NASW Code of Ethics

The 6 Core Values of Social Work

Service

Social Justice

Dignity and worth of the person

Importance of human relationships

Integrity

Competence

NASW Code of Ethics

Purpose #1

The Code identifies core values on which social work's mission is based.

NASW Code of Ethics

Purpose #2

The Code summarizes broad ethical principles that reflect the profession's core values and establishes a set of specific ethical standards that should be used to guide social work practice.

NASW Code of Ethics

Purpose #3

The Code is designed to help social workers identify relevant considerations when professional obligations conflict or ethical uncertainties arise.

NASW Code of Ethics

Purpose #4

The Code provides ethical standards to which the general public can hold the social work profession accountable.

NASW Code of Ethics

Purpose #5

The Code socializes practitioners new to the field to social work's mission, values, ethical principles, and ethical standards.

NASW Code of Ethics

Purpose #6

The Code articulates standards that the social work profession itself can use to assess whether social workers have engaged in unethical conduct. NASW has formal procedures to adjudicate ethics complaints filed against its members.* In subscribing to this Code, social workers are required to cooperate in its implementation, participate in NASW adjudication proceedings, and abide by any NASW disciplinary rulings or sanctions based on it.

What is the Ethical Principle for the Value of Service?

Ethical Principle: Social workers' primary goal is to help people in need and to address social problems.

Social workers elevate service to others above self-interest. Social workers draw on their knowledge, values, and skills to help people in need and to address social problems. Social workers are encouraged to volunteer some portion of their professional skills with no expectation of significant financial return (pro bono service).

What is the Ethical Principle for the Value of Social Justice?

Ethical Principle: Social workers challenge social injustice.

Social workers pursue social change, particularly with and on behalf of vulnerable and oppressed individuals and groups of people. Social workers' social change efforts are focused primarily on issues of poverty, unemployment, discrimination, and other forms of social injustice. These activities seek to promote sensitivity to and knowledge about oppression and cultural and ethnic diversity. Social workers strive to ensure access to needed information, services, and resources; equality of opportunity; and meaningful participation in decision making for all people.

What is the Ethical Principle for the Value of Dignity and Worth of the Person?

Ethical Principle: Social workers respect the inherent dignity and worth of the person.

Social workers treat each person in a caring and respectful fashion, mindful of individual differences and cultural and ethnic diversity. Social workers promote clients' socially responsible self-determination. Social workers seek to enhance clients' capacity and opportunity to change and to address their own needs. Social workers are cognizant of their dual responsibility to clients and to the broader society. They seek to resolve conflicts between clients' interests and the broader society's interests in a socially responsible manner consistent with the values, ethical principles, and ethical standards of the profession.

What is the Ethical Principle for Importance of Human Relationships?

Ethical Principle: Social workers recognize the central importance of human relationships.

Social workers understand that relationships between and among people are an important vehicle for change. Social workers engage people as partners in the helping process. Social workers seek to strengthen relationships among people in a purposeful effort to promote, restore, maintain, and enhance the well-being of individuals, families, social groups, organizations, and communities.

What is the Ethical Principle for the Value of Integrity?

Ethical Principle: Social workers behave in a trustworthy manner.

Social workers are continually aware of the profession's mission, values, ethical principles, and ethical standards and practice in a manner consistent with them. Social workers act honestly and responsibly and promote ethical practices on the part of the organizations with which they are affiliated.

What is the Ethical Principle for the Value of Competence?

Ethical Principle: Social workers practice within their areas of competence and develop and enhance their professional expertise.

Social workers continually strive to increase their professional knowledge and skills and to apply them in practice. Social workers should aspire to contribute to the knowledge base of the profession.

Ethical standards relevant to the professional activities of all social workers fall into the 6 categories. Name them:

(1) social workers' ethical responsibilities to clients

(2) social workers' ethical responsibilities to colleagues

(3) social workers' ethical responsibilities in practice settings

(4) social workers' ethical responsibilities as professionals

(5) social workers' ethical responsibilities to the social work profession

(6) social workers' ethical responsibilities to the broader society.

