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Introduction
Not many of us are familiar with the Code of Ethics of social workers. Unbeknownst to most of society, these people uphold six core values that they base all of their work on.
What are the core values that underpin professional social work practice? The author of this sample essay takes a look at the list developed by the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) and reflects on its implications.
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Six Core Values of the Social Worker
Behind the scenes of everyday life are countless social workers who tirelessly fight to uphold human rights and improve quality of life. Working for the government, non-profit organizations, or private groups, these people interact, day in and day out, with people from all walks of life who need help with basic human needs.
Part of the ethical practice of social work involves adhering to six core values, which are the foundation of the social work profession. Developed by the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), the NASW Code of Ethics is memorized and taken to heart by every competent social worker dedicated to the primary mission of fighting for human well-being and the value of social responsibility.
In this essay, I would like to share these ethical standards that our new social workers are enculturated into, the moment they choose this profession.
Service
This is the most crucial of all the values. The rest overflow from a heart of service. This work entails looking at others’ needs first before your own. Someone who is involved in this profession has a natural passion for helping others find a better way of life. Wanting every opportunity to serve is already part of his or her personal values, even outside the profession. Their goal is always to use and maximize their strengths and abilities to enhance human well-being. They go above and beyond to support the general welfare of the broader society. This is the top conviction needed to guide social work practice.
Social Justice
One of the most strategic platforms to speak for those who don’t have a clear voice in society is this type of work. As such, these workers advocate for the rights, needs, and struggles of every person. They are anti-discriminatory. Whether you have different moral principles or religious values from them or come from poor living conditions, and regardless of your sexual orientation, you are worthy of being helped. Their hearts break over injustice and they will do everything in their power to perform their ethical responsibilities so that the Human Rights Act is protected and recognized. Some of the most common ethical issues they confront on a daily basis include homelessness, poverty, harassment, and discrimination.
Dignity and Worth of the Person
These workers recognize every person’s inherent worth, regardless of background. They believe that all human beings are created equal and that all human relationships deserve to thrive. As such, they service users and communities not from a place of personal values and perspective, but from the context of the individual and the community itself. One of the ethical principles they follow is to take off from the existing values of the people they are serving and leverage them in order to enhance well-being.
Importance of Human Relationships
These workers recognize that growth and development are not a solo project, but a community responsibility. As such, they also have a network of collaborators that they connect their clients to so that they can receive the specific help that they need. Part of their skill set is networking, collaboration, and mediation – facilitating human relations so that people can add value to one another with their gifts and skills. Another part of practicing this value is to help clients identify which relationships need to be sustained, and which need to be let go.
Integrity
It is so important that these workers authentically uphold the ethics and values of his or her practice. It is essential to stay grounded in the vision, mission, and purpose of the profession so that they will always have something to ground them and come back to whenever there are ethical dilemmas that need to be resolved. They must emulate these professional values to a high ethical standard when dealing with clients. Their honesty, openness, and accountability create a strong foundation for trust between themselves and the people they serve. At the same time, they honor the different organizations they represent as they do their work on the ground.
Competence
A competent social worker not only has the degree to prove the depth of their knowledge and insight but also has the on-ground experience to back it up. The NASW Code of Ethics directs these professionals to honestly represent themselves on the field, never lying about their credentials, background, or experience. They also must focus on their field of specialty. Part of pursuing excellence is also staying updated and upskilled. These workers must constantly maximize the opportunity to pursue lifelong learning through continuing education and other relevant workshops, as well as applying for additional degrees or licenses to expand and deepen their expertise.
Ethical Principles of Social Workers
Based on the six core values of social work, the NASW Code of Ethics articulates six ethical principles that form the ideals that all these workers must faithfully aim to achieve.
Service: These workers’ primary goal is to help people in need and to address social problems
In a nutshell, the social worker is to perform his or her work with no personal vested interest and no expectation to receive anything in return. The credo of this profession is always service above self-interest. As such, there should be no room for thinking about personal gains or benefits when one is immersed in the field. Everything is oriented towards the mission to service users and push for social change.
Social Justice: These workers challenge social injustice
The main thrust of this practice is to promote and fight for societal change. Some of the most popular or typical issues that these workers have to deal with on a regular basis include poverty, homelessness, discrimination, joblessness, and other types of injustice. They aim to raise awareness and generate calls to action on these issues in order to promote an anti-oppressive practice. They advocate ethnic diversity and equal opportunities for all members of the community involved.
Dignity and Worth of the Person: These workers respect the inherent dignity and worth of the person
A mindful social worker is sensitive to local context and culture and keeps these in mind as he or she navigates through relationships. As they connect with their clients, their goal is to empower these individuals to make their own decisions and find a way to meet their own needs. They also recognize that they are mediators between the client and broader society so part of their role is to seek to find ways to help both find a common ground. If need be, they also facilitate conflict resolution between groups that is up to par with ethical standards.
Importance of Human Relationships: These workers recognize the central importance of human relationships
These workers understand the centrality of relationships in their practice. They treat people are co-collaborators and partners in the process of addressing the appropriate issue. They also make it their mission to always uplift, strengthen, and sustain the quality of each working relationship in order to maintain quality assurance for connections with individuals, families, communities, and the broader society.
Integrity: Social workers behave in a trustworthy manner
As they are deeply involved in personal and societal change, it is imperative that all these workers continue to adhere to the ethics and values of the practice. They are expected to walk their talk and align their own values with that of the organization they are working under. They are the main advocates of social work ethics and guidelines that are specific to their field of specialty.
Competence: These workers practice within their areas of competence and develop and enhance their professional expertise
A truly purposeful social worker is someone who is a lifelong learner and is constantly in pursuit of upgrading his or her skills for the benefit of the people he or she is serving. They are not just in the profession to learn and receive, but eventually, pay it forward and share their growing knowledge with the professional community.
They maximize every opportunity to expand their skill set and brush up on the key values in social work so that they can integrate their new learnings into their practice. These workers recognize that the profession is continually evolving with the times, so they need to make the effort to stay relevant. This can also mean getting deeper into the key trends of the issues they are currently confronted within their daily work.