Social workers should routinely review the professional literature and participate in continuing education relevant to social work practice and social work ethics. Social workers should be aware of the impact of the political arena on practice and should advocate for changes in policy and legislation to improve social conditions in order to meet basic human needs and promote social justice. ), which subsequently took effect on January 1, 2018. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Social workers who are administrators should take reasonable steps to ensure that adequate agency or organizational resources are available to provide appropriate staff supervision. Although the Code does not define personal privilege, this term could include white privilege, male privilege, heterosexual privilege, cisgender privilege, and privileges associated with other social identity groups that have certain unearned advantages within particular societies, organizations, or groups. Clients is used inclusively to refer to individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. Social workers should not provide clinical services to individuals with whom they have had a prior sexual relationship. Standard 2.08 states that when social workers become aware of colleagues with possible impairments, they should first speak with their colleagues about remedying the possible impairments. Social workers who anticipate the termination or interruption of services to clients should notify clients promptly and seek the transfer, referral, or continuation of services in relation to the clients needs and preferences. Social workers engaged in evaluation or research should carefully consider possible consequences and should follow guidelines developed for the protection of evaluation and research participants. These include policies and procedures created by NASW, licensing and regulatory bodies, employers, agencies, and other professional organizations. Should also suggests that there may be exceptions to these general expectations depending on the circumstances of the situation. Social workers should inform clients, to the extent possible, about the disclosure of confidential information and the potential consequences, when feasible before the disclosure is made. Moreover, a code of ethics cannot resolve all ethical issues or disputes or capture the richness and complexity involved in striving to make responsible choices within a moral community. Based on the importance of environmental factors on . (d) Social workers should obtain education about and demonstrate understanding of the nature of social diversity and oppression with respect to race, ethnicity, national origin, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, political belief, religion, immigration status, and mental or physical ability. Once private information is shared, standards of confidentiality apply. of the National Association of Social WorkersApproved by the 1996 NASW Delegate Assembly and revised by the 2008 NASW Delegate Assembly. Social work organizations, agencies, and educational organizations are also responsible for ensuring that social workers have the support that they need and deserve. Specific applications of the Code must take into account the context in which it is being considered and the possibility of conflicts among the Codes values, principles, and standards. The NASW Code of Ethics is a set of standards that guide the professional conduct of social workers. Shakisha Jean The provision about acknowledge personal privilege may also provide social workers with a response to executive orders and laws that try to restrict education or training related to racial bias, critical race theory, systemic discrimination, and privilege. Social workers should not participate in, condone, or be associated with dishonesty, fraud, or deception.4.05 Impairment. Social workers who believe that a social work colleagues impairment interferes with practice effectiveness and that the colleague has not taken adequate steps to address the impairment should take action through appropriate channels established by employers, agencies, NASW, licensing and regulatory bodies, and other professional organizations. The NASW Code of Ethics serves six purposes: The Code identifies core values on which social work's mission is based. When generally recognized standards do not exist with respect to an emerging area of practice, social workers should exercise careful judgment and take responsible steps (including appropriate education, research, training, consultation, and supervision) to ensure the competence of their work and to protect clients from harm. Records should be maintained for the number of years required by state statutes or relevant contracts. Social workers should not engage in sexual activities or sexual contact with former clients because of the potential for harm to the client. As such, employers may not be aware of specific professional requirements impacting social work practice. Nono, racial humility is clearly what matters the most here, none of that. Social workers should advocate for resource allocation procedures that are open and fair. All sets are available in CD and digital format. For additional insight and analysis of the 2021 revisions to the NASW Code of Ethics, listen to an interview with Dr. Allan Barsky by Dr. Jonathan Singer of the Social Work Podcast: Self-Care and Cultural Humility in the 2021 NASW Code of Ethics: Interview With Allan Barsky. Social workers should contribute time and professional expertise to activities that promote respect for the value, integrity, and competence of the social work profession. Social workers should promote