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The importance of social work ethics
The importance of social work ethics
-principles of ethics in relation to social work practice
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Social work exists inextricably within the presence of ethics and values. Human rights and other values central to social work call for highly idealistic praxis, defining contemporary best practice. Yet, social workers operating in Australian health face dilemmas of meeting at times, untenable ideals within the constraints of exceedingly regulated organisations. Policies, past and present, impact practice and often undermine the principles contingent to social work (Ife, 2008,pp.8). Regardless, social workers are compelled to uphold the ethics and values of their profession. Balance must be struck between competing factors, a task that is not entirely achievable in certain contexts (Dominelli, 2012). In this assignment, review of rural health and the level of autonomy it affords professionals will take place. Emphasis will be given to the controversial area of indigenous health. I aim to demonstrate that the reality of social work practice in Australian health is vastly different from the moral platform from which it is envisioned, whilst also acknowledging that this platform is indispensible to the integrity of contemporary practice in difficult circumstances. The Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) Code of Ethics (2010) proposes three core values of Social Work, respect for persons, social justice and professional integrity (pp.12). These core values establish “ethical responsibilities” for the social worker (AASW, 2010, pp.12), specifically, the value of respect for persons, which sustains the intrinsic worth of all human beings as well as the right to wellbeing and self determination consistent with others in society (AASW, 2010,p.12). This Code of Ethics stipulates the duty of care a social worker must provide, a... ... middle of paper ... ...atly, was undoubtedly ruined by the diet and stress she experienced as a result of forcible removal by welfare workers not dissimilar to myself. Yet, this inescapable dilemma only reinforces my striving to achieve the ideals demonstrated by my profession. These ethics, complex and often at conflict with the reality of welfare are the light that guides my professional practice through the perils of historic white shame. In summary, Indigenous health and the role of social workers in the rural environment are not without their complexities. As demonstrated, obvious issues of autonomy and conflicts of core professional values with the practical delivery of social health policy exist. Whilst the modern social worker faces ethical dilemmas daily, it is the core values and ethics of the profession that help those hindered by complexities to operate within best practice.
In the National Association for Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics, there are many standards a social worker should uphold in order to promote a healthy and helpful relationship with the client. One such aptitude is Cultural Competence and Social Diversity, which is in section 1.05 of the NASW code of ethics (National Association of Social Workers, 2008). There are three sections associated with this competency “Social workers should understand culture and its function in human behavior and society, recognizing the strengths of all cultures”. It is assumed that “social workers should have a knowledge base of their clients’ cultures and be able to demonstrate competence in the provision of services that are sensitive to clients”. As a final point “Social workers should obtain education” in order to understand cultural diversity and oppression in people (NASW, 2008, p. 9).
Ethical Issues in Social Work I will provide practical help for new social workers to help them understand and deal with ethical issues and dilemmas which they will face. There are many ethical issues which are important to social work, but I feel that these are all covered by the care value base. The care value base Was devised by the care sector consortium in 1992, this was so that the workers in health and social care had a common set of values and principles which they would all adhere to. It is important because for the first time the social care sector had a clear set of guidelines from which ethical judgements could be made. The care value base is divided into 5 elements - The care value base covers - Equality and Diversity - Rights and responsibilities - Confidentiality - Promoting anti Discrimination - Effective communication Equality and Diversity Carers must value diversity themselves before they can effectively care for the different races, religions and differently abled people they will come across in their caring profession.
National Association of Social Workers. (2008). Code of Ethics of the National Association of Social Workers. Washington DC: Author.
Banks, S., 2006. Ethics and Values in Social Work. 3rd ed. Hampshire, England.: Palgrave MacMillan .
As a social worker, ethical practice is a very important aspect of the profession. Even when the ultimate goal is to be ethical at all times, it is not unheard of for situations to arise that lead to an ethical issues and dilemmas. Royse (2008) states that an ethical dilemma is not about selecting between what is right vs. wrong, but deciding between two conflicting ideas. Many of these predicaments happen the area that is “in-between totally right and totally wrong” (Royse, 2008, p. 51). When a situation arises that goes against social work ethics the decision needs to be made as to which one would in a sense be the better option, the least unethical choice. It is necessary to be aware of any ethical dilemmas, especially in research studies working with human
The social work profession is not only about the knowledge of the theories, ethical guidelines, values and principles of the profession, but also it’s about applying that knowledge to everyday situations. It is a profession dedicated to enhancing human capacity to solve complex social problems in order to create a more humane and just society (Arizona State University, 2013). In the profession, social workers are encourage to use their skills such as their critical thinking and especially their decision-making skills. In addition, they work in a number of different settings with diverse individuals. Although dilemmas will arise, social workers need to be culturally competent to work with others and to avoid breaching any ethical standards.
Bennett, B., Green, S., Gilbert, S., & Bessarab, D. (2013).Our Voices: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Work. South Yarra, Victoria: Palgrave Macmillan.
