ethics of social work

Social workers should recognise their own prejudices to ensure they do not discriminate against any person or group. Being trustworthy Social workers should work in a way that is honest, reliable and open, clearly explaining their roles, interventions and decisions and not seeking to deceive or manipulate people who use their services, their colleagues or employers. They should identify, develop, use and disseminate knowledge, theory and practice. The term ‘social work values’ refers to a range of beliefs about what is regarded as worthy or valuable in a social work context (general beliefs about the nature of the good society, general principles about how to achieve this through actions, and the desirable qualities or character traits of professional practitioners). Social workers should not collude with the erosion of human rights or allow their skills to be used for inhumane purposes such as systematic abuse, detention of child asylum seekers and threats to family life of those in vulnerable positions. There will be variations in interpretation and guidance in the different countries. It is relevant to all social workers and social work students regardless of their specific functions or settings. It is understood that social work in the 21st century is dynamic and evolving, and therefore no definition should be regarded as exhaustive. The Anti-Poverty Practice Guide for Social Work, IFSW and other international social work organisations, Influencing social work policy in the Commonwealth, Practice, policy and education groups (PPEGs), Coronavirus (COVID-19) guidance for Independents, Umbrella service companies & tax avoidance scheme investigations, Professional Capabilities Framework (PCF), Practice Educator Professional Standards (PEPS) 2020, Support for newly-qualified social workers, The international definition of social work (2014)*, Professional Support Service: Access support, Professional Support Service: Frequently Asked Questions, Copyright © 2021 British Association of Social Workers. In the context of professional practice, the use of the term ‘belief’ reflects the status that values have as stronger than mere opinions or preferences. They should record only relevant matters and specify the source of information. Search for other … They should challenge and seek to address any actions of colleagues who demonstrate negative discrimination or prejudice. It recognises the complexity of interactions between human beings and their environment, and the capacity of people both to be affected by and to alter the multiple influences upon them including biopsychosocial factors. Social workers should support people to reach informed decisions about their lives and promote their autonomy and independence, provided this does not conflict with their safety or with the rights of others. BASW’s Code of Ethics first adopted in 1975, has been revised and updated on several occasions. Section 3 comprises practice principles which indicate how the general ethical principles outlined in Section 2 should be put into practice in a UK context. As part of the social work values outlined in the NASW Code of Ethics, each social worker must practice within his or her scope of competence and avoid misrepresenting his or her skills or experience to potential clients. Working definitions of ethics and values are given in the Appendix. Social workers need to explain the nature of that confidentiality to people with whom they work and any circumstances where confidentiality must be waived should be made explicit. In codes of ethics principles are often divided into two kinds: Ethical principles – general statements of ethical principles underpinning the work, relating to attitudes, rights and duties about human welfare, for example: ‘respect for the autonomy of service users’; ‘promotion of human welfare’. They should work towards promoting the best interests of individuals and groups in society and the avoidance of harm. E-mail: s.j.banks@durham.ac.uk. These ethics are of great importance to all social work students as well. Recognising diversity Social workers should recognise and respect the diversity of the societies in which they practise, taking into account individual, family, group and community differences. Social workers should only take actions which diminish peoples’ civil or legal rights if it is ethically, professionally and legally justifiable. Ethical awareness is fundamental to the professional practice of social workers. It offers a set of values, principles and standards to guide decision-making and everyday professional conduct of social workers. In everyday usage, ‘values’ is often used to refer to one or all of religious, moral, cultural, political or ideological beliefs, principles, attitudes, opinions or preferences. The publication of the enquiry into the social work role in adoption will invite frontline professionals to engage with thinking about ethics, human rights and moral issues in the profession.. At least, that is the hope of Ruth Allen, chief executive of the British Association of Social Workers (BASW), who spoke to Community Care after the enquiry’s publication on Thursday. Social workers have a responsibility to respect and uphold the values and principles of the profession and act in a reliable, honest and trustworthy manner. Although social work is a profession laden with contradictions, the primary task within the social work profession is to ensure that the directives and principles enshrined in social work ethics, call on social workers to establish human rights and willingly be able to challenge unjust principles (Allan et al 2009). Principles of social justice, human