However, social workers’ responsibility to the larger society or specific legal obligations may on limited occasions supersede the loyalty owed clients, and clients should be advised.” (Handout, Pg.
The National Organization for Human Services (NOHS) Ethical Standards is intended to serve as a guide to the everyday professional conduct of the helper. The standards are extremely broad and subject to interpretation, by the helper. Therefore, the standards are not static; they are revised as new concerns occur during the client-helper relationship.
Values and Ethics The NASW (2010) and the Texas Department of State Health Services provide a foundation on how social workers interacts with clients, colleagues, practice setting, and their environment. This code of ethics and Code of Conduct provide to the social workers with ethical responsibilities and values in practice setting. By analyzing this ethical responsibilities and values in practice setting it is easy to identify the ethical responsibilities I am currently using. The Texas Department of State Health Services [TDSHS] has a Code of Conducts for social workers that provides a standards of behaviors need to follow as to stay professional and avoid damaging clients’ lives and self. For example, The NASW (2010) describes an ethical principle to practice setting in which 3.07 Administration is describes has advocating for adequate services for clients to
Ethics and Self-Care in Social Work Practice Ethics guide professional conduct, especially in social work, where practitioners navigate complex human issues. The NASW Code of Ethics outlines six core values foundational to social work practice, including service, social justice, dignity and worth of the person, importance of human relationships, integrity, and competence (NASW, 2021; Kirst-Ashman & Hull, 2023). These values reinforce ethical decision making and practice standards, equipping social workers to navigate dilemmas and uphold integrity (Kirst-Ashman & Hull, 2023). Aligning personal values with these standards is crucial for promoting well-being and empowerment, highlighting the importance of self-awareness in social work practices.
In important point that both the National Association of Social Workers and Ethical Standards for Human Services point out is that competence is crucial when it comes to servicing and helping others (National Association of Social Workers, n. d.). Of course, not everyone is equipped to deal with all situations and expect to be comfortable all the time. Part of any job is to be placed out of one’s own comfort zone, and learn how to work with various challenging situations. However, refusing to work as a professional in the field of social work or health services with a client because of the client’s sexual orientation is unethical and unfair treatment (National Association of Social Workers, n. d.). Part of any job is for employees to partake
Ethical Issues in Social Work Practice The social work profession and its Code of Ethics dictate that social workers must act in the best interest of the client, even when those actions challenge the practitioner’s personal, cultural and religious values. In practice; however, ethical decision-making is more complex than in theory. As helping professionals, social workers are constantly faced with ethical decision-making or ethical dilemmas. As noted by Banks (2005), an ethical dilemma occurs “when a worker is faced with a choice between two equally unwelcome alternatives that may involve a conflict of moral principles, and it is not clear what choice will be the right one” (as cited in McAuliffe & Chenoweth, 2008, p. 43).
The beginning of the article discusses the ethical dilemmas during client support. It argues about two situations in which ethics needs to be considered. Some people argue that ethics is required in every case, while others disagree. However, the article says that value based decisions are needed in a social worker’s decision other than simply considering knowledge.
In the social work profession, it is a requirement to have a thorough understanding of ethics and some of the ethical dilemmas that one can face. On my journey as a social work student one of my assignments was specific to ethical dilemmas. The ethical dilemma that I chose to write in this paper about was multiple relationships and violating counselor client boundaries. The class that I wrote this in was HMS 102 which was values of human services. The main topic of the paper focused on the negative effects of sexual relationships.
Case Scenario Practicing in a school setting, there are numerous individuals in the same building looking to positively impact and change students’ lives. Interdisciplinary staff consistently work together to meet the various needs of the diverse student population. As the social worker, I am privy to the strengths and weaknesses of clients as they are presented to me by the student and his/her family and shared in interdisciplinary team meetings upon the consent to do so by the student’s parent(s) or guardian(s). Teachers are only present and involved in the interdisciplinary meetings when a student assigned to their class is being discussed.
* In subscribing to this Code, social workers are required to cooperate in its implementation, participate in NASW adjudication proceedings, and abide by any NASW disciplinary rulings or sanctions based on it (McGregor, 2018) 7. . What are three practices or behaviors that might violate the Code? Why?
The second ethical dilemma is that social work practitioners and their clients have different personal values. Despite social workers best efforts to keep their feelings in check and to respect differences, being confronted with situations in which their
An ethical dilemma happens when two or more ethical principles conflict with one another. Ethical dilemmas are problematic situations in which it is not clear which choice will be the right one. The CP is stuck as to what to do next because there is not just one outcome that will satisfy the ethical principles as stated in the Singapore Association of Social Workers (SASW) Code of Ethics (Kirst-Ashman & Hull, 2012). According to the SASW (2017), the core values of social work are embedded in the ethical responsibilities, which are relevant to the professional activities of social workers.
Despite social workers best efforts to keep their feelings in check and to respect differences, being confronted with situations in which their values and morals conflict with those of their clients is a common scenario. For example, one may feel uncomfortable dealing with clients because of his or her sexual orientation. This issue arises because of the practitioner’s religious affiliation which results in the practitioner being unable to accept homosexuality. Another example, a pregnant client, ask her pro-life social worker for help obtaining an abortion. As the act of abortion conflicts with the social workers’ values, they may feel torn.
According to Reamer, there are two different types of boundaries. Boundary violations are usually unethical and exploitative in nature (2012). On the other hand, boundary crossing is unintentional deception, and manipulation (Reamer, 2012). Dr. Green should terminate her professor-student relationship because she crossed boundaries when she boosted Ava’s grades. 1.06 (c) of the code of ethics states, a social worker should set clear, appropriate, and culturally sensitive boundaries.
The Realist Prescriptions of Carr & Waltz The international system of world politics is constantly filled with political conflict, war, and instances in which cooperation between states seems to be a viable option. This constant cycle between war and peace is representative of the ever-changing environment of international structure. Political philosophers and theorists attempt to understand this cycle by producing theories like that of liberalism, constructionism, and realism in order to better understand and compartmentalize the ever changing environment in order to better understand and deal with the issues that arise between states in the international structure. These theories are influenced by the realities in which these theorists