conditions that encourage respect for cultural and social diversity within the United States and globally. Social workers should protect the confidentiality of clients written and electronic records and other sensitive information. The first revision is in the title of this heading, changing it from Cultural Awareness and Diversity to Cultural Competence. Different social workers may have different views on whether we should be focusing on cultural competence, cultural awareness, cultural sensitivity, cultural responsiveness, or cultural humility (as explored in my article Ethics Alive! Social workers may disclose confidential information when appropriate with valid consent from a client or a person legally authorized to consent on behalf of a client. . Social workers should be familiar with national, state, and local procedures for handling ethics complaints. Social workers should seek consultation only from colleagues who have demonstrated knowledge, expertise, and competence related to the subject of the consultation. Social workers pursue social change, particularly with and on behalf of vulnerable and oppressed individuals and groups of people. Informed consent should include information about the nature, extent, and duration of the participation requested and disclosure of the risks and benefits of participation in the research. Ethical decision making is a process. Social workers engaged in evaluation or research should be alert to and avoid conflicts of interest and dual relationships with participants, should inform participants when a real or potential conflict of interest arises, and should take steps to resolve the issue in a manner that makes participants interests primary. Social workers should keep themselves informed about colleagues areas of expertise and competencies. What other NASW resources are available to support the advancement of cultural competence in social work practice? Sexual harassment includes sexual advances, sexual solicitation, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature. organization of social workers of that era, adopt a formal code (A. Johnson, 1955). Sexual harassment includes sexual advances, sexual solicitation, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature. Social workers should establish and maintain billing practices that accurately reflect the nature and extent of services provided and that identify who provided the service in the practice setting. Copyright 2023 by NASW Oregon Chapter. The NASW Code of Ethics strictly protects client confidentiality. Social workers should take reasonable steps to enhance such clients ability to give informed consent. We talk about the skills that social workers bring to the table, the importance of social workers participating in the 2018 mid-term . In the NASW Code of Ethics (NASW, 2008), Standard 1.07 outlines that social workers "should respect client's right to privacy" (1.07 [a]) by protecting "confidentiality of all information obtained in the course of professional service, except for compelling professional reasons" (1.07 [b]). When social workers act on behalf of clients who lack the capacity to make informed decisions, social workers should take reasonable steps to safeguard the interests and rights of those clients. The mission of the social work profession is rooted in a set of core values. Choose from the full combo set (total of 14 CDs) or purchase specific sets. Over time, the NASW Code of Ethics has been recognized as the most visible and influential code of ethics in the United States. EP78: Co-dependency and Love Addiction. Social workers should store records following the termination of services to ensure reasonable future access. Social workers are encouraged to volunteer some portion of their professional skills with no expectation of significant financial return (pro bono service). This statement reinforces the importance of self-care in social work practice. 2022 National Association of Social Workers, Illinois Chapter. The Code is designed to help social workers identify relevant considerations when professional obligations conflict or ethical uncertainties arise. Social workers are cognizant of their dual responsibility to clients and to the broader society. Gaba is a psychotherapist, life coach, and certified recovery coach in California. The Code identifies core values on which social works mission is based. When an individual who is receiving services from another agency or colleague contacts a social worker for services, the social worker should carefully consider the clients needs before agreeing to provide services. Privacy Policy. Social workers also seek to promote the responsiveness of organizations, communities, and other social institutions to individuals needs and social problems. Sexual activity or sexual contact with clients relatives or other individuals with whom clients maintain a personal relationship has the potential to be harmful to the client and may make it difficult for the social worker and client to maintain appropriate professional boundaries. Many significant revisions have been created as the needs of the increasingly diverse population social workers serve continue to change. As social work ethicist Dr. Frederic Reamer often explains, one of the primary roles of a code of ethics is to educate. Social workers who function as educators or field instructors for students should not engage in any dual or multiple relationships with students in which there is a risk of exploitation or potential harm to the student. The changes to me seem largely individualistic. We need a freely available version that can be searched and used to enable members to do ethics reviews of our