rights, collective responsibility and respect for diversities are central to social work. This is to make sure that ethics and values are upheld by all social workers. The NASW Code of Ethics sets forth these values, principles, and standards to guide social workers’ conduct. Social workers should assist people to understand and exercise their rights including making complaints and other remedies. People who use social work services may be individuals (children, young people or adults), families or other groups or communities. BASW expects employers to ensure social workers’ learning and development needs are met and seek adequate resources to do so. The Routledge Handbook of Social Work Ethics and Values is a comprehensive exploration and assessment of current and future issues facing social work practice and education. Ethical conflicts, and the moral distress which they may cause, can give rise to unease, guilt, and burnout (Raines 2000). Upholding the values and reputation of the profession Social workers should act at all times in accordance with the values and principles of the profession and ensure that their behaviour does not bring the profession into disrepute. The Association has a duty to ensure as far as possible that its members discharge their ethical obligations and are afforded the professional rights necessary for the safeguarding and promotion of the rights of people who use social work services. Working in solidarity Social workers, individually, collectively and with others have a duty to challenge social conditions that contribute to social exclusion, stigmatisation or subjugation, and work towards an inclusive society. Contact: Luke Geoghegan, Policy Team Cross Sector Attachments. They should engage in ethical debate with their colleagues and employers to share knowledge and take responsibility for making ethically informed decisions. These include counselling, clinical social work, group work, social pedagogical work, and family treatment and therapy as well as efforts to help people obtain services and resources in the community. It responds to crises and emergencies as well as to everyday personal and social problems. As such, social workers are change agents in society and in the lives of the individuals, families and communities they serve. Social workers have a responsibility to apply the professional values and principles set out above to their practice. Making considered professional judgements Social workers should make judgements based on balanced and considered reasoning, maintaining awareness of the impact of their own values, prejudices and conflicts of interest on their practice and on other people. The Code of Ethics for Social Work Social workers should promote and contribute to the development of positive policies, procedures and practices which are anti-oppressive and empowering. Social work practice addresses the barriers, inequities and injustices that exist in society. Social workers should reflect and critically evaluate their practice and be aware of their impact on others. Since its beginnings over a century ago, social work practice has focused on meeting human needs and developing human potential. Professional practice standards – very specific guidance relating to professional practice, for example: ‘declare a bequest in a client’s will’; ‘advertising should not claim superiority’. Reflect on recent decisions you’ve made Social workers should ascertain and respect, as far as possible, each individual’s preferences, wishes and involvement in decision making, whether or not they or other persons have powers to make decisions on the person’s behalf. Challenging discrimination Social workers have a responsibility to challenge discrimination on the basis of characteristics such as ability, age, culture, gender or sex, marital status, socio-economic status, political opinions, skin colour, racial or other physical characteristics, sexual orientation or spiritual beliefs. Treating each person as a whole Social workers should be concerned with the whole person, within the family, community, societal and natural environments, and should seek to recognise all aspects of a person’s life. This is an accessible and well-structured read. There will be difficult choices to make that will have important conse- quences for individual lives. The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics is a set of guiding principles to assist social workers in making decisions in the best interests of their clients, even if they might contradict what we might do in our personal lives. They help in making sound judgments and decisions when dealing with all segments of the population regardless of the clients’ religion, race, or ethnicity. The professional association for social work and social workers, The Anti-Poverty Practice Guide for Social Work, IFSW and other international social work organisations, Influencing social work policy in the Commonwealth, Practice, policy and education groups (PPEGs), Coronavirus (COVID-19) guidance for Independents, Umbrella service companies & tax avoidance scheme investigations, Professional Capabilities Framework (PCF), Practice Educator Professional Standards (PEPS) 2020, Support for newly-qualified social workers, Professional Support Service: Access support, Professional Support Service: Frequently Asked Questions, Copyright © 2021 British Association of Social Workers. The Association has a duty to ensure as far as possible that its members discharge their ethical obligations and are afforded the professional rights necessary for the safeguarding and promotion of the rights of people who use social work services. They should exercise authority appropriately