Child Rights and Ethical Dilemma: A Case Study of Mayah's Nap

This case study presents an ethical dilemma faced by a service centre director concerning a 2.5-year-old child named Mayah who becomes agitated after lunch and needs a nap. Mayah's parents, however, do not allow her to sleep during the day. The director, bound by professional ethics, child rights, and the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) regulations, must balance the parents' wishes with the child's welfare. Drawing upon Newman and Pollnitz's Ethical Response Cycle and Article 31 of the Rights of the Child, the director suggests that Mayah should be allowed to nap to ensure her health, well-being, and participation in recreational activities. The director emphasizes the importance of adhering to the Code of Ethics (2016) and making decisions that are in the best interest of the child, highlighting the need for rest and proper sleep to maintain Mayah's health. The director recommends strategies to ensure the child's well-being, including allowing her to nap, and to play and take part in sports so that she becomes tired and it is easy for her to get a good sleep at night.

Running head: CHILD RIGHTS AND ETHICAL DILEMMA
Child Rights and Ethical Dilemma
Name of the student
Name of the university
Author note

1CHILD RIGHTS AND ETHICAL DILEMMA
Mayah is a 2.5 year old child in my service centre who gets very tired and agitated after
lunch but her parents do not allow her to take a nap because then it becomes difficult for them to
put her to sleep at night. An educator in my service centre lets Mayah sleep during the day
analyzing the condition of the child and says that the child needs to sleep. As a director of the
service centre, I am obligated to act in a socially and professionally just way keeping in mind the
best interest of the child. As has been discussed by Newman and Pollnitz in his understanding of
the Ethical Response Cycle, he says that a teacher has to exercise myriad skills keeping in mind
the health and welfare of the child (Newman & Pollnitz, 2005). Therefore going through the
principle in his article, I suggest that Mayah’s health should be of prime importance and
therefore to help her overcome agitation and ensure she is relaxed, as parents they should let
Mayah take a nap in the afternoon. Newman and Pollnitz further substantiates ethical dilemma
by saying that a teacher while responding to an ethical dilemma must take into consideration
ethics in the light of morality. A teacher has various roles to play and therefore by virtue of the
position he holds, he is obligated to exercise morality and professional conduct (Carnevale et al.,
2015). By exercising in the best interest of Mayah, it is important that she gets proper sleep.
. The Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) is an independent
authority for the welfare and uplifment of the children which is concerned with child rights.
Abiding by the rules of ACECQA, as a director, I need to suggest proper care of the child.
Placing reliance on Article 31 of the Rights of the Child it is made obligatory on the State
parties to recognize the rights of the child, and in understanding the rights of the child, it is
important to let them rest and also allow the child to participate in cultural activities and take part
in recreational activities . To make sure Mayah stays healthy and happy and tireless, I
recommend that Mayah’s parents ensure she gets proper rest and sleep. Therefore, Mayah’s rest

2CHILD RIGHTS AND ETHICAL DILEMMA
is important keeping the welfare in mind. The Committee on the Rights of the Child also
includes the right to leisure and recreation and that should be done to ensure the health of the
child is not affected (Bartlett et al., 2016).
Presently faced with the dilemma, as a director my aim is to ensure that the health of
Mayah is not affected. Being the caretaker of the child at the centre, I suggest the parents that
Mayah be made to play or take part in sports so that she becomes tired and it is easy for her to
get a good sleep at night. Following the Code of Ethics, 2016, I am placed in a position of trust
that I need to effectuate in relation to the child as well as the parent of the child and the
colleagues I work with (Shapiro & Stefkovich, 2016).
Therefore, keeping in mind all the relevant legislation and documents, I, as the director,
exercising the moral code of conduct, believe that Mayah needs to be rested by her parents in the
afternoon as that is in the best interest of her health and well being. Though I am faced with the
moral dilemma between two variables, I believe the better alternative should prevail, that is,
letting nap in the afternoon is a solution in the current condition.

3CHILD RIGHTS AND ETHICAL DILEMMA
Reference
Bartlett, S., Hart, R., Satterthwaite, D., de la Barra, X., & Missair, A. (2016). Cities for children:
children's rights, poverty and urban management. Routledge.
Carnevale, F. A., Campbell, A., Collin‐Vézina, D., & Macdonald, M. E. (2015). Interdisciplinary
studies of childhood ethics: developing a new field of inquiry. Children & Society, 29(6),
511-523.
Newman, L., & Pollnitz, L. (2005). Working with children and families: Professional, legal and
ethical issues.
Shapiro, J. P., & Stefkovich, J. A. (2016). Ethical leadership and decision making in education:
Applying theoretical perspectives to complex dilemmas. Routledge.