Defining Social Work
When working in a field of expertise the experts in that field need to know what defines the field. Social work, with its roots over a hundred years old, started out simply offering assistance to others has grown, changed, and is currently reconnecting with its roots (Bisman, 2004). Bisman (2004) emphasizes the importance of being an advocator of justice and keeping the field focused on the “social” part of social work. This push to keep social work focused on the needs of others defines social work today. Social work focuses on providing aide to the needy and lifting up those that are oppressed. The National Association of Social Work (NASW) has identified a set of values that all social workers (NASW, 2008). Social work values are broadly covered when you define social work as being a profession of aiding those in need and addressing oppression. Helping those in need directly relates to the values of addressing needs of others. The definition also addresses the importance of addressing oppression. This relates to the values of addressing injustice, individuality and promoting harmony. On a broader perspective, all social workers are encouraged to continually pursue knowledge in their area and maintain ethical practices. Values have the purpose of ensuring that helpers always strive for what is best for the client. Manning (1997) points out that “the power to intervene in people’s lives carries with it unique responsibilities to society that are
A career in Social Work requires conviction to personal values that reflect and uphold the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics. Professional ethics are the foundation of social work, as the trade has an innate obligation to endorse ethical principles and basic values to advocate for the wellness of others. The core values adopted by all social workers, as distinguished by NASW, are service, social justice, dignity and worth of the person, importance of human relationships, integrity, and competence. As a Clinical Social Worker, I will honor the NASW Code of Ethics in addition to my personal values of respect, self determination, responsibility, motivation, and wisdom. My personal values complement the NASW Code of Ethics and will resonate in my work as a social worker.
The social work values that I found, are dignity and worth of a person, and importance of human relations. Dr. Rodgers had a young man that lied to him several times, however he continued to help him. He gave him food, and a place to rest, all the while knowing that he was lying to him. He could see past the lying; he knew the
As a social worker many problems may arise because of the constant grey area of either letting your personal values interfere with your professional opinion. It is essential to provide your client with information and tools to help them succeed and overcome their problems. Following the core values is essential to being a resourceful, competent social worker. In some cases, core values are in conflict. In a situation where more than one core value is in conflict it is considered an ethical dilemma (Hick, 2009). It’s not guaranteed that a perfect solution will arise, therefore one of the core values is subsided because the other has more of an impact on the client.
The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) has written a code of ethics that serves many purposes. The main purpose is to identify the core ethics and values that provide the foundation for the profession. It details six basic principles for social workers to follow: service, social justice, dignity and worth, human relationships, integrity, and competence (National Association of Social Workers, 1999). The code acts as an ethical guide for students, and those professionals just
According to the National Association of Social Work, “The primary mission of the social work profession is to enhance human well-being and help meet the basic human needs of all people, with particular attention to the needs and empowerment of people who are vulnerable, oppressed, and living in poverty. A historic and defining feature of social work is the profession’s focus on individual well-being in a social context and the well-being of society. Fundamental to social work is attention to the environmental forces that create, contribute to, and address problems in living.”
The values set by their profession bind social workers by guiding their actions and decision-making in a professional setting. They are to respect the dignity and worth of persons, to strive for social justice, to offer humanity service, and to show integrity, confidentiality, and competence in their professional practice (CASW, 2005, p. 4).
