Case Study

You work in a partnership as a child minder with a close friend who smokes. You have agreed that when she needs to smoke she will go outside and that on her return she will clean her teeth or use mouthwash to eliminate the odour of the cigarette smoke. You are now pregnant with your first child. Since researching the effects of passive smoking you don’t think your child will be protected from the consequences of passive smoking with your current procedures. You are concerned about the smoke lingering on her clothes and skin, and you are concerned about how close to the house she smokes when you have windows and doors open.

1. What can you do to raise these concerns tactfully in a way that will further minimise the risk to yourself, your unborn baby and also to the children your are minding?
2. What procedures would you put in place to protect you all from the effects of passive smoking?

It is rare that there is just one way to respond to a scenario or situation, so do not consider that the responses you have to the above scenario will be judged as right or wrong. Share your scenario with a work colleague or friend and ask them to tell you whether they think you have responded appropriately. Ask them to challenge your response if necessary. You do not need to submit this task for assessment unless asked to do so by your assessor.