Who should send Daniel’s update today?
You are a support worker at Alderbank, a fictional adult support service in England.
The question
Daniel’s sister asks what time his Thursday art group starts. Tamsin is the shift lead and can update the note that the team sees.
- Daniel’s earlier notePlease tell my sister the start time for my Thursday group.
For this message, follow Daniel’s current instruction. Check with him before you send the update.
“Decide what to tell Daniel and his sister, and what to ask the shift lead to record.”
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A strong answer, step by step
Open each step in turn. This is one strong answer, not the only one.
Step 1: What does the earlier note cover?
What would you do here? Open the move you’d make.
Check the named recipient and exact detail.
The strong move. It keeps the response within the scope of the note.
Treat a family relationship as permission to share the full plan.
Tempting, but it misses something. This case’s note covers the start time alone.
Send the full activity list so she can plan ahead.
Tempting, but it misses something. The request and note both cover one activity.
See how a strong candidate says it
“The earlier note names one recipient and the group’s start time. It gives no instruction to share the rest of Daniel’s plan.”
Why it works: The request has a defined recipient and detail.
Step 2: What do you ask Daniel?
What would you do here? Open the move you’d make.
Use the old note without checking.
Tempting, but it misses something. The case rule requires the current instruction.
Ask the sister to choose which details you should send.
Tempting, but it misses something. Daniel decides which update he wants the team to give.
Ask Daniel what he wants sent this week.
The strong move. He can confirm the old instruction or give a different one.
See how a strong candidate says it
“Do you still want us to send your sister the start time for this Thursday?”
Why it works: The rule for the exercise asks for Daniel’s current instruction.
Step 3: What will you do with the time?
Daniel says, “I want to text her myself today. Please don’t send it for me.”
What would you do here? Open the move you’d make.
Send the time anyway using the earlier note.
Tempting, but it misses something. Daniel has changed the instruction for today.
Leave the message with Daniel.
The strong move. It follows his instruction for today.
Send the time to the sister without saying it is from Daniel.
Tempting, but it misses something. That still sends the detail Daniel asked you to leave with him.
See how a strong candidate says it
“I’d leave the update with Daniel. If he asks for help writing the message, I can give the help he wants.”
Why it works: Daniel has said he wants to send the update himself.
Step 4: What does Tamsin need to know?
What would you do here? Open the move you’d make.
Remove his sister from every future update.
Tempting, but it misses something. Daniel changed the instruction for today.
Ask Tamsin to record the change for today and check any reply with Daniel.
The strong move. The next worker gets the correct instruction for this update.
See how a strong candidate says it
“I’d ask Tamsin to record that Daniel wants to send this week’s time himself. If Daniel wants us to reply, I’d tell his sister, “Daniel will contact you directly.””
Why it works: The lead can make today’s instruction clear. Daniel decides whether a brief reply would help.
The answer, in short
- Decision
- Leave today’s update with Daniel and tell Tamsin what he requested.
- Because
- Daniel gave a current instruction for this message.
- What would change it
- If Daniel asks the team to give an update, confirm which detail he wants sent and to whom.
Common traps
- Assume an earlier instruction applies to every message.
- Share other details because someone is a relative.
Check your answer
- I checked the old instruction’s scope.
- I asked Daniel for his current choice.
- I left the update with him.
- I told the lead about today’s change.
Last reviewed Nov 11, 2026