The core values of social work are service to humans, desire to improve lives and understanding of needs of their clients and supporting them to the best of the social worker’s ability by following strict guidelines set by General Social Care Council (GSCC) Code of Conduct. Social justice is another value set to identify, help and protect the vulnerable clients, e.g. individuals with mental health illnesses, children, elderly people and victims of domestic violence that could be subject to either direct or indirect
My understanding of the social work profession and its core values is that social workers are caregivers, they provide assistance to people in need, and they address social problems. The social worker goal is the improvement of society to ameliorate the lives of individuals in need. The social work profession mission is to enhance the well-being of people and to assist them in meeting their basic needs, with particular emphasis on the needs of the poor, and the vulnerable individual. The Social Work profession has six core values. These core values are the foundation of the social work profession. The social worker incorporates these core values into his daily practices. Service to others is one of the fundamental values of social work. Social workers goal is serving others and putting the needs of their clients ahead of their own. Social justice is another core value of social work. Social workers aim at improving the lives of the disadvantaged, vulnerable people who are less fortunate or unable to advocate for themselves. Social workers understand the essential value of every human life, regardless of ethnic background, cultural differences or religious beliefs. Their goal is to respect the dignity and worth of every person. Another key value of social work is integrity. The social workers conduct themselves in a trustworthy, honest, and responsible manner at all times. Competence is another important core value of the social work profession. The
In chapter 2 of Social Work Skills for Beginning Direct Practice by Cummins, the main topic of discussion was on the various values and ethics in the social work profession. I really like Cummins (2012) definition on the mission of social work, he states “Social work stands for the social welfare of all people and is committed to social justice through social change at the individual, family, community, agency, and structured levels” (pg. 19). The core values in social work are self-determination, empowerment, confidentiality, and a belief in the inherent worth and dignity of all people (Cummins, 2012, pg. 19). In the profession of social work these values are represented in the daily actions of a social worker. These values are seen in
The Bachelor of Social Work degree is more than just a qualification in my eyes. It goes beyond receiving a title or a piece of paper at the end of my schooling. Social Work is a career where you do not only learn how to help others, you also learn how to help yourself. I am excited to learn new ways to enhance my self-awareness and mindfulness. I am confident that I will be more comfortable with articulating my own thoughts and emotions throughout this experience. I know how important it is to build relationships and make connections during school.
The six core values of social work are integrity, social justice, competence, dignity and worth of the individual, service, and importance of human relationships. It is vital that a social worker shows that they have integrity, meaning that they should have trustworthy tendencies. Social workers must entice social justice. They should assure that social change is okay and be there for those who are considered oppressed. Social workers should always remain competent and be willing to expand their knowledge and use it to the best of their abilities. Having dignity and knowing the worth of the clients is very important. Social workers should always remain respectful no matter the situation. The goal of a social worker is to provide service
Assumed social work values include compassion and empathy for people who are in need, as well as selflessness to provide help to those who happen to be less fortunate and could benefit from professional assistance. Social workers must be able to understand the misfortunes of society and its individuals, without necessarily having experienced the same misfortunes firsthand. Being able to empathize for people without knowing from personal experience what they are going through is one example of the many assumed social work values. Furthermore, being able to advocate for social change, as well as for the rights of people who cannot advocate for themselves. Empathy, compassion, advocacy, and social justice are all examples of the
Improving the lives of individuals is the objective of the social work profession. There is six values within National Association of Social work Code of Ethics (NASW): Service, Social Justice, Dignity, and Self-worth of the person, Importance of human relationships, integrity, and competence. These values are for social workers and their work with the client(s). Regardless of one’s race, religious belief, sex or sexual orientation each value benefits all individuals. Social workers should always practice professional values. Clients suffer from when the social worker does not uphold values. Code of Ethics is established for all social workers to obey and follow them. In this this paper, I will discuss the how “Importance of Human Relationship” will be the easiest to uphold and how “Social Justice” will challenge me as a social worker working with future clients, community and organizations.
Social Work’s core philosophy and values are centered around social justice and social well-being. Oppression, injustice, discrimination, and violence are antithetical to the social work profession. Social Work believes in strength-based approaches and the person-in-environment perspective to cater the needs and welfare of individuals, families, groups, communities, and society at large. Generally, the target populations for social work are vulnerable, marginalized, and oppressed people; however, social workers provide services to people with a wide range of problems, such as poverty, addiction, mental illness, etc. to empower them to meet their own needs. Historically, the social work profession started its operation by providing neighborhood
The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) lists the field 's core values as service, social justice, dignity and worth of the person, importance of human relationships, integrity, and competence (NASW Delegate Assembly, 2008). Unbeknown to me, my life philosophy has always aligned with these values. I aim to give freely of my sympathies, believe all people are created equal, strive to be steadfast, honest, and emphasize the healing power of positive relationships. I find