Introduction
Philomena is a piece of literature which views the oppression of unmarried mothers in Ireland during the 1950’s. This essay will give light to a specific ethical dilemma that has been chosen within the literature. Firstly, an examination of the literature will be conducted and an ethical dilemma will be considered. Secondly, the procedure of resolving the ethical dilemma will be discussed. Furthermore, discussion will occur on the importance’s of a code of ethics amongst social care workers and the values and principles contained.
Part A
Ireland in the 1950’s was profoundly influenced by the role of the Catholic Church and Catholic nuns made up the majority of female workers (Tentler, 2007). In the case where a young woman would have premarital sex or fall pregnant at a young age it was seen as shameful to society and these women were incarcerated in an Abbey. The consequence for having premarital sex was exorbitant. It is evident in the literature that Philomena fell pregnant as a teenager and was sent by her family to the Roscrea Abbey for being labelled
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They believed that her pain throughout labour was penitence for her sins and therefore administered no pain relief despite Philomena needing/asking for it (Philomena, 2013). Philomena worked within the Abbey for four years as compensation for the nuns taking her in. Her son was in a separate location in the Roscrea Abbey and Philomena could only visit him for an hour a day once all her main chores were completed (Philomena, 2013). This process occurred until the day, a couple from America came to Roscrea and paid the nuns to “adopt” a child. The Catholic Church had the power and the nuns used this power to repress the vulnerable young mothers. Philomena’s story leads from there in hopes to find her son who was taken from her (Philomena,