although he takes some regular classes, he also has an instructor who assists with his learning of Braille and computer resources every day. Because of budget cuts, the Board of Education now says that he must attend a school for the blind, explaining that they can no longer afford special tutors in the school.
The position as Benjamin’s advocate is to keep him in this school, as his foster parent’s can’t afford to send him to a private school, nor can the agency provide either the services or the funding. The case worker (advocate) has worked with Benjamin since he was 3 years old, and he is just now seems to be thriving.
Be sure to add descriptive plans to your answer. Don't just state the obvious!!
6. Discuss your role as Benjamin’s foster parent. You have spent many hours of time and energy being an advocate for Benjamin. It has been difficult acclimating Benjamin not only to his new home, but to a new school and peer group. Benjamin is one of 5 foster children in your care and you are feeling very frustrated, both with the agency and the school system. You like your advocate; however, can she really keep Benjamin in public school?
As the foster parent I would personally look into other public schools that have the available services in order for Benjamin to remain in a public school system. Another solution would be to look in to financial assistance availability if Benjamin has to attend the private school. The third plan would be to get the advocate to advocate for funding for the Braille learning to be provided in the current school Benjamin attends, if the advocate makes awareness to others in the community then there could be a chance that a community organization might be able to help with the funding.
7. Discuss your role as a school board representative. This has been a tough year due to teacher cutbacks, reduction in programs, etc.You see Benjamin’s situation as tragic, although you recognize that those resources being used to tutor Benjamin could be spent on things that would benefit more than one child. You have concerns that Benjamin won’t do as well if he is transferred to another school, however, you feel your hands are tied. This is the part of your job that you like least. Can anything else be done? Can we bend anywhere else to make concessions?
As the school board representative I would seek out to find a volunteer or a person in the community that is able to replace the Braille tutor without pay. This option of finding a volunteer would solve the solution as no funding would be spent and Benjamin would not have to attend a new school. Second would be to find a way in which the spending could be split therefore saving some funding for Benjamin’s extra needs and help. Three would be to advocate for the help of Benjamin as he deserves, changes can be too drastic and a child in need of help does not deserve to go through that situation. Finding help and reaching out is the best thing to do.
8. Provide one helpful website that you researched during your website review assignment and briefly explain how and why it is beneficial (1pt).
Children’s Advocacy Center of Georgia: The reason in which this website is beneficial is the help the Advocacy Center provides. The type of help the center provides is collaborating with organizations and agencies to support victims of abuse and neglect. The center also provides resources for children and families. The center advocates for children, always places them first, and focuses on the best interest of the child. The staff also always maintains a high ethical standard to provide the best possible service to the children.