EYE11-2
Table of Contents
Case Study
In the Children’s Centre there is a very definite non-smoking policy. Smoking is not allowed anywhere within 10 metres of the building, due to the fact that children are on site and in the enclosed areas outside.
Staff at the Children’s Centre know that there are several parents who smoke close by to their children and also one young mum of a 2 year old who is expecting another baby and is smoking openly during her pregnancy.
Some of the staff feel very strongly about how she might be harming the baby and there is a rumour going round that they are going to speak to the mum about it and tell her about the risks to her baby if she carries on and how it is abuse to be smoking whilst pregnant. The manager hears about this rumour and says that no one must tackle this lady about her smoking. They will inform her in a less aggressive way, where she does not feel bullied or that everyone thinks badly of her.
They decide to run a noticeboard campaign to inform all centre users about the risks associated with passive smoking for unborn babies as well as the health risks to the smoker themselves. Several members of staff offer to stay behind to work on an information board, so that the campaign can begin the following day. They have also planned a smoking awareness coffee morning with an NHS stop smoking adviser in attendance. To make the gathering seem more attractive they are holding a second-hand children’s book sale at the session with proceeds going towards new books for the Centre.
- What do you think about the manager stepping in?
- Have they come up with a good plan?
- What should go on the information board?
- How else could the setting help the smokers to quit?
It is rare that there is just one way to respond to a scenario or situation, so do not consider that the response you have chosen to this scenario will be judged as right or wrong. Share your scenario with a work colleague and ask them to tell you if 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 tutor.