Throughout the life of the NASW code of Ethics, many revisions have been made, including more inclusive language such as sexual orientation, gender identity, and immigration status. It has also made changes to address the relationship between social worker and their client. Many of these changes have arisen simply because a person or group questioned the document and realized something didn’t match the virtues of the changing times. With that being said it is still important that we follow the code of ethics so that malpractice and lawsuits do not occur. However, by questioning and challenging the code change may occur and in turn, be added to the code of ethics to then be practiced.
Challenging the NASW Code of Ethics
The NASW Code of Ethics guides social workers through difficult situations and provides guidelines for how social workers should act when working with others. It is very important that we follow this code of ethics to prevent unprofessional behavior from occurring.
Does this mean we shouldn’t question or challenge the NASW Code of Ethics?
I believe just like every system we have in place we should always be questioning and challenging them. Times are always changing and new values are always arising. We must keep up with those new virtues by allowing those systems to grow with society as well. The NASW Code of Ethics is considered to be a living document meaning it is not stagnant in where it lies. This encourages people to question how these policies are being used and whether they still match the needs of society today.
Social Work Influenced by
Western Perspectives
In America, it is important to note that many of the systems we have in place were formed by white Americans. Although in the case of social work there was always a drive for equity and diversity, we have to also recognize that the social work profession was and still is filled by predominately white individuals. When working in the field of social work, especially as someone who may have been raised with Westernized values and ideals, you have to be aware of different cultures and traditions.
Not judging a culture on your personal standards’ of what’s right or wrong is called cultural relativism. A good example of cultural relativism in the context of Alaska would be whaling. Many countries and international organizations believe whaling is bad for the environment because whale populations are already low. Where as if you where to look at certain Native Alaskan communities whaling is apart of their oceanic culture and its been happening for thousand of years. As Social workers we have to
realize that neither side is wrong or right, they are simply different. When making decisions that involve a culture that’s new to us we should look at why certain groups hold those values.
Social work malpractice in a “wealthy” community vs “marginalized” community
I believe when malpractice occurs in a wealthy community a social worker’s actions may be perceived differently than if it were to occur in a marginalized community. Say a social worker has a dual relationship with a client. If this were to occur in a wealthy community one could say the client was well-educated and aware of the situation. Therefore, they are not a victim. Whereas if the same thing were to happen in a marginalized community then someone could say that the client was being taken advantage of or discriminated against. Then there is a different point of view where the wealthier clients’ case may be taken more seriously because their life is deemed more “worthy”. Whereas the case of a client from a marginalized group could be simply overlooked or seen as unworthy of attention.
Social workers will face ethical dilemmas countless amount of times during their careers. Many of these will be fighting for what we want for the person/group we are helping while also maintaining a professional standing aligned with the NASW code of ethics. Sometimes we may become too invested in a client and we may struggle to find a solution to a problem because we don’t want to let them down. When this occurs as social workers we should step back and look at the scenario as a structural issue. It becomes much easier to make a decision when you look at the case objectively. Although it’s good to hold emotions for the people you working with, at the end of the day we still need to make tough decisions, and having those big emotions may hinder your ability to keep your decision aligned with the code of ethics.
Looking back at my childhood I had a social worker who would come to our house if there was some sort of disturbance. I always remembered being told to lie to her. After she left we would always get punished for drawing attention to the abuse that was happening. I was always angry with the social worker because in my head she was why I was being punished. Looking at this situation from the point of view of the social worker I realize that she most definitely knew I was lying and that we were going to be punished once she left. She probably had multiple ethical dilemmas. I know for a fact that if she used the fact that she was an authoritative figure in my life she could've gotten the information she needed. She never did that though because doing so would go against the code of ethics. Even though if she had done that we may have been able to be removed from a bad situation. If she were to use that power dynamic it would completely overlook the professional relationship we had.There are cases in social work where it’s good to be close with your client and others where it isn’t. We need to create a meaningful relationship with our clients to gain trust and understanding of each other. We need this person or group to feel safe to talk to us and tell us what their needs are. In this profession, though there are also strong boundaries we must draw with the people we are working with as well. Social workers are often looked up to by their clients, in turn giving us power. Social workers mustn’t use that power to take advantage of said groups or individuals.
Abbigale Wheeler
Hey Kaylana! I agree with you that we should constantly be challenging codes, so they are able to evolve. I also agree with you that there are for sure cases where a social worker should be more close with those they are working with and some cases where they should keep more of a professional distance. I think it can help some people to have a more close, personal relationship with their social worker, while for other it can be more detrimental for their lives to become close to their social worker. I think that social worker will often have dilemmas between the code of ethics and what they personally think to be right.
Kaylana Nations
Yeah, Abbigale social work is definitely a balancing act and it’s very much case-by-case.
Hailey Luder
Hi Kaylana, I agree with you about always challenging and questioning the systems put in place. Even when these systems are really good ones, it’s better to not be complacent, and have people be hurt because of that complacency. I appreciate the text & media put in the yellow spot, I think it really drew my attention to it. I agree with you about social workers constantly facing ethical dilemmas, and it’s something we all have to learn how to work through. Good job!
Joshua Escobedo
Hello Kaylana,
Your perspective on this topic is genuinely enlightening. You mentioned that the revisions to the NASW Code of Ethics are a response to the evolving nature of our society. This got me thinking about the need for updates in the course materials for the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program. While this is just the introductory stage, I assume that the course materials for advanced social work classes are regularly reviewed and revised.
I could not agree more with your point about the significant role of values in effective communication. It is often a touchy subject when you challenge someone’s thoughts rooted in their core values, and employing an open dialogue approach can help avoid a confrontational stance. While it would be ideal to believe in complete equality, we recognize that people are inherently diverse, making absolute equality an unrealistic concept. However, fairness should always be the guiding principle behind our decisions.
I’m sorry to hear about your childhood experiences. I look forward to working as a Social Worker so I can strive to provide the best possible experiences for those I serve. Your experiences will serve as a valuable reminder and guide as I work toward this goal.
Kaylana Nations
Hi Joshua, I’m glad you tied into the bachelor of social work degree is also being updated as well. I didn’t actually think about that. I think many teachings in school do stay stagnate and people are always saying we need to update them. I’m thinking mainly in the highschool curriculums since i’ve only truly been through highschool. School boards can look at Social work and realize that its okay and important to update teachings as the world is changing.
Katherine LeBlanc
Hi Kaylana,
I really enjoyed reading your post and hearing your experiences and thoughts on these ethical dilemmas that social workers are likely to face. I also really appreciated you taking into account different perspectives and influences that can come into play. One thing you wrote, “we have to realize neither side is wrong or right, they are simply different,” immediately stood out and resonated with me. This perspective and thought process is one I put in a lot of effort to remind myself of frequently. I believe it is essential to realize as a social worker and important in any debate.