Practicing Ethically During COVID-19: Social Work Challenges and Responses

Course overview

This course is based upon material published in the journal International Social Work and is available online using the weblink provided. Abstract: This article draws on findings of an international study of social workers ethical challenges during COVID-19, based on 607 responses to a qualitative survey. Ethical challenges included the following: maintaining trust, privacy, dignity, and service user autonomy in remote relationships; allocating limited resources; balancing rights and needs of different parties; deciding whether to break or bend policies in the interests of service users and handling emotions and ensuring the care of self and colleagues. The article considers regional contrasts, the ethical logistics of complex decision-making, the impact of societal inequities, and lessons for social workers and professional practice around the globe. This course on practicing ethically during COVID-19 in social work practice is specifically designed for social workers. It may also be useful for other behavioral health professionals such as professional counselors, nurses, and substance abuse counselors, who do clinical work and need continuing education in boundaries and client rights - topics that are appropriate for all areas of behavioral health practice. This course is appropriate for beginning, intermediate, and advanced level practitioners who wish to enhance their skills in the area of ethics in a post-COVID work environment. It may also be useful for licensed clinicians who require ethics continuing clinical education courses for license renewal. Authors: Banks, Cai, de Jonge, Shears, Shum, Sobocan, Strom, Truell, Uriz, and Weinberg Learning Objectives: This course will provide the practitioner with detailed information regarding ethics in social work practice. Specifically, a professional will: Describe findings of the study of social workers ethical challenges during COVID-19. Identify regional differences in the challenges associated with ethical practice Recognize the impact of societal inequities and how they apply to professional practice around the globe Citation: Banks, Cai, de Jonge, Shears, Shum, Sobocan, Strom, Truell, Uriz, and Weinberg. (2020). Practicing ethically during COVID-19: Social work challenges and responses. International Social Work, 63(5) 569-583.