SOCW 6101 WEEK 7 RESOLVING ETHICAL DILEMMAS

1/7/24, 12:46 PM Code of Ethics: English

https://www.socialworkers.org/About/Ethics/Code-of-Ethics/Code-of-Ethics-English.aspx 1/7

Read the Code of Ethics The NASW Code of Ethics is a set of standards that guide the professional conduct of social workers.

The 2021 update includes language that addresses the importance of professional self-care. Moreover,

revisions to Cultural Competence standard provide more explicit guidance to social workers. All social

workers should review the new text and a�rm their commitment to abide by the Code of Ethics. Also

available in Spanish.

The �rst Section, "Preamble," summarizes the social work profession's mission and core values.

The second section, Purpose of the NASW Code of Ethics , provides an overview of the Code's main

functions and a brief guide for dealing with ethical issues or dilemmas in social work practice.

The third section, Ethical Principles , presents broad ethical principles, based on social work's core

values, that inform social work practice.

The �nal section, Ethical Standards , includes speci�c ethical standards to guide social workers'

conduct and to provide a basis for adjudication.

Preamble The primary mission of the social work profession is to enhance human well-being and help meet the

basic human needs of all people, with particular attention to the needs and empowerment of people

who are vulnerable, oppressed, and living in poverty. A historic and de�ning feature of social work is

the profession’s dual focus on individual well-being in a social context and the well-being of society.

Fundamental to social work is attention to the environmental forces that create, contribute to, and

address problems in living.

Social workers promote social justice and social change with and on behalf of clients. “Clients” is used

inclusively to refer to individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. Social workers are

sensitive to cultural and ethnic diversity and strive to end discrimination, oppression, poverty, and

other forms of social injustice. These activities may be in the form of direct practice, community

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organizing, supervision, consultation, administration, advocacy, social and political action, policy

development and implementation, education, and research and evaluation. Social workers seek to

enhance the capacity of people to address their own needs. Social workers also seek to promote the

responsiveness of organizations, communities, and other social institutions to individuals’ needs and

social problems.

The mission of the social work profession is rooted in a set of core values. These core values,

embraced by social workers throughout the profession’s history, are the foundation of social work’s

unique purpose and perspective:

service

social justice

dignity and worth of the person

importance of human relationships

integrity

competence.

This constellation of core values re�ects what is unique to the social work profession. Core values, and

the principles that �ow from them, must be balanced within the context and complexity of the human

experience.

Purpose of the NASW Code of Ethics Professional ethics are at the core of social work. The profession has an obligation to articulate its

basic values, ethical principles, and ethical standards. The NASW Code of Ethics sets forth these values,

principles, and standards to guide social workers’ conduct. 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.

The NASW Code of Ethics serves six purposes:

1. The Code identi�es core values on which social work’s mission is based.

2. The Code summarizes broad ethical principles that re�ect the profession’s core values and

establishes a set of speci�c ethical standards that should be used to guide social work practice.

3. The Code is designed to help social workers identify relevant considerations when professional

obligations con�ict or ethical uncertainties arise.

4. The Code provides ethical standards to which the general public can hold the social work profession

accountable.

5. The Code socializes practitioners new to the �eld to social work’s mission, values, ethical principles,

and ethical standards, and encourages all social workers to engage in self-care, ongoing education,

and other activities to ensure their commitment to those same core features of the profession.

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6. The Code articulates standards that the social work profession itself can use to assess whether

social workers have engaged in unethical conduct. NASW has formal procedures to adjudicate ethics

complaints �led against its members.* In subscribing to this Code, social workers are required to

cooperate in its implementation, participate in NASW adjudication proceedings, and abide by any

NASW disciplinary rulings or sanctions based on it.

The Code o�ers a set of values, principles, and standards to guide decision making and conduct when

ethical issues arise. It does not provide a set of rules that prescribe how social workers should act in all

situations. Speci�c applications of the Code must take into account the context in which it is being

considered and the possibility of con�icts among the Code’s values, principles, and standards. Ethical

responsibilities �ow from all human relationships, from the personal and familial to the social and

professional.

