Ethical dilemmas in care

Overview

In this lesson, students explore ethical issues that arise in health and social care and practise analysing dilemmas using recognised ethical approaches. They will debate solutions as a class and then write an independent report using evidence and ethical reasoning.

Learning intentions

• Students will WALT identify and analyse ethical dilemmas in health and social care scenarios.
• Students will WALT apply ethical frameworks (such as duty-based ethics, outcome-focused reasoning, and care-based approaches) to propose solutions.
• Students will WALT present a clear, respectful justification for decisions under uncertainty.
• Students will WALT reflect on how ethics connects to values, rights, and professional responsibilities.

Success criteria

• I can explain what the dilemma is and identify the competing values or duties.
• I can apply an ethical framework to justify my proposed solution.
• I can evaluate likely impacts on different stakeholders and outcomes.
• I can present my reasoning clearly in discussion and in a short report.

Curriculum links

• Personal wellbeing: making responsible decisions and managing risk.
• Healthy relationships: consent, boundaries, respect, and safeguarding thinking.
• Rights and responsibilities: understanding ethical choices in public and social contexts.
• Developing arguments: using evidence and reasoning to communicate views respectfully.

Lesson structure (60 minutes)

1. 0–5 min — Recall and settle

• Students complete a quick “ethics recap” prompt: define ethics and list two values that often clash in care situations.
• Teacher shares the lesson aim and assessment focus: scenario analysis + justified solutions.

2. 5–15 min — Scenario analysis warm-up

• In pairs, students read a teacher-provided case (e.g., whether to share information, prioritise a limited resource, or support an individual’s choice when others disagree).
• Each pair fills a “Dilemma T-Chart”: “What matters most?” vs “What creates conflict?”
• Teacher circulates, checking that students identify stakeholders (patient/service user, family, staff, wider community).

3. 15–28 min — Build knowledge: ethical frameworks

• Short input (teacher-led) introduces three lenses with simple prompts:
• Duty/rights lens: what responsibilities must be followed?
• Outcomes lens: what action best improves overall wellbeing and reduces harm?
• Care lens: what would compassionate, relationship-based support look like?
• Students highlight in the scenario where each lens could apply, then choose one lens to use in their own solution.

4. 28–44 min — Transformation: class debate

• Teacher groups students into teams of 4–5 and assigns each team a position (or rotating role): “protect rights,” “minimise harm,” or “best support relationship/needs.”
• Teams prepare a 2-minute argument including: dilemma summary, ethical lens, stakeholders impacted, and a proposed action.
• Class runs a timed debate with rules: respond to reasoning, not personal opinion; use respectful language; acknowledge trade-offs.

5. 44–52 min — Solution presentation (structured)

• Each group shares a final solution in a “claim-evidence-reasoning” format.
• Teacher gives brief feedback on clarity and ethics use, focusing on whether the solution addresses the dilemma and considers impacts.

6. 52–60 min — Independent learning set-up + submission expectations

• Teacher explains the independent task (report) and shows an outline:
• Introduction to the ethical issue
• Ethical dilemma and stakeholders
• Framework-based analysis
• Proposed solution with justification
• Short reflection: what you would do if information changed
• Students draft their opening paragraph in class (5–6 lines) to reduce barriers later.

Resources

• Teacher-prepared ethical scenario(s) relevant to health and social care (age-appropriate, college context)
• Scenario analysis worksheet (stakeholders, competing values, ethical lens prompts)
• “Claim–evidence–reasoning” template for group presentations
• Ethical frameworks prompt cards (duty/rights, outcomes, care lens)
• A3 or slide for debate rules and timing structure
• Quiet work corner option for students who prefer reduced discussion
• Marking checklist for report quality (clarity, ethical reasoning, consideration of impacts)
• Dyslexia-friendly reading packs: shortened text version of the scenario with key facts and sentence chunking
• Coloured highlighters for identifying values/duties/outcomes

Assessment

• Formative: teacher listens during scenario discussions and debate to check ethical understanding and stakeholder awareness.
• Summative-in-progress: students’ drafted report openings and group solutions show whether they can apply an ethical framework.
• Exit reflection (oral or written sentence): “One ethical factor I considered most strongly was…”

Differentiation

• Support: provide a simplified scenario summary, sentence starters (“The dilemma involves…”, “A duty-based approach would…”), and a worked example of one stakeholder impact.
• Support (reading): dyslexia-friendly pack with reduced wording and larger font; allow audio read-through of the scenario by teacher/TA.
• Extension (advanced learners): require balancing of two ethical lenses and a brief counter-argument (e.g., strongest reason someone might disagree, and your response).
• Challenge: some students choose a harder variant of the scenario (added uncertainty or conflicting professional responsibilities) and must revise their solution.

Extension (optional)

• For students who finish early, write an additional paragraph answering: “How should professionals handle disagreement ethically, especially when legal duties and personal beliefs conflict?”