Ethics In Social Work
ERASMUS MUNDUS MASTER IN SOCIAL WORK WITH FAMILIES AND CHILDREN
4TH EDITION
LITERATURE SEMINAR PAPER
MS. ROJIKA MAHARJAN
Social work ethics are the guidelines and principles for a social worker to take on complex cases during sensitive decision-making and its implementation, and attain a professional integrity. These are primarily focused on the protection of the clients and other members of society, and secondarily provide social work with the identity as a profession. (S. Banks, 1998, BASW, 1996, p.1). However, it can be argued that the ethical principles are evolving more as an agenda for studies, and depicting a picture of social work as a profession consisting of an ethical compass only. It can be a point of debate if the code of ethics …show more content…
Given the fact that Tracy is still 14 years of age, and has no autonomy to give an informed consent, the social worker may be challenged with how he/she can acquire an informed consent; a necessary protocol to implement the action. In case of a minor, the parents have to provide with an informed consent before the intervention starts. In Tracy’s case, she has a disturbed relation with both her birth parents and her foster parents. When the parents don’t appear to be acting for the best interest of the child or the child herself disagree about the involvement of her parents, the social worker will have dilemma of how he/she shall proceed with the case (Henkelman & Everall, …show more content…
As T. Bertotti mentions, the structural dilemma refers to “the difficulty of balancing different ‘rights’: the needs for protection of children and the need to support the parents (Bertotti & Bicocca, 2010). The social worker may have to experience a workload of balancing the relationship with Tracy, deciding if staying with Leanne is favorable or not legally, and understanding the position of Tracy’s case in the social policy structures.
Handling these ethical dilemmas is contextual and situational, depending on the client and the client’s environment. Some ways to face these dilemmas are:
i) Consulting with a senior or supervisor who has knowledge and experience on complex cases with children. ii) Strong Focus on building a good rapport and trust based relationship with
4TH EDITION
LITERATURE SEMINAR PAPER
MS. ROJIKA MAHARJAN
Social work ethics are the guidelines and principles for a social worker to take on complex cases during sensitive decision-making and its implementation, and attain a professional integrity. These are primarily focused on the protection of the clients and other members of society, and secondarily provide social work with the identity as a profession. (S. Banks, 1998, BASW, 1996, p.1). However, it can be argued that the ethical principles are evolving more as an agenda for studies, and depicting a picture of social work as a profession consisting of an ethical compass only. It can be a point of debate if the code of ethics …show more content…
Given the fact that Tracy is still 14 years of age, and has no autonomy to give an informed consent, the social worker may be challenged with how he/she can acquire an informed consent; a necessary protocol to implement the action. In case of a minor, the parents have to provide with an informed consent before the intervention starts. In Tracy’s case, she has a disturbed relation with both her birth parents and her foster parents. When the parents don’t appear to be acting for the best interest of the child or the child herself disagree about the involvement of her parents, the social worker will have dilemma of how he/she shall proceed with the case (Henkelman & Everall, …show more content…
As T. Bertotti mentions, the structural dilemma refers to “the difficulty of balancing different ‘rights’: the needs for protection of children and the need to support the parents (Bertotti & Bicocca, 2010). The social worker may have to experience a workload of balancing the relationship with Tracy, deciding if staying with Leanne is favorable or not legally, and understanding the position of Tracy’s case in the social policy structures.
Handling these ethical dilemmas is contextual and situational, depending on the client and the client’s environment. Some ways to face these dilemmas are:
i) Consulting with a senior or supervisor who has knowledge and experience on complex cases with children. ii) Strong Focus on building a good rapport and trust based relationship with