Theoretical Approach To Lana's Case Summary

Kohlberg’s Theoretical Approach to Lana’s Case There are times when a child’s safety and needs may not be met with the care of the family, despite help or assessing the extent to which parents or caregivers are not able to care for the child. In such a situation, placing the child in an alternative permanent placement via legal guardianship, adoption, or long-term foster care would best serve the interest of the child. To arrive at a decision of permanent placement assessments are carried out before to assess the child’s physical, emotional, and developmental needs and the parents’ or caretakers’ ability to meet the child’s needs. Lastly, to identify areas where child’s needs and parents’ or caretakers’ capabilities are fit or can cause harm.

Specifically, Leah’s moral-decision making and thought process can be understood with Kohlberg’s level 2 stage with disregard of Kohlberg’s age limit. Considering the circumstances of Leah’s family, her parent’s unwillingness to engage in preventative services and being a foster youth in out-of-home placement Kohlberg’s model is used to conceptualize her case. Kohlberg’s model can be utilized to understand Leah’s developed moral reasoning due to the opinion of others, pleasing others and self-interest as it will be discussed in this paper.

Kohlberg’s Moral Development Theory Lawrence Kohlberg proposed people develop their moral framework in a series of three levels and six stages in the order listed. Kohlberg was interested in the reasons given for the moral decision. As we grow older moral reasoning changes through the series of stages from external behavior control to moral decision are internally controlled.

The first level, the preconventional, is characterized as moral decisions are based on external standards (Zastrow & Kirst-Ashman, 2013, p.322). The first stage of level 1 is focused on avoiding punishment for example; children do what they are told to avoid punishment. The second stage of level 1 is based on rewards as opposed to punishment for example; children do

Leah’s decision to inform her mother of the physical assault was an act upon preventing further negative punishment. In spite of this, her return to her father’s home after the physical assault was a form of punishment and the moral to inform an adult for protection was doubted. The third stage of level 2 focuses on the opinions of others, behavior is governed by what pleases others and gaining the approval of others Zastrow & Kirst-Ashman, 2013, p.324). Leah was given hope to return back home with her mother if she were to improve her behavior and academics. Unfortunately, the possibility to return home seemed to be impossible in spite of her improvements in academics and dissociate of her previous peers. Leah focused on gaining approval from her mother to return home and her understanding of good behavior was considered what pleased her mom. Despite affirming her improvements, the opinions of her mother became mistrusting and the validity was