However, considerable differences can be found based on the population, isolation, limited services, and challenges relating to transportation and weather, as well as the various aspects associated with adapting to the role of being a social worker in a small community. Kirmayer and Valaskakis (2008) suggest that the social origins of prevailing mental health problems require social solutions and when applying conventional models of service and approaches to health promotion rethinking is required if they are to be consonant with Aboriginal realities, values, and aspirations. For both urban and rural practice it is important to remember that ‘one size fits all’ approaches often fail, because they ignore the local dynamics and diversity (Kirmayer & Valaskakis, 2008). Recognizing and respecting these differences allow social workers to enter the context of their practice with both context awareness and context sensitivity (Delaney & Brownlee, 2009). In urban settings and rural settings, health centers need to attend to the issue of cultural diversity and prevention and health promotion strategies also need to be tailored to reflect the cultural uniqueness of the individuals and community in which a health program is being established (Smye & Mussell, 2001). Despite the many challenges faced by northern social workers, these represent an opportunity to be creative and to
All social workers are beholden to the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics. Professional ethics are the main core of social work. The profession has an obligation to articulate its basic values, ethical principles, and ethical standards. The code is composed of thematic sections that outline a social worker’s responsibility to clients, colleagues, employers, and the profession. Some responsibilities that a social worker has to a client are that the clients are their primary responsibility, fostering maximum self-determination in clients, respecting the privacy of clients, keeping information that has been shared during the course of their duties confidential and charging fees for services that are fair and considerate
Personally, I think the holistic nature of Aboriginal approaches should be adopted into all social work. Specifically, wholeness and balance in contrast to the problem-solving approach. While Aboriginal social workers still must help their clients solve problems, the problem-solving approach is rooted in a western individualism. It aims to ‘diagnose’ clients with a problem, solve it, and then disregard them. Wholeness and balance are more slow-paced and long term. They focus on individual and family needs but also examine the impact of social work decisions on the community and on the earth. Furthermore, this is beneficial because it reflects Aboriginal collectivism and the vitality of community health for the wellbeing of
Been prejudice and bias the social worker will need to be thoughtful as the social work definition ‘promotes social change’ and having ‘respect for diversities are central to social work’. Under the statement of ethical principles, it states “Ethical awareness is a fundamental part of the professional practice of social workers.” (IFSW, 2014) “Their ability and commitment to act ethically is an essential aspect of the quality of the service offered to those who use social work services” (IFSW,2014). Under the ANSAW code of ethics promotes “Members accurately inform the wider community about the services that they offer” (ANAZSW,2014, chapter 3) and do not misrepresent their knowledge, skills, statutory status, training, qualifications and experience.” “Members respect the worth and dignity of clients, and work in non-discriminatory ways that acknowledge the age, beliefs, culture, gender, marital, legal or family status, intellectual, psychological and physical abilities, race, religion, sexual orientation, and social and economic status of clients”. (ANAZSW,2014 chapter
When codes are not adhered to there can be serious repercussions involved for all (CCW 2002). Social work’s professional values are described in the British Association of Social Workers code of ethics. These are a set of moral principles used to set standards which regulates the social work profession. These offer a general guidance and as yet carry no sanction if broken (Shardlow 2002). An ethical code also contributes to the strengthening of professional identity. They add clarity to the tasks and should lead to greater ethical observance within the organisation, but the primary objective of the Code of ethics is the protection of clients (Banks
According to NASW Delegate Assembly (2008), social work bases its profession on a set of core values. These core values include: service, social justice, dignity and worth of the person, importance of human relationships, integrity, and competence (NASW Delegate Assembly, 2008). Social workers like school counselors have to follow a set of professional guidelines. These are known as “the code of ethics of the National Association of Social Workers.” The NASW serves six main purposes for their code of ethics. According to the National Association of Social Workers (2008), these purposes are: “1) identifying core values on which social work’s mission is based, 2) summarizes broad ethical principles that reflects the profession’s core values and have a set of specific ethical standards that should be used to guide social work practice, 3) help social workers identify relevant considerations when professional conflict or ethical issues arise, 4) provide ethical standards where the general public can hold social work profession accountable, 5) helps bring understanding to people new to the field of social work’s mission, values, ethical principles, and ethical standards, 6) it expresses standards so that the social work profession itself can use this to assess whether social workers have engaged in unethical behavior” (NASW Delegate Assembly, 2008). Social workers must maintain professional ethical behavior toward a variety of activities. These activities include: “1) ethical responsibility to clients, 2) ethical responsibility to colleagues, 3) ethical responsibility in practice settings, 4) ethical responsibility as professions, 5) ethical responsibility to the social work profession, and 6) ethical responsibility to the broader society” (NASW
As a social worker, there are many core values to follow. Some of which include “Respect for human rights and dignity, promotion of social justice and human well being, recognizing the worth and uniqueness of every person, and the importance of the community” (C. Phillips, lecture, October 6, 2015). By following the core values, this will allow me to have a client-focused practice, which will cause a positive experience for both the clients and myself. Well-being consists of many
There are certain ethics that social workers must follow and is a guidance for professional standard of work. However sometimes people are not aware of their own values, though the more fully conscious someone is about their values, the more people are able to ensure that their actions are consistent with the values. As a social worker it is vital to know the dangers of not taking account of values and the ethical dimension of practice. A social worker should see their client for who they are and not just another object that is unclear by their own emotions hence why self-awareness is a key to