* For information on the NASW Professional Review Process, see NASW Procedures for Professional

Review.

Furthermore, the NASW Code of Ethics does not specify which values, principles, and standards are

most important and ought to outweigh others in instances when they con�ict. Reasonable di�erences

of opinion can and do exist among social workers with respect to the ways in which values, ethical

principles, and ethical standards should be rank ordered when they con�ict. Ethical decision making in

a given situation must apply the informed judgment of the individual social worker and should also

consider how the issues would be judged in a peer review process where the ethical standards of the

profession would be applied.

Ethical decision making is a process. In situations when con�icting obligations arise, social workers may

be faced with complex ethical dilemmas that have no simple answers. 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. Social workers’ decisions and actions should be consistent with

the spirit as well as the letter of this Code.

In addition to this Code, there are many other sources of information about ethical thinking that may

be useful. Social workers should consider ethical theory and principles generally, social work theory

and research, laws, regulations, agency policies, and other relevant codes of ethics, recognizing that

among codes of ethics social workers should consider the NASW Code of Ethics as their primary

source. 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. They should be aware of

any con�icts between personal and professional values and deal with them responsibly. For additional

guidance social workers should consult the relevant literature on professional ethics and ethical

decision making and seek appropriate consultation when faced with ethical dilemmas. This may

involve consultation with an agency-based or social work organization’s ethics committee, a regulatory

body, knowledgeable colleagues, supervisors, or legal counsel.

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Instances may arise when social workers’ ethical obligations con�ict with agency policies or relevant

laws or regulations. When such con�icts occur, social workers must make a responsible e�ort to

resolve the con�ict in a manner that is consistent with the values, principles, and standards expressed

in this Code. If a reasonable resolution of the con�ict does not appear possible, social workers should

seek proper consultation before making a decision. The NASW Code of Ethics is to be used by NASW

and by individuals, agencies, organizations, and bodies (such as licensing and regulatory boards,

professional liability insurance providers, courts of law, agency boards of directors, government

agencies, and other professional groups) that choose to adopt it or use it as a frame of reference.

Violation of standards in this Code does not automatically imply legal liability or violation of the law.

Such determination can only be made in the context of legal and judicial proceedings. Alleged

violations of the Code would be subject to a peer review process. Such processes are generally

separate from legal or administrative procedures and insulated from legal review or proceedings to

allow the profession to counsel and discipline its own members.

A code of ethics cannot guarantee ethical behavior. 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. 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. Social workers' ethical behavior should result from their personal commitment to engage in

ethical practice. The NASW Code of Ethics re�ects the commitment of all social workers to uphold the

profession’s values and to act ethically. Principles and standards must be applied by individuals of

good character who discern moral questions and, in good faith, seek to make reliable ethical

judgments.

With growth in the use of communication technology in various aspects of social work practice, social

workers need to be aware of the unique challenges that may arise in relation to the maintenance of

con�dentiality, informed consent, professional boundaries, professional competence, record keeping,

and other ethical considerations. In general, all ethical standards in this Code of Ethics are applicable

to interactions, relationships, or communications, whether they occur in person or with the use of

technology. For the purposes of this Code, “technology-assisted social work services” include any social

work services that involve the use of computers, mobile or landline telephones, tablets, video

technology, or other electronic or digital technologies; this includes the use of various electronic or

digital platforms, such as the Internet, online social media, chat rooms, text messaging, e-mail and

emerging digital applications. Technology-assisted social work services encompass all aspects of social

work practice, including psychotherapy; individual, family, or group counseling; community

organization; administration; advocacy; mediation; education; supervision; research; evaluation; and

other social work services. Social workers should keep apprised of emerging technological

developments that may be used in social work practice and how various ethical standards apply to

them.

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Professional self-care is paramount for competent and ethical social work practice. Professional

demands, challenging workplace climates, and exposure to trauma warrant that social workers

maintain personal and professional health, safety, and integrity. Social work organizations, agencies,

and educational institutions are encouraged to promote organizational policies, practices, and

materials to support social workers’ self-care.

