For this assignment, you will create your own model for ethical decision making as a child life specialist and present it in a formal paper (4-6 pages, not including cover or references). This paper should include the points you will consider (moral values, feeling responses to a situation, as well as personal and contextual factors, such as ambition, financials, self-interest, public interest in the profession, etc.), ethical principles you will consider (e.g., nonmaleficence, justice, etc.), and ethical rules you will follow (e.g., ACLP Code of Professional Practice). Most importantly, your paper should describe the steps that you will take (what you will do first, second, etc.) in order to understand conflicts in ethical problems and decide how to act in order to fulfill your moral and ethical responsibilities. You are encouraged to cite readings from the course, as well as outside readings that will help you to think about ethical decision-making further. However, this decision-making model should reflect you - your beliefs, your values, your style, etc. It should not be a copy of an ethical model you have read.

Following the explanation and discussion of your model, you should create an example of an ethical dilemma in which you would need to weigh the factors described above (ethical principles, ethical rules, etc.) and apply your model to show how you would make your clinical decision. Be specific and be thorough. This assignment is due later in the semester to allow you time to formulate your model and reflect on your perspective.  This gives you plenty of time to ask questions about your content, your thought process, or APA formatting! In general, papers receiving As are comprehensive, well-written, scholarly, in APA format, and error-free. B papers are well–written but have a deficiency in one of the above areas, and C papers have deficiencies in two or more of the above areas.