LMSW Practice Test

Hassan, his wife, and two daughters aged 11 and 13, moved to the United States from the Sudan seven years ago. Both parents sought and achieved citizenship. The year prior to a planned brief visit to Khartoum in the Sudan, both daughters ran away from home several times and were returned by the police. When asked by a social worker whether their parents mistreated them, both girls said their parents loved them and took good care of them. After careful inquiry, the social worker learned that the girls did not want to return to the Sudan because the purpose of the visit was to perform clitorectomies on both girls. What should the social worker do with this information?

1. Perform a home visit to better understand the family dynamics and determine a course of action.

2. Recommend family therapy sessions to address the mistrust between the parents and daughters.

3. The social worker can and should do nothing. Female circumcision is an accepted cultural practice in North Africa and among many Islamic cultures, and the worker has no warrant to impose her values on the family.

4. There is no question that this situation fits the criteria of child abuse. The worker should take immediate steps to involve the child protective agency and to prevent the family from performing the surgery.

The correct answer is: Perform a home visit to better understand the family dynamics and determine a course of action.

The most appropriate action in this scenario involves recognizing the serious implications of the situation surrounding the planned clitorectomies. The correct response emphasizes that the social worker must act decisively in the best interests of the children while also navigating the complexities of cultural practices and child welfare laws. In this case, female circumcision is a practice that can have serious physical and psychological consequences for the daughters. The fact that both girls expressed a desire to avoid returning to Sudan specifically to escape this practice indicates that it poses a potential threat to their well-being. The social worker's primary responsibility is to ensure the safety and welfare of the children. Therefore, this situation clearly falls within the criteria of child abuse, as it threatens their physical integrity and personal autonomy. Involving the child protective agency is crucial because they have the authority and resources to intervene effectively in situations where children may be at risk. This approach is supported by established child welfare protocols, which prioritize protecting children from harm while considering the legal and ethical dimensions of cultural practices. By taking immediate steps to involve appropriate authorities, the social worker can help prevent the harmful procedure and advocate for the rights and safety of the daughters.