Profession Code of Ethics Comparison As a social work student, we are provided with the foundational education necessary to succeed in our profession. The National Association of Social Work (NASW) Code of Ethics is the most significant publication because it “is intended to serve as a guide to the everyday professional conduct of social workers” (NASW Code of Ethics, 2017). For this assignment, we are charged with exploring other professional codes of ethics to gain a better understanding of how they may be similar or differ from one another. Therefore, I choose to explore the American Counseling Association (ACA) Code of Ethics with the intention of conducting a comparison analysis of both documents. First, the NASW Code of Ethics clearly …show more content…
However, when taking a closer look, both the NASW Code of Ethics and ACA Code of Ethics share have similarities and a few distinctive differences. Overall, the professional missions of both NASW and ACA are similar in because they both focus on enhancing human well-being and quality of life while empowering and promoting respect and dignity for all humans. However, slight differences are noted. The NASW mission focuses on all humans, but pays specific attention to those who are vulnerable, oppressed, and in poverty. Whereas, the ACA mission focuses on humans in general with no special emphasis on particular groups of people. Core Values While evaluating each professional code, I noticed each profession held their own set of core values. The NASW Code of Ethics lists the core values of social work are service, social justice, dignity and worth or the person, importance of human relationships, integrity, and competence. While the ACA Code of Ethics core values and fundamental principles are autonomy, nonmaleficence, beneficence, justice, fidelity, and veracity. Yes, they technically have different values. But, similar in principle. …show more content…
According to NASW Code of Ethics 1.09.c Sexual Relationships, “Social workers should not engage in sexual activities or sexual contact with former clients because of the potential for harm to the client”. However, the ACA Code of Ethics A.5.c. Sexual and/or Romantic Relationships with Former Clients states “sexual and/or romantic counselor-client interactions or relationships with former clients, their romantic partners, or their family members are prohibited for a period of 5 years following the past professional contact”. This particular difference was used because it is one which I feel the NASW Code of Ethics places complete and proper attention to the welfare of the client regards such relationships. I believe the presence of having a relationship with a client, even 5 years after ending professional services, still poses a harm to the client. Personally, I view it as unprofessional because the meeting of the two parties occurred in a professional setting when one person sought services at a vulnerable time. To initiate a relationship with a previous client could be seen as exploiting the vulnerable or abuse of professional
Values and Ethics The NASW (2010) and the Texas Department of State Health Services provide a foundation on how social workers interacts with clients, colleagues, practice setting, and their environment. This code of ethics and Code of Conduct provide to the social workers with ethical responsibilities and values in practice setting. By analyzing this ethical responsibilities and values in practice setting it is easy to identify the ethical responsibilities I am currently using. The Texas Department of State Health Services [TDSHS] has a Code of Conducts for social workers that provides a standards of behaviors need to follow as to stay professional and avoid damaging clients’ lives and self. For example, The NASW (2010) describes an ethical principle to practice setting in which 3.07 Administration is describes has advocating for adequate services for clients to
Hi Aleksandra, Thank you for sharing your outstanding post! I concur with you one hundred percent on the many valid points you have highlighted and I believe you have a very firm grasp of the NASW Code of Ethics. I am simply going to add that it is crucial to the clients that we serve now and in the future to maintain the highest of ethical standards in all of our interactions with clients or their personal information over and above the NASW Code of Ethics requirements. Thank you again for sharing your post. Calvin
Australian social workers are directed and regulated by the AASW and by the Code of Ethics as established by the AASW. The AASW code of ethics is predominantly centred on the code created by the IASSW thus making the Australian code universally compatible internationally. Australian qualified social workers can practice and are in demand not only nationally but also worldwide. (Department of Employment, 2012). They must also work within the parameters of the policies formed by the proprietors of which ever company, organisation, agency or service contractor for which they are employed.
As more people seek for support to get through difficult times, the demand of human services agencies has been increasing. Without agencies and organizations, the goals of the human services field would be impossible to satisfy. The purpose of human services is to improve the overall quality life, both individually and collectively. Just as there are many causes within the human services field, so too are there a huge numbers of organizations whose target is to accomplish these goals. In our visit to one local community based agency, we investigated the mission and structure of this human service organization, requirements of the agency’s services, job titles and responsibilities and how professional ethics are applied in the agency.
