Title: Code%20of%20Practice%20and%20Ethical%20Dilemmas
1Code of Practice and Ethical Dilemmas
- T.Y. LEE, Fieldwork Coordinator BSW
2The Code of Practice for Registered Social
Workers in Hong Kong
- Prepared by
- The Hong Kong Social Workers Registration Board
3The Code of Practice
- is an operational statement of the central values
of the social work profession. - Social work students should be thoroughly
familiar with it. - Represents standards of ethical behavior for
social workers.
4Contents of the Code of Practice
- 1. Basic values and beliefs
- 2. Principles of practice
5Principles of Practice
- Personal Conduct
- Clients
- Colleagues
- Agency
- Profession
- Society
6Violation of the Code of Practice
- may lead to failure in fieldwork assessment
- if a placement student breaches the Code,
- when evidence for the malpractice is upheld,
- his/her fieldwork will be given a failure or zero
mark
7What is an ethical dilemma? It is a Conflict
between ...
- ones personal and professional values
- two values/ethical principles
- two possible actions each with reasons strongly
favorable and unfavorable - two unsatisfactory alternatives
- ones values/principles and ones perceived role
- the need to act and the need to reflect
8Can ethical dilemma be avoided?
- You can avoid ethical dilemmas! But...
- You cannot completely avoid ethical dilemmas!
9You can avoid ethical dilemmas! An Example
- Your placement is in a school, you should give
prior thought to how you would respond when a
child reveals abuse or neglect. - Find out how your field instructor wants you to
handle these situations. - What information does the school expect you will
share with concerned teachers? The principal?
10You cannot completely avoid ethical dilemmas!
- It is best to prepare yourself for them
- by examining your own values from time to time
- and learning all you can about
- how past ethical problems in your placement
settings were resolved.
11What are the behaviors that will almost always be
viewed as unethical?
12Sexual intimacy with clients
13Libeling or slandering a client
14Sharing confidences without compelling
professional reasons
15Assaulting, causing physical injuries, or placing
clients in danger
16Discriminatory practices
17Withdrawing services precipitously (abandoning a
client)
18Failure to warn and protect the victim of a
violent crime
19Failure to exercise reasonable precautions with a
potentially suicidal client
20Promising cures for problems
21How do I avoid rushing into ethical dilemmas?
- Develop a working knowledge of the Code of
Practice - (by necessity they cannot be specific to every
possible ethics violation) - By anticipating likely trouble spots before they
occur.
22How do I resolve ethical dilemmas?
- The first step is recognizing the problem and
identifying the source of the conflict. - You also must keep all parties informed of your
legal and ethical obligations. - Engage clients or involved parties in dialogue,
and brainstorm the best course of action.
23- Make sure you are constantly keeping in mind the
mission of the profession and - observing the clients right to
self-determination. - If you are still unclear about what to do,
discuss the situation with your field instructor.
- Protect the identity of the client if necessary,
and present the situation as a hypothetical
case if you need external help.
24The priority ranking of ethical principles
(Lowenberg and Dolgoff ,1992) An approach for
ordering social work values that might help you
get off the horns of a dilemma.
- Protection of life
- Equality
- Autonomy and freedom
- Least harm
- Quality of life
- Privacy and confidentiality
- Truthfulness and full disclosure
25How do I know whether I am doing the right thing?
- It is not always possible to know,
- but there is a greater chance that
- we can feel good about the decision we have to
make - if we go through a deliberate process where
- we examine our values,
- seek additional information, and
- consult others.
26A Decision-Making Model 5 Steps (M.V. Joseph,
1983)
- 1. definition of the dilemma,
27A Decision-Making Model 5 Steps (M.V. Joseph,
1983).
- looking at all the relevant facts and developing
valid arguments for various courses of action,
28A Decision-Making Model 5 Steps (M.V. Joseph,
1983)
- 3. consideration of practice wisdom, personal
beliefs and values, and how these might influence
the final decision,
29A Decision-Making Model 5 Steps (M.V. Joseph,
1983)
- 4. developing options, exploring compromises,
evaluating alternatives in an attempt to find a
course of action with the least negative effects,
and
30A Decision-Making Model 5 Steps (M.V. Joseph,
1983)
- 5. choosing a position that you can defend.
31The End
- Read the Code of Practice and keep a copy while
you - practice