Social workers should be honest about their education, training, and certification – and only provide services within the boundaries of their competency. The Code is relevant to all social workers and social work students, regardless of their professional functions, the settings in which they work, or the populations they serve. That is why it is important to have a code of ethics and set of guiding principles that one can fall back on when confronted with morally ambiguous issues. Social workers elevate the needs of others above their personal interests and use all resources available to them t… being unfairly treated for your sexuality or ethnic origin. Social workers connect people who need help with organizations and individuals who can assist them. A career in Social Work requires conviction to personal values that reflect and uphold the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics. There is another part to this story. Ethical behaviour is at the core of every profession. Another NASW ethics violation in this case pertains to the “Unethical Conduct of Colleagues.” According to the NASW, “Social workers should take adequate measures to discourage, prevent, expose, and correct the unethical conduct of colleagues.” One of the accused involved in the case was ordered by his superior to change the records, which he should have refused even if she was his superior. When working in collaboration with colleagues in other fields, as an interdisciplinary team, professional and ethical obligations should be clearly established. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/14/candice-lassiter-craig-smith-social-workers-babys-death_n_3079938.html?utm_hp_ref=crime. Followed by reflection on them and how they relate to the value base of social work. In terms of the continuing education requirement I have definitely seen a huge impact of the ethics requirement in terms of members calling me about ethical dilemmas. My Views of the Ethics and Values Dealing with Worth and Dignity They should only be supervising when they have necessary skills to be supervising and consulting. This field is based on the concept of advocating for the oppressed, the voiceless, and everyone else unable to advocate for themselves. The six purposes of the Code of Ethics are as follows: The NASW encourages social workers to consider other sources of information to guide their ethical thinking and to consider ethical theory and principles in a general manner. Candice Lassiter and Craig Smith, social workers, charged in Aubrey Kina-Marie Littlejohn’s death. While social workers continued to be interested in ethical dilemmas and decision-making, there was also an increasing amount of literature about social workers’ ethical judgment (or misjudgment), and increased publicity about the repercussions of perceived ethical mistakes – specifically, how they could lead to formal complaints and litigation. Abstract. There’s a reason most social work jobs require at least a bachelor’s degree, but often more – a master’s degree and state licensing. Social workers also should be aware of the impact on ethical decision making of their clients' and their own personal values … This section outlines that discrimination is discouraged, on any basis. Social work theory, research, laws, regulations and agency policies can all be guiding forces for continuing an ethical approach to their work.That said, among the code of ethics, social workers should prioritize the NASW Code of Ethics as their primary source. Social workers deal with issues ranging from poverty and homelessness to racial oppression, sexual discrimination and other injustices. The Code articulates the standards set for the social work profession and can be used to assess if social workers engage in unethical conduct. 4.04 Dishonesty, Fraud, and Deception. 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 standards laid out by the organization are comprehensive, outlining many possible incidents and outcomes. 2. The NASW states that “the mission of the social work profession is rooted in a set of core values” (NASW, 2017). Social workers should not participate in, condone, or be associated with dishonesty, fraud, or deception. You may not be aware of your own values and beliefs until you are confronted with someone different than you, e.g. Social work is a service-based profession, your duties lie in helping others, so a … The ethical constraints that guide these individuals in each arena are not, however, necessarily the same. Social workers are encouraged to keep up with education and emerging knowledge, and continuously review professional literature – but critical thinking is encouraged. Besides the obvious ethics violation of lying, the two social service workers were guilty of incompetence (competence being one of the six core ethics … Social workers are encouraged to promote the high standards of practice. All of them, regardless of their specific field of interest, must abide by the National Association of Social Workers’ code of ethics. Social workers should not permit their private conduct to interfere with their ability to fulfill their professional responsibilities. Social workers need to be mindful of differences in cultures and social values. The NASW also outlines social workers’ ethical responsibilities to their clients, their colleagues, in practice settings, ethical responsibilities as professionals and to the broader society. B., & Lecroy, C. W. (2013). Values and beliefs are learnt in a national culture, and they may be unconscious. New conceptual frameworks provide social workers with guidelines for their work and professional development. The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) code of ethics serves to uphold the profession’s mission. The ethical code or code of practice as it is outlined by the British Association of Social Workers defines social work and the values inherent within the profession in the following way: The social work profession promotes social change, problem solving in human relationships and the empowerment and liberation of people to enhance well-being. My first personal value that will impact my work as a social worker is respect. This includes working in partnership with people who use our services. When looking at oppression from a Marxists view D’Amato claims that people are oppressed because of the class in which they live in, that women, homosexuals or people of non-white skin are sub… Social workers should foster maximum self-determination in those they serve. Explore the context in which professional practice operates and learn about the role of law and policy, and working in a diverse society. The reason the two social service workers are being charged is not because a child died, but because they falsified records. Complete the form to download your brochure. The Code is designed to help social workers identify relevant considerations when professional obligations conflict or ethical uncertainties arise. Social workers are also required to alert and avoid conflicts of interest that interfere with their ability to exercise professional discretion and may impact their judgement. In such a challenging profession, that deals very closely with individuals or clients facing obstacles on a day-to-day basis, it makes sense that a code of ethics would be established. Professionals within the social work field should promote the general welfare of society – from local to global levels – and the development of communities. The Department of Accounting at the University of Nevada, Reno is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). The social work education programs provided by the University of Nevada, Reno School of Social Work are accredited at the baccalaureate and master’s levels by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Why the Social Work Code of Ethics is Important, https://www.socialworkers.org/About/Ethics/Code-of-Ethics/Code-of-Ethics-English, https://www.socialworktoday.com/news/eoe_061614.shtml. Social workers thus need to have knowledge of how environmental forces create or contribute to issues that affect individuals. The Code identifies core values on which social work’s mission is based. Neither one of the accused has any degree in social work (showcasing why social work title protection is so important). The British Association of Social Workers is the professional association for social workers in the United Kingdom (UK). View all blog posts under Social Work. They should also only aid clients in the context of a professional relationship, with informed consent – using clear and understandable language with clients to inform them of their services. The university’s MSW program has been accredited by CSWE since 1991. Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU), The Master of Public Health is accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH), Recognized as a National Tier 1 University by, Ranks among the top 150 national universities in research and development, R1 Carnegie Classification research institution. Values vary enormously, especially across national cultures. Social work is involved with the support of people who have a variety of needs, with relationships within the family, with needs ascending from structural influences; such as poverty and conflicts with society. They must uphold the core values and ethical guidelines of their profession to continue to make meaningful contributions. The primary goal of this profession is addressing societal issues and helping communities as well as individuals. But we do know that the investigation could have been far more thorough. The core values are: 1. Besides the obvious ethics violation of lying, the two social service workers were guilty of incompetence (competence being one of the six core ethics outlined by the NASW). It might be hard to understand how the first Code of Ethics was only one page in 1955, and the current Code of Ethics is a whopping 27 pages long. We examined the constraints and paradoxes experienced by practitioners. Please refer to www.cswe.org for a complete list of Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards. This includes working in partnership with people who use our services. If this occurs it can lead to a person being oppressed. Social workers have an obligation to conduct themselves and make decisions in accordance with our Code of Ethics. Could the child’s life have been saved had they been more competent workers? The Code summarizes broad ethical principles that reflect the profession’s core values and establishes a set of specific ethical standards that should be used to guide social work practice. Social workers need a solid foundation so that they can make ethical decisions on issues their clients face. My personal values complement the NASW Code of Ethics and will resonate in my work as a social worker. Ethics and Values Social workers in child welfare shall demonstrate a commitment to the values and ethics of the social work profession and shall use NASW’s Code of Ethics as a guide to ethical decision making while understanding the unique aspects of child welfare practice. We promote human rights and social justice. Code of Ethics. It also mentioned in the Code of Ethics that social workers should set fees that are fair and reasonable in relation to the services provided. When examining the ethics of social work, it is important to first grasp the primary mission of the field. Greg Achen is a senior in the Undergraduate Social Work program and President of the Undergraduate Social Work Association. Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole. Similarly, social workers are encouraged to take all necessary measures to discourage, prevent or expose (and correct) the unethical conduct of their peers. This chapter examines underlying social work values and ethical principles that govern the practice of social work and the extent to and manner in which attention to the religious-spiritual-belief concerns of clients and client-communities is consistent with social work values and ethics. The Code socializes practitioners new to the field of social work’s mission, values, ethical principles and ethical standards. Social worker 2. Current study. Eye On Ethics: The Evolution of Social Work. Here’s a brief overview of the extensive ethical standards: The primary responsibility of any social worker is to promote the well-being of their clients above anything else. As a profession, social work aims to improve human well-being and help satisfy the fundamental human needs of all people, with special regard to the needs and empowerment of people who are vulnerable, oppressed and living in poverty.1The storied and defining characteristic of social work is the field’s attention to personal well … Productivity will increase: When the working staff and the workers value the work given to them and … A career in Social Work requires conviction to personal values that reflect and uphold the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics. It's important to understand the professional value and ethics bases that underpin the social work profession itself. As a profession, the goal is to fundamentally enhance human well-being and strive for all people – regardless of any hardships they face – to have their needs met. Private conduct should not interfere with their ability to perform their professional responsibilities. It is important to note that despite the headline, the two being charged with falsifying records are NOT trained social workers. Had the two accused simply behaved honestly and ethically, they would not be in the situation they are in now. Social workers should treat their colleagues with respect. Several violations of social work ethics can be found in this case. The Association has a duty to ensure as far as possible that its members discharge their ethical obligations and are afforded the professional rights necessary for the safeguarding and promotion of the rights of peopl… working with a colleague from another country (and it may be quite a challenge). It does this by establishing rules, principles, and values on which we can base our conduct. According to Ashford and Lecroy (2013), child abuse can be hard to substantiate and “requires comprehensive, time-consuming assessments.” CPS workers are frequently overworked and don’t have the time to give a case 100%. We will never know. With the evolution of technology, the need to continuously update ethical guidelines to fit the modern world grew more important. When a client sees a social worker, they should have an unspoken guarantee that the person they are seeing has the training, competence, and ethics to be a social worker. This indicates to the public and to potential employers that graduates meet the high professional standards established by CSWE in its Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS). Weiss, M. (2013, April 13). Willingness to help. Regardless of their professional functions, the setting of their work, or the populations they serve – the NASW Code of Ethics applies to them. Instead, because of their unethical behavior, a child is dead, and they are in a lot of trouble… and I believe, rightfully so. Retrieved from: https://www.socialworktoday.com/news/eoe_061614.shtml. 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