Ethical Principles The following broad ethical principles are based on social work’s core values of service, social justice,

dignity and worth of the person, importance of human relationships, integrity, and competence. These

principles set forth ideals to which all social workers should aspire.

Value: Service

Ethical Principle: Social workers’ primary goal is to help people in need and to address social problems

Social workers elevate service to others above self-interest. Social workers draw on their knowledge,

values, and skills to help people in need and to address social problems. Social workers are

encouraged to volunteer some portion of their professional skills with no expectation of signi�cant

�nancial return (pro bono service).

Value: Social Justice

Ethical Principle: Social workers challenge social injustice.

Social workers pursue social change, particularly with and on behalf of vulnerable and oppressed

individuals and groups of people. Social workers’ social change e�orts are focused primarily on issues

of poverty, unemployment, discrimination, and other forms of social injustice. These activities seek to

promote sensitivity to and knowledge about oppression and cultural and ethnic diversity. Social

workers strive to ensure access to needed information, services, and resources; equality of

opportunity; and meaningful participation in decision making for all people.

Value: Dignity and Worth of the Person

Ethical Principle: Social workers respect the inherent dignity and worth of the person.

Social workers treat each person in a caring and respectful fashion, mindful of individual di�erences

and cultural and ethnic diversity. Social workers promote clients’ socially responsible self-

determination. Social workers seek to enhance clients’ capacity and opportunity to change and to

address their own needs. Social workers are cognizant of their dual responsibility to clients and to the

broader society. They seek to resolve con�icts between clients’ interests and the broader society’s

interests in a socially responsible manner consistent with the values, ethical principles, and ethical

standards of the profession.

Value: Importance of Human Relationships

Ethical Principle: Social workers recognize the central importance of human relationships.

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Social workers understand that relationships between and among people are an important vehicle for

change. Social workers engage people as partners in the helping process. Social workers seek to

strengthen relationships among people in a purposeful e�ort to promote, restore, maintain, and

enhance the well-being of individuals, families, social groups, organizations, and communities.

Value: Integrity

Ethical Principle: Social workers behave in a trustworthy manner.

Social workers are continually aware of the profession’s mission, values, ethical principles, and ethical

standards and practice in a manner consistent with them. Social workers should take measures to care

for themselves professionally and personally. Social workers act honestly and responsibly and

promote ethical practices on the part of the organizations with which they are a�liated.

Value: Competence

Ethical Principle: Social workers practice within their areas of competence and develop and enhance

their professional expertise.

Social workers continually strive to increase their professional knowledge and skills and to apply them

in practice. Social workers should aspire to contribute to the knowledge base of the profession.

Ethical Standards The following ethical standards are relevant to the professional activities of all social workers. These

standards concern (1) social workers’ ethical responsibilities to clients, (2) social workers’ ethical

responsibilities to colleagues, (3) social workers’ ethical responsibilities in practice settings, (4) social

workers’ ethical responsibilities as professionals, (5) social workers’ ethical responsibilities to the social

work profession, and (6) social workers’ ethical responsibilities to the broader society. Some of the

standards that follow are enforceable guidelines for professional conduct, and some are aspirational.

The extent to which each standard is enforceable is a matter of professional judgment to be exercised

by those responsible for reviewing alleged violations of ethical standards.

1. Social Workers' Ethical Responsibilities to Clients >>

2. Social Workers' Ethical Responsibilities to Colleagues >>

3. Social Workers' Ethical Responsibilities in Practice Settings >>

4. Social Workers' Ethical Responsibilities as Professionals >>

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5. Social Workers' Ethical Responsibilities to the Social Work Profession >>

6. Social Workers' Ethical Responsibilities to the Broader Society >>

Revised Code of Ethics Order a copy of the Code of Ethics

Order a copy of Código de Ética (Spanish version)

About the Revisions

2021 Highlighted Revisions to the Code of Ethics

Frequently Asked Questions