Social workers have a wide range of obligations. These obligations cover moral issues, ethical and legal issues. Section 6 of the NASW code of Ethics is concerned with social workers ‘obligations to the broader society. As social workers, we should promote the general welfare of society locally and globally, with the development of people, their communities, and their environment. Social workers have always advocated disadvantaged, vulnerable and oppressed populations. A social problem such as poverty affects communities as well as individuals. When addressing poverty, it is essential to examine the contributing factors such as political, social and economic issues.
Three primary values represented in my thinking about Bea’s situation are: service, dignity and worth of the person, and competence. Service is one of the main values I incorporate into my thinking because one of the purposes professional social workers service is to help people in need.
Unit 17: Topic: Ethical issues in Social Work Practice. Our everyday interactions are underpinned by ethics. Social work in its sectors deals with people in multiple and complex situations. Social workers largely work with people who are affected by different life aspects such as ethnicity, disabilities and culture. The fundamental concern for social work is to understand how these aspects affect the individuals. Applying normative ethical theory processes of ethical analysis
There are many ways in which social workers can avoid ethical dilemmas. In regards to the Jones case I will explain five ethical dilemmas. I will explain what 3 core values could have benefitted the Jones family and I will give three strategies I will use to practice ethical behavior in my field of social work in the future.
Social work is a very unique profession. The other professions that are in the same realm as social work are very specialized, however, social workers must have a broad range of knowledge in order to help their clients. This is where multiple agencies come together to make sure professionals are properly trained and knowledgeable. In the field of social work, ethics and values are the key principles that provide the basis for the mission. It is these principles that guide the decisions and actions of everyone in the profession. Without a clear set of guiding principles, social work professionals could do more harm than good. This profession sees people during highly emotional times in their lives, and that can be extremely challenging. The National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics not only sets the standards, but also guides a social worker through dealing with ethical dilemmas. As we evolve as a society, so have the guiding principles and values for the social work profession.
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 CSWE ensures that social workers are educated and competent in the field of social work. It serves as a guideline for social work educators. The (CSWE) uses the Educational Policy Act Standards (EPAS) to accredit baccalaureate and master’s level social work programs. EPAS supports academic excellence by establishing thresholds for professional competence (CSWE, 2015).
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.
Understanding Ethics in Social Work Brandy Whatley Troy University April 15, 2016 Abstract As a professional practitioner in the field of social work a great practice is to develop a foundation structured around the ethical standard set by the National Association of Social Workers. Dilemmas can arise, creating issues that could have
Benkova. K., an author of the article Social Work Ethics as Applied Ethics, describes “ethics as a systematic drive to understand our individual and social moral experience in such a way that enables establishing rules which are to govern people’s behavior, to define values which are worth sticking to, and also to encourage such character traits in people which oneself is worth to develop”(Benkova 2009).
The New York State Coalition against Domestic Violence (NYSCADV) provides training, support, technical assistance and advocacy to local direct service domestic violence programs across New York State. We achieve our mission through activism, training, prevention, technical assistance, legislative development and advocacy, and leadership development.
The last four class periods, we have focused during lecture and in the assigned chapter on the basics of social work. Primarily, we have focused on the NASW Code of Ethics, which all social workers follow and are bound to as they work in the profession. In addition, we have focused on other concepts like assessment, accountability, and autonomy. A strong foundation and understanding in these core concepts will help to eventually help to make me, personally, an effective and committed social worker.
Having a strong foundation is important in the in human services and social work profession. On a daily basis society is faced with ethical dilemmas. Social workers need a solid foundation so that they can make ethical decisions on issues their clients face. Issues are rarely ever black and white. The Code of Ethics of the National Association of Social Workers provide a set of guiding principles that can assist when faced with morally vague issues.
During my initial consultation with Julie, we discuss a couple of issues she was having with Jennifer. Jennifer did not handle the anger she has with her mother in an appropriate way. She will roll her eyes, stomp off and slam doors. Julie, her mother, believes that she deserves more respect. Also, Julie would like Jennifer to handle her anger in a more appropriate manner.
The social work profession consists of the six core values of service, social justice, dignity and worth of the person, importance of human relationships, integrity, and competence. These core values are portrayed within the roles of this profession by assessing and evaluating client’s needs, advocating for improving community resources, managing crisis situations, providing therapeutic support, and referring client’s to beneficial services. As well as, developing a dual client relationship to strengthen the helping process and treating each client ethically. Social workers are constantly progressing their professional expertise. They do this