SOCIAL WORK VALUES AND ETHICS

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SOCIAL WORK VALUES AND ETHICS

• Chapter 2

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WHY PROFESSIONAL VALUES?

• Medicine
• Law
• Journalism
• Insurance
• Social Work
• "is a values based profession that is,
  everything social workers do must be with
  professional values in mind. (Kirst-Ashman 2007)

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Social Work Values and Ethics

• Values- a principle considered worthwhile or
  important.
• values determine what beliefs are appropriate.
  (Kirst-Ashman 2007)
• Ethics are derived from values. Guide people on
  what is good and what is bad.
• Ethics address what to do with or how to apply
  those beliefs (Kirst-Ashman 2007)

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VALUES

• Beliefs, preferences, or assumptions about what
  is desirable or good for humans.
• Cannot be scientifically investigated or proven.
  
• Values affect how we practice.
• We get to help people clarify their own values.
• Its critical that we understand our own values.

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Ethical Dilemmas

• Values and Ethics are in constant conflict in
  professional environments which can result in
  ethical dilemmas or a situation where you must
  make a difficult choice between two or more
  alternatives.
• Guidelines established for ethical decision
  making by NASW Code of Ethics

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SOCIAL WORK MISSION

• To enhance human well-being and help meet the
  basic needs of all people, with particular
  attention to the needs and empowerment of people
  who are oppressed, vulnerable and living in
  poverty. NASW

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NASW CODE OF ETHICS

• Six core values
• Service
• Social Justice
• Dignity and Worth of the person
• Importance of human relationships
• Integrity
• Competence

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Purpose of NASW of Ethics

• Identify social work values
• Guidelines for practice
• Addressing ethical dilemmas
• Professional Accountability
• Upholding missions, goals, ethics inherent in
  social work profession
• Setting specific standards for practice that can
  be used to judge social work conduct

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NASW Code of Ethics

• Standards related to the social workers ethical
  responsibility
• to clients.
• to colleagues.
• in practice settings.
• as a professional.
• to the social work
• profession.
• to the broader society.

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Social Workers Ethical Responsibilities to
Clients

• Self-determination
• Privacy and Confidentiality
• Conflict of Interest
• Dual relationships
• Sexual Relationships

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SELF-DETERMINATON

• INFORMING CLIENT OF ALL AVAILABLE OPTIONS
• HELPING TO DEFINE ALTERNATIVES
• ASSISTING THEM IN EVALUATING THE OUTCOME OF EACH
  OPTION
• ULTIMATELY LETTING THE CLIENT MAKE THEIR OWN
  DECISION

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Privacy and Confidentiality

• Must warn clients about when confidentiality can
  be broken
• Do not ask for more information than is needed to
  assist client
• Lets read the example of Compliance/Violation
  page 41 in the Kirst-Ashman book

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Conflict of Interests and Dual Relationships

• Conflict of interest is violating the boundaries
  of the client- professional relationship for
  personal gain.
• Dual Relationships- occur when the social worker
  assumes two or more roles at the same time or in
  sequence with a client.
• Ex. Social Worker/Friend
• Instructor/Social Worker
• The clients best interests must be protected to
  the maximum extent possible
• Lets turn to p 45 and read example of
  Compliance/Violation

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Sexual Relationships

• Social Workers should not have sexual
  relationships with current clients, clients
  relatives, or others personally involved with
  clients or former clients.
• Prohibited from providing clinical services to
  clients with whom they were formerly sexual
  partners.

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Ethical Responsibilities to Colleagues

• Respect
• Referral for Services
• Ex. I make referrals to social workers in private
  practice, shelters, catholic charities, substance
  abuse centers, HIV services when I cannot meet
  their needs

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Self Awareness

• You must identify your own personal values so
  that you are careful not to impose them on
  clients

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Video

• Professional Choices Ethics at Work. 40 minutes.

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Discussion Nickel and Dimed

• Break into groups of 1-2 people. Each group will
  be given a discussion question. Take 3 minutes
  to discuss question.
• What are your thoughts so far about Nickel and
  Dimed in America?

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For Next Class

• Quiz over Nickel and Dimed pages 1-49.
• Discuss Chapter 3 in textbook