practice, teaching and volunteer work, with the Code open in one window and our comments/analysis in another. Social workers should obtain clients informed consent before audiotaping or videotaping clients or permitting observation of services to clients by a third party. Zero uses of phrase human rights, seven of social justice, four of human needs. Social workers should not discuss confidential information in public or semipublic areas such as hallways, waiting rooms, elevators, and restaurants. The following paragraph is a completely new addition to the purpose section of the Code. Social workers should accept employment or arrange student field placements only in organizations that exercise fair personnel practices. Disclosure of identifying information should be avoided whenever possible. CRAAP Test Evaluating Sources Children & Families NASW should publish a full-text version of the Code of Ethics. Professional self-care is paramount for competent and ethical social work practice. Referring in law to the NASW Code of Ethics is a form of delegation by government to an outside private entity, namely a professional/trade association. Social workers should act to prevent the unauthorized and unqualified practice of social work. Social workers also should be aware of the impact on ethical decision making of their clients and their own personal values and cultural and religious beliefs and practices. But like with faith, hope and charity, one is most central, and that is universal human needs, imho. Social workers should not take unfair advantage of any professional relationship or exploit others to further their personal, religious, political, or business interests. Professional ethics are at the core of social work. The new language clarifies that social workers should also take appropriate steps to help clients by preventing and addressing potential barriers to using technology (e.g., lack of resources, familiarity, knowledge, or comfort with the technology among different individuals and groups). Social workers should avoid unwarranted negative criticism of colleagues in communications with clients or with other professionals. She's author of "The Law of Sobriety" and "The Marriage and Relationship Junkie," and host of The Love Fix podcast. It contains the six core values and explains how each professional should use the ethical principles within the social work. Social workers act honestly and responsibly and promote ethical practices on the part of the organizations with which they are affiliated. Racial oppression is at the center, but gender, capitalism, further inform structural vulnerability. For social workers and the people we serve, the recent additions to the Code are transformational. The Code summarizes broad ethical principles that reflect the professions core values and establishes a set of specific ethical standards that should be used to guide social work practice. Social workers should ensure that such colleagues understand social workers obligation to respect confidentiality and any exceptions related to it. Social workers sometimes suggest that we should start with our clients. In terms of exposure to trauma, social workers may experience secondary trauma or vicarious traumatic stress when working with clients who have experienced racism, abuse, neglect, community violence, natural disasters, or other forms of trauma. Social workers should take measures to care for themselves professionally and personally. as a goal that social workers and organizations should STRIVE to uphold and achieve. Why was the term cultural competence reinstated as the title of standard 1.05? Thank you for sharing! New Language on Self-Care and Cultural Competence/Cultural Humility Takes Effect June 1, 2021. To View The Code of Ethics as a PDFClick Here. EP9: Social Workers and Advocacy. Study these before your. Social workers understand that relationships between and among people are an important vehicle for change. You have subscribed successfully. Social workers who have direct knowledge of a social work colleagues incompetence should consult with that colleague when feasible and assist the colleague in taking remedial action. The Code, unlike CSWE's EPAS draft for 2022, is deficient in this recognition. I hope this will change in the final draft. As most of you know shamanic practitioners are not regulated or licensed like other professions including medical doctors, psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, nurses, and various specialists. Social workers should never design or conduct evaluation or research that does not use consent procedures, such as certain forms of naturalistic observation and archival research, unless rigorous and responsible review of the research has found it to be justified because of its prospective scientific, educational, or applied value and unless equally effective alternative procedures that do not involve waiver of consent are not feasible. (Dual or multiple relationships occur when social workers relate to clients in more than one relationship, whether professional, social, or business. In the past, social workers have often talked about the importance of self-awareness and not imposing values on clients from different cultural backgrounds. If there is one phrase that encompasses the primary changes to the Code of Ethics, perhaps it is taking care. First, social workers should take care of themselves to preserve their well-being and to ensure that they can serve clients and communities in a competent and ethical manner. Social workers should ensure that their representations to clients, agencies, and the public of professional qualifications, credentials, education, competence, affiliations, services