Social work ethics and ethical standards

Introduction

Social work is a profession that focuses on the social, emotional, and psychological well-being of all people. Social workers are responsible for helping those who face challenges such as poverty, homelessness and other circumstances that can affect their health and well-being. There are many types of social workers including mental health professionals, school counselors, human resources employees as well as others.

The National Association of Social Workers, or NASW, has a code of ethics that guides professionals in the field.

The National Association of Social Workers, or NASW, has a code of ethics that guides professionals in the field. The code is based on the NASW Code of Ethics and includes principles related to professional practice and individual behavior.

NASW’s ethical standards are designed to guide members in their work with clients. They also provide guidelines for making decisions about client care matters such as:

• How much time should be spent on each case?

• What information should be shared with clients?

• Should confidentiality be maintained at all times?

Core values

• Respect: You treat people with respect and dignity, even when they are difficult to deal with.

• Competence: You know your field well, so that you can provide high-quality service in it.

• Integrity: You do what is right regardless of the consequences for yourself or others.

• Service: The needs of others come before your own interests or desires; this includes doing things such as helping someone out by giving them directions or lending money when they need it most (even if it means sacrificing something important).

These core values are what define social work as a profession; however, there are additional values that can also be applied when working within different situations like these ones (see below):

Respect

When representing clients, you must respect their right to be heard and to make decisions about their own life. This includes respecting the client’s right to privacy, as well as rights related to self-determination and making mistakes. You should also be respectful of your client when they express differences or opinions that differ from yours.

Competence

Competence is the ability to understand and apply social work principles, standards and professional practice. Competence can be demonstrated by having a clear understanding of the field in which you work; showing skill in communicating with clients, families and others involved; demonstrating an ability to solve problems that arise within your role area; having knowledge about relevant topics such as human rights or diversity issues; being able to communicate effectively with colleagues at all levels within your organization.

In relation to this core value, competence will help you demonstrate respect for others by respecting their needs while also meeting your own responsibilities as a social worker.

Integrity

Integrity is the ability to do what is right and just. It refers to having moral character, honesty, truthfulness, fairness and consistency in your actions and beliefs. Integrity also means being trustworthy and reliable.

Service

Social workers are expected to provide service in a way that is respectful, effective and efficient. This means that they should be aware of their own limitations and be able to recognize when they need help from other professionals. Social workers should also be aware of the possibility of conflicts of interest.

Social justice

Social justice is the goal of social work. It is a concept that has been around for a long time and continues to evolve. Social justice can be understood in many ways, depending on what context you’re discussing it in. For example, there are several contexts where people talk about “social justice”:

• In terms of economics and politics

• In terms of culture

• In terms of health care

The NASW provides a useful framework for understanding the ethical standards by which a professional social worker should live and work.

The NASW provides a useful framework for understanding the ethical standards by which a professional social worker should live and work. These core values are based on respect, competence, integrity, service and social justice.

The code of ethics includes these core values:

Respect for self and others

Competence in terms of knowledge, experience and skill

Integrity in one’s beliefs, actions and decisions

Conclusion

A social worker, like any other professional in the field, must be committed to upholding ethical standards. This means that they should treat those who come to them with respect and compassion, regardless of their race, religion or gender identity. A social worker who does not adhere to this code of ethics could potentially harm the very people they are trying help.