Describe conflicts or dilemmas that may arise between the duty of care and an individual’s rights

Qualification:Level 3 Diploma in Adult Care
Unit name: Duty of Care
Learning outcome: 2. Know how to address conflicts or dilemmas that may arise between an individual’s rights and the duty of care
Assessment criteria: 2.1 Describe conflicts or dilemmas that may arise between the duty of care and an individual’s rights

Although you have a duty of care to protect the individuals that you care for from harm, you also have a duty to promote their rights, independence and choices. Sometimes, this can lead to conflicts or dilemmas between your duty of care and the individual’s rights.

For example:

an individual may have severe health risks due to being clinically obese, however, they still choose to eat a fatty and sugary diet
an individual may choose to remain a part of a social group in which they are being bullied
an individual may refuse important treatment
an individual chooses to smoke in bed despite the fire risks

In the next section, we will look at how these conflicts and dilemmas should be managed.