Ethical Social Work Practice

Course overview

Social workers are faced with ethical decisions throughout their practice careers. Effective social workers understand that clinical relationships are complex and require a degree of understanding, tolerance, and sensitivity to alternative beliefs, attitudes, and values. Left unexamined, these values can affect the practitioner-client relationship and lead to unethical practice behavior. The National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics (2021) outlines standards of ethical social work practice and provides general direction toward ethical conduct; however, clinicians must still use professional judgment to navigate through difficult or ambiguous situations. Self-reflection and professional development are essential to adhering to the boundaries of ethical practice.