Download Understanding Values and Ethics

Jenell Thompson m. Ed, LCSW, PPSC
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Ability to explain how professional values and
ethics influence the decision making process in
daily work.
Recognition that we all have a code, like the NASW
Code of Ethics for social workers, that guides
practice
Ability to identify tow types of ethical issues that
are related to your work.
Understanding of how one’s values may influence
one’s decision making process.
 It is important for every worker to be clear
about these guiding principles
Establishes a clear direction with common
Professional principles, values, ethics, and
mission.
•These also drive us personally and
professionally as we make decisions
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A brief description of an organization overall
goals, direction and purpose, offers reasons
for existence and operating values.
Used to support programs effort and inform
the public of their information
 NASW – SW Dictionary
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Activity
◦ Create a professional mission statement 15 words
or less (what is your focus? What is important to
your site/staff?)
How do you define ‘values’?
How do you define ‘ethics’?
Values:
 Beliefs and attitudes that provide
direction to everyday life
 Values can be positive (cleanliness,
education) or negative (crime, cruelty).
Ethics:
 A theory or system of moral principles
or values; belief about what is right or
wrong; good or bad.
 What should or “ought” to be
Let me tell you a story:
“Alligator River”
Moral and
Values
Judgmental
Ethical
Decision
Making
Ethics in
Risk
Management
NonJudgmental
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
Technology development
Rights movement
Increased litigation
Media publicity
Professional Maturity
1)
2)
3)
4)
Prevent ethical mistakes
Unintentional breaches of confidentiality
Decision making
Colleague misconduct
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
Identifies Core Values for Social Work
Reflects Core Values and established
ethical standards
Helps social workers identify relevant
considerations in conflict or ethical
concern
Public Accountability for Social Work
Profession
Socializes new social workers to
professional standards and expectations
Provides a checks and balances for
professional social work.
Service
 Social Justice
 Dignity and Worth of the Person
 Importance of Human Relationships
 Integrity
 Competence
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What are your top three values or
guiding principles by which you
conduct your practice or make
everyday life decisions?
How does it look in your interactions
with your staff? The children and
parents?
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Impact of culture
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Interactions
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Conflicts of interests
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Professional Integrity
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Boundaries
Typical Western Values
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Typical Eastern
Values
Independence
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Interdependence
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Cooperation
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Collective
responsibility
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Conformity
Individualism
Competition
While these principles appear fairly universal, there is,
of course, considerable cultural diversity in the way
in which these appear in values and behaviors
 Engagement
 Motivation
 Worker
Bias
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Unfair advantage of any professional
relationship to exploit others to further their
personal, political or business interest
Your Responsibilities:
 Inform clients and/or supervisor when a real
or potential conflict of interest arises
 Take reasonable steps to resolve the issue in
a manner that makes the client’s interest
primary.
 When dual relationships are unavoidable,
take steps to protect clients and set clear,
appropriate and sensitive boundaries
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Physical Contact
Taking Children Home (Your Home)
Be Careful of Collateral Social Contact
Take Reasonable steps to Safeguard the
interests and rights of impaired clients
Self-Awareness/Impairment
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Identify with Parents or Children
Use Childhood to Assess Family
Fear of Mistakes
Personal Problems
Unconscious Sensual Response
Derogatory Language
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Professional integrity includes being
honest, sincere and ethical in work and
interactions
Being professionally
responsible, committed to
completing tasks, services
and assignments in a timely
and satisfactory manner
An ethical dilemma presents a choice that
must be made between two mutually
exclusive courses of action. These may
be two goods, or benefits, or values, or
principles or the avoidance of two
harms. The choices facing the individual
or organization are relatively
evenly balanced and of
relatively equal worth.
The process of evaluating ethically
relevant considerations in choosing a
course of action.
RESOLVING ETHICAL DILEMMAS
o Process is Systematic and impartial
o Identify Problem or dilemma and check facts
o Identify intended and unintended outcomes
(Brainstorm with colleagues and/or Supervisor)
o Relevant laws/ethical principles
o Test your thoughts!!!!
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Consider a course of action
What values act as good principles guiding the
action?
How does your course of action match earlier list of
values and mission?
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Ethical decision making is a process.
There are many instances in social work
where simple answers are not available
to resolve complex ethical issues.
Whenever there is a question as to how
an ethical issues should not be resolved
– seek supervisory assistance/consult.
Social work is just that – social – a
collaborative effort.