provided, or results to be achieved are accurate. Social workers engaged in the evaluation of services should discuss collected information only for professional purposes and only with people professionally concerned with this information. The third change is an additional sentence (bolded) in the paragraph describing the value of integrity and its related ethical principle, being trustworthy. When evaluation or research participants are incapable of giving informed consent, social workers should provide an appropriate explanation to the participants, obtain the participants assent to the extent they are able, and obtain written consent from an appropriate proxy. The time has come. (e) Social workers who provide electronic social work services should be aware of cultural and socioeconomic differences among clients use of and access to electronic technology and seek to prevent such potential barriers. Social workers should seek to contribute to the professions literature and to share their knowledge at professional meetings and conferences. Social workers generally should adhere to commitments made to employers and employing organizations. This applies whether social workers disclose confidential information on the basis of a legal requirement or client consent. Social workers should take into consideration all the values, principles, and standards in this Code that are relevant to any situation in which ethical judgment is warranted. If a new client has been served by another agency or colleague, social workers should discuss with the client whether consultation with the previous service provider is in the clients best interest. Social workers who become involved in, or anticipate becoming involved in, a sexual relationship with a colleague have a duty to transfer professional responsibilities, when necessary, to avoid a conflict of interest. NASW members can submit their question through the NASW Illinois community in MyNASW for fastest response. (c) Social workers should demonstrate awareness and cultural humility by engaging in critical self-reflection (understanding their own bias and engaging in self-correction), recognizing clients as experts of their own culture, committing to lifelong learning, and holding institutions accountable for advancing cultural humility. By placing this new sentence under integrity and trustworthiness, this addition highlights the ethical risks that may arise when social workers do not have adequate self-care. All Rights Reserved. 1 / 62. 1.01 Commitment to ClientsSocial workers primary responsibility is to promote the wellbeing of clients. We should demonstrate them in practice. Social workers should not engage in dual or multiple relationships with clients or former clients in which there is a risk of exploitation or potential harm to the client. In 1960, the NASW Code of Ethics consisted of 14 proclamations concerning, for example, every social worker's duty to give . 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 so advised. Social workers should provide clients with an opportunity to ask questions. Social workers should accept responsibility or employment only on the basis of existing competence or the intention to acquire the necessary competence. Second, social workers should take care of their clients by making continuous efforts to foster their cultural competence, awareness, and humility. Rather, a code of ethics sets forth values, ethical principles, and ethical standards to which professionals aspire and by which their actions can be judged. It is not sufficient to be nonracist; we must also be committed to be antiracist. We can advocate for all of these things simultaneously. Social workers should honestly acknowledge the work of and the contributions made by others. I have written NASW about this. The Code did include provisions concerning a social workers duty to ensure that personal issues and impairments do not inhibit their work with clients. For social workers who may be concerned about whether these revisions will create new legal liabilities or ethics complaints against social workers, the presenters suggested that most of the changes are aspirational. NASW members are individual social workers. Most sections use the term should to denote that the provisions are intended to guide social workers about good standards of practice. Back in 2009 I did an episode of the social work podcast that explored the idea that social . A similar approach was used in the NASWs Standards and Indicators for Culturally Competent Practice. Social workers who provide supervision should evaluate supervisees performance in a manner that is fair and respectful. professional social workers in the world. Social workers who anticipate a conflict of interest among the individuals receiving services or who anticipate having to perform in potentially conflicting roles (for example, when a social worker is asked to testify in a child custody dispute or divorce proceedings involving clients) should clarify their role with the parties involved and take appropriate action to minimize any conflict of interest. Click the card to flip . NASW Office of Ethics and Professional Review, 1-800-638-8799 750 1st Street, NE, Suite 700, Washington, DC 20002 . 2023 National Association of Social Workers. A code of ethics cannot guarantee ethical behavior. Bartering arrangements, particularly involving services, create the potential for conflicts of interest, exploitation, and inappropriate boundaries in social workers relationships with clients. No new standards were added, and no new revisions were made to existing standards. 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