to safeguard people with whom they work and to ensure people have as much control over their lives as is consistent with the rights of others. practice. Social workers should give people the information they need to make informed choices and decisions. BASW expects all employers to provide appropriate professional supervision for social workers and promote effective team work and communication. This Code includes four sections: The first Section, "Preamble," summarizes the social work profession's mission and core values. Human rights and social justice serve as the motivation and justification for social work action. The ethical practice principles apply across the UK but they are not intended to be exhaustive or to constitute detailed prescription. They should analyse and evaluate the quality and outcomes of their practice with people who use social work services. Copyright © British Association of Social Workers The Code is also supported by other BASW policy documents. The Code of Ethics states the values and ethical principles on which the profession is based. The British Association of Social Workers is the professional association for social workers in the United Kingdom (UK). Social work values are embodied in the profession’s national and international codes of ethics. Social workers should respect the principles of confidentiality that apply to their relationships and ensure that confidential information is only divulged with the consent of the person using social work services or the informant. So, for example, ‘social workers should respect the autonomy of service users’ is an ethical principle; whereas, ‘social workers should not disclose confidential information to third-party payers unless clients have authorised such disclosure’ might be regarded as an ethical standard or rule. Ethical awareness is a necessary part of the professional practice of any social worker. They should endeavour to seek changes in policies, procedures, improvements to services or working conditions as guided by the ethics of the profession. Social work is a service-based profession, your duties lie in helping others, so … Social workers should recognise that people using social work services have the right to take risks and should enable them to identify and manage potential and actual risk, while seeking to ensure that their behaviour does not harm themselves or other people. About us. Ethical Case Studies. The Code of Ethics for Social Work Values and ethical principles wwwww British Association of Social Workers 9 2.2 Social justice Value Social workers have a responsibility to promote social justice, in relation to society generally, and in relation to the people with whom they work. Professional social work is focused on problem solving and change. Professional social workers often hold undergraduate or Master’s degree in Social Work, but a fair amount of their knowledge comes from gaining on-the-job experience. In an ethical dilemma, any of the possible actions or responses the social worker can make inevitably requires the breaching or compromise of a least one ethical principle. Exceptions to this may only be justified on the basis of a greater ethical requirement such as evidence of serious risk or the preservation of life. Copyright © British Association of Social Workers, No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form without the written permission of the copyright owner, The professional association for social work and social workers, All BASW members sign our Code of Ethics, which has underpinned social work practice since 1975. Social work utilises a variety of skills, techniques, and activities consistent with its holistic focus on persons and their environments. Underpinned by theories of social work, social sciences, humanities and indigenous knowledge, social work engages people and structures to address life challenges and enhance wellbeing.". Social workers should take responsibility for ensuring they have access to professional supervision and discussion which supports them to reflect and make sound professional judgements based on good practice. Author: The Policy, Ethics and Human Rights Committee Home. The social work profession draws on theories of human development and behaviour and social systems to analyse complex situations and to facilitate individual, organisational, social and cultural changes. social work. Principles are essential norms in a system of thought or belief, which form the basis of reasoning in that system. Social work is an interrelated system of values, theory and practice. Social workers should contribute to the education and training of colleagues and students by sharing knowledge and practice wisdom. The NASW Code of Ethics is intended to serve as a guide to the everyday professional conduct of social workers. Being professionally accountable Social workers should be prepared to account for and justify their judgements and actions to people who use services, to employers and the general public. Principles of professional practice – general statements about how to achieve what is intended for the good of the service user, for example: ‘collaboration with colleagues’. Social workers should build and sustain professional relationships based on people’s right to control their own lives and make their own choices and decisions. The individual help seeker is in a position of weakness that is some- times very evident. Social workers should ensure the sharing of information is subject to ethical requirements in respect of privacy and confidentiality across agencies and professions, and within a multi-purpose agency. 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