Social Work

Professional Values and Ethics

Like all professions, social work is built on specific philosophical values and a code of ethics that provides guidelines for responsible professional behavior. Social workers value the concept of an equitable society. Recognizing the inherent inequities of the U.S. society, social workers strive to create communities where resources are most equitably divided among all members. Social work also emphasizes the value of the common good. Social workers believe that the well-being of all individuals is interrelated and that individual interests are intrinsically related to the interests of the broader society.

The value of the common good points to the tension between two additional professional values espoused by social work: individual freedom and cooperative relationships. At the individual level, there is the value of self-determination. Social work stresses the right of individuals to live their lives autonomously so they can shape lives based on their personal interests. Cooperative relationships, according to the social work field, require that individuals temper their autonomy to engage others with the common goal of developing a mutually satisfying society. From the [Page 1259]perspective of social work, individuals and society must work in concert to empower each.

Another important element of the social work profession is the Code of Ethics of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW). Based on the fundamental professional values, the NASW Code of Ethics outlines the social worker's responsibilities to clients, colleagues, organizations, the profession, and the larger society. For instance, the profession's code of ethics strictly prohibits sexual involvement with clients who engage the social workers in a professional helping relationship. Sexual involvement would hamper a client's self-determination and represents an abuse of power by the social worker. Social workers are also charged with strictly adhering to preserving the client's right to confidentiality. Clients must feel safe and secure in knowing that social workers will not disclose personal information to others. However, there are limits to the right of confidentiality when the safety and well-being of the broader community is at risk. Social workers must manage this and all ethical dilemmas in a manner that does the most good and least harm.

History of the Profession

Like many institutions and professions in the U.S. society, social work has been greatly influenced by Great Britain. The Poor Laws of 1601 and the numerous poor houses established in Great Britain were early precursors to social welfare institutions adopted by the United States in the late 19th century. The Industrial Revolution of the last half of that century brought about dramatic changes in U.S. society. Population booms brought about by immigration and rapid urbanization created social and economic problems unseen in the previous agrarian society. These societal problems brought about a new understanding of the relationship between individuals, communities, and the larger society. The social work profession emerged during the Progressive Era of the early 20th century with new approaches to the existing complex social problems.

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