Ethics and morality are inherently tied together. Ethics refers to the spoken or unspoken rules of a cultural or social group. Morals or morality are the principles that determine “right” from “wrong” based on an individual’s moral compass. While morality rarely has strictly, black-and-white defined rules and regulations and is often subject to change, ethics are usually enforced in legal systems or social paradigms.
Ethics are important for civilisation to thrive, as any student of any of online clinical MSW programs would know. As the title suggests, social work is inherently based on working with social elements from every echelon of the social ladder, and as such puts these deeply committed individuals directly into the heart of social ethics. A result of this proximity and frequency is that social workers are often at the forefront of many challenges and issues of social ethics that most people have the luxury of rarely (maybe never) having to consider or navigate.
Nevertheless, social work is an incredibly important job, and navigating the full gamut of ethical challenges involved in their tenure would be impossible in a single article. Yet, here are some of the ethical challenges faced by social workers.
Receiving Gifts
In many cultures, the giving of a gift is usually a symbol of shared celebration, closeness, affection, or gratitude. Since social workers actively work to better the lives of disadvantaged people, social workers may sometimes be offered a gift from their clients. The ethical question is, should the social worker accept the gift as a positive token of a job well done or a sign of trust, or should the social worker reject the gift; thereby risking a dampened relationship with the client, but ensuring that any possible negative ramifications of the gift are entirely avoided?
When it comes to the dynamic of receiving gifts, there are many factors to consider, and most practitioners encourage opening a dialogue with colleagues and supervisors about the matter so that if you decide to accept the gift and things turn sour, you at least have some backup in defending yourself. However, questions to remain aware of include, how much is the gift worth? Is it homemade or bought? Are there any red flag behaviours? Has this client ever been problematic? What is the financial situation of the client?
Receiving a gift can be seen as a bribe by others, or can open up the social worker to accusations of preferatory treatment. Nevertheless, the social worker needs to make the decision based on the conditions of the specific situation, but should always consult with supervisors and colleagues before doing so.
Threats of Harm or Self-Harm
If you’ve ever been to therapy you’ve likely heard something akin to the phrase “everything you say is confidential, unless I believe you’re in danger of harming yourself or someone else.” Social workers conduct their affairs under the same rule. Their interactions with their clients are entirely confidential unless faced with legal proceedings or if they genuinely believe they are working in the best interest of the client.
In cases of psychological distress, people may threaten to injure themselves, or others, perhaps even threatening suicide or murder. Navigating these situations is difficult, as the emotional tension of the situation can lead to decisions made on instinct rather than in line with best practices. While there are laws in place state by state regarding the “duty to warn” or “duty to protect,” this is a high-pressure situation wrapped in an ethical dilemma, and even experienced social workers can struggle with conduct in this situation.
Breaching Confidentiality of Children
Social workers often work with minors, as they are often at the end of neglectful, toxic, or abusive family situations. Nevertheless, social workers must protect the child, but what does a social worker do when a child expresses concern at a parent’s reaction to something they’ve disclosed?
Where reasonable, all normal confidentiality laws must be followed. However, if a child is at risk of harm or a risk to others then the appropriate authorities must be notified. This can often hurt the relationship of trust built between the child and the social worker, but standards of professional ethics and the best interests of the child demand it.
Admission to Illegal Activities
Not every social worker’s client is a down-and-out case, but even good people can do bad things sometimes. The very nature of social work pairs the professional with a client who is in a desperate situation and requires assistance to get their life back on track. This is where the grey area of morality often conflicts with the ethics of social work. When people feel they are on their last legs, they can do things that don’t necessarily align with a society’s laws, such as engaging in drug culture, or illegal jobs.
A social worker’s instinct may be to protect the client. Some states do not set the obligation to report the crime on the shoulders of the social worker, however, the social worker is legally prevented from aiding and abetting in the participation of crimes. The question social workers need to ask themselves is, was this incident the innocent mistake of a desperate person, or is this perhaps a precursor to other, potentially worse or more damaging crimes?
Leaving Clients on Read
Social media established a whole new set of social dynamics years ago, and like any social paradigm, the shift has directly affected social workers. Some clients may send friend requests, or attempt to contact their social worker through platforms like Facebook or X (previously Twitter.)
This can represent a difficult circumstance for social workers. There is an implication with social media access that now your client has access to you 24/7. While this may be a dynamic already in place depending on the kind of assistance offered, there is an openness to social media that can either foster closeness or disrupt a client’s respect for professional boundaries.
Facing Ethical Dilemmas
By their very nature, issues of ethics are difficult to navigate, and due to the nature of social work, it is likely that sooner rather than later you’ll be faced with one. The monumental considerations involved in navigating such a fraught field are par for the course, but there is always help available. The NASW code of ethics, as well as supervisors and other more experienced colleagues, should all be able to help you effectively navigate the ethical quagmire that a social worker’s job can sometimes land them in.