The NASW code of ethics a promotes integrity, competence, dignity, worth of the person, and the importance of human relationships, etc. Accreditation is a system for recognizing educational institutions and professional programs affiliated with those institutions as having a level of performance, integrity, and quality that entitles them to the confidence of the educational community and the public they serve. The Commission on Accreditation (COA) of the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Authority to accredit baccalaureate and master’s degree programs in social work education in the United States and its territories. The COA is responsible for formulating, promulgating, and implementing
The National Organization for Human Services (NOHS) Ethical Standards is intended to serve as a guide to the everyday professional conduct of the helper. The standards are extremely broad and subject to interpretation, by the helper. Therefore, the standards are not static; they are revised as new concerns occur during the client-helper relationship.
Ethical Issues in Social Work Practice The social work profession and its Code of Ethics dictate that social workers must act in the best interest of the client, even when those actions challenge the practitioner’s personal, cultural and religious values. In practice; however, ethical decision-making is more complex than in theory. As helping professionals, social workers are constantly faced with ethical decision-making or ethical dilemmas. As noted by Banks (2005), an ethical dilemma occurs “when a worker is faced with a choice between two equally unwelcome alternatives that may involve a conflict of moral principles, and it is not clear what choice will be the right one” (as cited in McAuliffe & Chenoweth, 2008, p. 43).
When reading the IAMFC Code of Ethics and AAMFT Code of Ethics I found that they compare significantly, much more than they contrast. Many of the principals coincide. For example, the topic of multiple relationships is one of the many principles that parallel in many codes of ethics. The IAMFC Code of Ethics encourages family counselors to “avoid whenever possible multiple relationships, such as business, social, or sexual contacts with any current clients or family members” (Section A). Similarly, the AAMFT Code of Ethics also requires that therapists “make every effort to avoid conditions and multiple relationships with clients that could impair professional judgment or increase the risk of exploitation.
The professional track I am pursuing is clinical mental health counseling. In regards to The American Counseling Association ethical guidelines, a counselor is to adhere to enhancing the human development, appreciating multiculturalism/diversity, advocating social justice, ensuring counselor-client relationship integrity, and practicing in an efficient and ethical manner (American Counseling Association, 2014). According to the American Mental Health Clinical Association (2016), the counselor is to be committed to their clients, committed to other professionals, committed to the clinical supervision, obtain professionalism, committed to the community they serve, and maintain integrity (American Mental Health Clinical Association, 2016).
In the social work profession, it is a requirement to have a thorough understanding of ethics and some of the ethical dilemmas that one can face. On my journey as a social work student one of my assignments was specific to ethical dilemmas. The ethical dilemma that I chose to write in this paper about was multiple relationships and violating counselor client boundaries. The class that I wrote this in was HMS 102 which was values of human services. The main topic of the paper focused on the negative effects of sexual relationships.
NASW Code of Ethics (Guide to the Everyday Professional Conduct of Social Workers).Washington, DC: NASW. April 17, 2017. When it approaches ethics, morals, and values, there will not always be one correct answer, but the Code gives a guide to decision making when ethical issues or conflicts do arise.
Despite social workers best efforts to keep their feelings in check and to respect differences, being confronted with situations in which their values and morals conflict with those of their clients is a common scenario. For example, one may feel uncomfortable dealing with clients because of his or her sexual orientation. This issue arises because of the practitioner’s religious affiliation which results in the practitioner being unable to accept homosexuality. Another example, a pregnant client, ask her pro-life social worker for help obtaining an abortion. As the act of abortion conflicts with the social workers’ values, they may feel torn.
These values different from personal values because they are more so general then they are personal. The personal values are only effective in a personal and conflicting environment while code of ethics
In my social work field supervision, I am expected to abide by the NASW Code of Ethics as well as the state of Alabama code of Ethics. In social work field supervision, it gives me the opportunity to apply theory to direct and community practice with my clients. I also get a chance to learn from a veteran or seasoned social workers by observing, practicing, and experiencing the important integration of theoretical knowledge with practice skills while working with diverse populations and communities. This experience also help me build a sense of professional identity that I can only acquire in a practice setting. Field supervision also help to recognize and adhere to the core values and ethical principles of the social work profession.
Its code of ethics can be found in the Appendix. A Code of Ethics describes standards of conduct of an organization 's