Ethics Flashcards
Commitment to Clients
Social workers have a professional and legal obligation to act in the best interest of their clients. This must supersede their own self interest and personal opinions. As mandated reporters, social workers must advise clients that they are required to report when the client is in danger to themselves or others.
Commitment to Clients
Social workers have a professional and legal obligation to act in the best interest of their clients. This must supersede their own self interest and personal opinions. As mandated reporters, social workers must advise clients that they are required to report when the client is in danger to themselves or others.
Self-determination
Social Workers should recognize the right of their clients to engage in the therapeutic process and establish goals, but may limit the freedom of self determination when it represents a threat or potential harm to oneself or others. The mental capacity and age of the client should be considered.
Informed Consent
Social workers must work with clients to obtain informed consent for providing services. The client should be able to understand risks and benefits when consenting to treatment. If English is not the client’s native language information regarding services should be provided in the home language.
Competence
Social workers must present themselves as competent. Social workers need to he competent in the following areas:
-Education
-Training
-Licensing
-Professional activities and certifications
Social workers should NOT provide services or treatment in an area where they lack proper training. This is unethical as it pose a risk to the client.
Cultural awareness and social diversity
Social workers need to have an understanding of their client’s cultural identity to be able to best serve the needs of their client. Areas that should be considered in cultural competence include:
-Race
-Ethnicity
-National origin
-Color
-Sex
-Sexual orientation
-Gender identity or expression
-Age
-Marital status
-Political belief
-Religion
-Immigration status
-Mental or physical ability
Conflicts of interest
Social workers should act in the best interest of the client. Dual relationships should be avoided. A dual relationship is when a therapist has a second, significantly different relationship with the client in addition to the client - therapist professional relationship. For example, a therapist may find that a person seeking treatment belongs to the same church group.
Privacy and confidentiality
Social workers must protect a client’s right to privacy and confidentiality. Social workers need to inform clients about the limitations of confidentiality including court mandates, duty to warn and danger to self or others. Social workers should not display identifying information about clients in an area that is accessed by others.
Access to records
Social workers must grant clients access to their own records, and help to interpret them unless doing so would cause the client harm to the client. If social workers feel that giving access to information would be a danger to the client, social workers must record and justify their decision process.
Sexual relationships
Social workers must maintain a professional relationship with clients. Therapists should never engage in sexual activity or relationships with current or past clients.
Physical contact
Social workers should NOT engage in inappropriate physical contact with clients. If a client engages in inappropriate advances you need to stop the client and document this interaction.
Payment for services
Social workers must charge a reasonable amount for their services. If a client is not able to pay we must use a sliding scale system. If a client does not pay for services and has been warned about the billing procedures termination CAN occur. Bartering is generally not allowed unless it can be demonstrated as culturally acceptable.
Clients who lack capacity for decision making
Steps must be taken to protect clients who cannot make informed decisions. Clients who lack the mental capacity to make informed decisions CANNOT consent to treatment.
Interruption of services
If a social worker is unable to provide services for some time, they should try to set up a way for the client to continue receiving services. This may require that the client be transferred to another therapist.
Referral for services
A social worker who cannot serve or treat a particular client must make efforts to refer them to another qualified provider. If the client cannot afford services a referral should be made for community services.
