How Social Work Values And Ethics Inform Communication With Service Users
Reflective essay critically examining how social work values and ethics inform communication with service users
Values and ethics play a key role in the social work profession. It is imperative that social workers have a broad knowledge and understanding of the social work values in a critical manner and are confident in implementing and exploring their knowledge in everyday practice (Parrot, 2014). A person’s values will often come from what they believe to be right or wrong (Boundless, 2016). Ethics outline people’s moral principles and may include such aspects as peoples “habits, preferences, rules or principles of character traits” (Banks 2012). As Reamer (2013) states, Social work is based on a collective goal that all its practitioners …show more content…
Understanding and respecting others values and ethics, is a significant part of communication with service users. Social workers are expected to treat all service users with respect regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, values or beliefs (Thyer et al., 2010). “Social workers strive to ensure access to needed information, services, and resources; equality of opportunity; and meaningful participation in decision making for all people” (Reamer, 2013). As Reamer (2013) notes, Social workers should give service users the ability to address and change their own personal circumstances allowing responsible self-determination in a manner consistent with social work values and ethical …show more content…
It is important that social workers clarify their values and ethics whilst respecting others differences . However, social workers are often faced with situations where their values may come into conflict with those of their client. For example, a social worker who has a religious belief about abortion may face an ethical dilemma when assisting a service user who is pregnant and wishes to have an abortion (Miller, 2017) in such cases social workers must respect the service users choices and prevent their personal values and ethics interfering with their
Values and ethics play a key role in the social work profession. It is imperative that social workers have a broad knowledge and understanding of the social work values in a critical manner and are confident in implementing and exploring their knowledge in everyday practice (Parrot, 2014). A person’s values will often come from what they believe to be right or wrong (Boundless, 2016). Ethics outline people’s moral principles and may include such aspects as peoples “habits, preferences, rules or principles of character traits” (Banks 2012). As Reamer (2013) states, Social work is based on a collective goal that all its practitioners …show more content…
Understanding and respecting others values and ethics, is a significant part of communication with service users. Social workers are expected to treat all service users with respect regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, values or beliefs (Thyer et al., 2010). “Social workers strive to ensure access to needed information, services, and resources; equality of opportunity; and meaningful participation in decision making for all people” (Reamer, 2013). As Reamer (2013) notes, Social workers should give service users the ability to address and change their own personal circumstances allowing responsible self-determination in a manner consistent with social work values and ethical …show more content…
It is important that social workers clarify their values and ethics whilst respecting others differences . However, social workers are often faced with situations where their values may come into conflict with those of their client. For example, a social worker who has a religious belief about abortion may face an ethical dilemma when assisting a service user who is pregnant and wishes to have an abortion (Miller, 2017) in such cases social workers must respect the service users choices and prevent their personal values and ethics interfering with their