Name the 16 listed ways social workers are ethically responsible to their clients

1. Commitment to Client

2. Self-Determination

3. Informed Consent

4. Competence

5. Cultural Competence and Social Diversity

6. Conflicts of Interest

7. Privacy and Confidentiality

8. Access to records

9. Sexual Relationships

10. Physical Contact

11. Sexual Harassment

12. Derogatory Language

13. Payment for Services

14. Clients who lack decision-making capacity

15. Interruption of services

16. Termination of services

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Clients

Commitment to Client

Social workers' primary responsibility is to promote the well-being of clients. In general, clients' interests are primary. However, social workers' responsibility to the larger society or specific legal obligations may on limited occasions supersede the loyalty owed clients, and clients should be so advised.

(Examples include when a social worker is required by law to report that a client has abused a child or has threatened to harm self or others.)

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Clients

Self-Determination

Social workers respect and promote the right of clients to self-determination and assist clients in their efforts to identify and clarify their goals. Social workers may limit clients' right to self-determination when, in the social workers' professional judgment, clients' actions or potential actions pose a serious, foreseeable, and imminent risk to themselves or others.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Clients

Informed Consent (A & B)

a) Social workers should provide services to clients only in the context of a professional relationship based, when appropriate, on valid informed consent. Social workers should use clear and understandable language to inform clients of the purpose of the services, risks related to the services, limits to services because of the requirements of a third-party payer, relevant costs, reasonable alternatives, clients' right to refuse or withdraw consent, and the time frame covered by the consent. Social workers should provide clients with an opportunity to ask questions.

(b) In instances when clients are not literate or have difficulty understanding the primary language used in the practice setting, social workers should take steps to ensure clients' comprehension. This may include providing clients with a detailed verbal explanation or arranging for a qualified interpreter or translator whenever possible.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Clients

Informed Consent (C & D)

(c) In instances when clients lack the capacity to provide informed consent, social workers should protect clients' interests by seeking permission from an appropriate third party, informing clients consistent with the clients' level of understanding. In such instances social workers should seek to ensure that the third party acts in a manner consistent with clients' wishes and interests. Social workers should take reasonable steps to enhance such clients' ability to give informed consent.

(d) In instances when clients are receiving services involuntarily, social workers should provide information about the nature and extent of services and about the extent of clients' right to refuse service.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Clients

Informed Consent (E & F)

(e) Social workers who provide services via electronic media (such as computer, telephone, radio, and television) should inform recipients of the limitations and risks associated with such services.

(f) Social workers should obtain clients' informed consent before audiotaping or videotaping clients or permitting observation of services to clients by a third party.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Clients

Competence

(a) Social workers should provide services and represent themselves as competent only within the boundaries of their education, training, license, certification, consultation received, supervised experience, or other relevant professional experience.

(b) Social workers should provide services in substantive areas or use intervention techniques or approaches that are new to them only after engaging in appropriate study, training, consultation, and supervision from people who are competent in those interventions or techniques.

(c) When generally recognized standards do not exist with respect to an emerging area of practice, social workers should exercise careful judgment and take responsible steps (including appropriate education, research, training, consultation, and supervision) to ensure the competence of their work and to protect clients from harm.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Clients

Cultural Competence and Social Diversity

(a) Social workers should understand culture and its function in human behavior and society, recognizing the strengths that exist in all cultures.

(b) Social workers should have a knowledge base of their clients' cultures and be able to demonstrate competence in the provision of services that are sensitive to clients' cultures and to differences among people and cultural groups.

(c) Social workers should obtain education about and seek to understand the nature of social diversity and oppression with respect to race, ethnicity, national origin, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, political belief, religion, immigration status, and mental or physical disability.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Clients

Conflicts of Interest (A)

(a) Social workers should be alert to and avoid conflicts of interest that interfere with the exercise of professional discretion and impartial judgment. Social workers should inform clients when a real or potential conflict of interest arises and take reasonable steps to resolve the issue in a manner that makes the clients' interests primary and protects clients' interests to the greatest extent possible. In some cases, protecting clients' interests may require termination of the professional relationship with proper referral of the client.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Clients

Conflicts of Interest (B)

(b) Social workers should not take unfair advantage of any professional relationship or exploit others to further their personal, religious, political, or business interests.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Clients

Conflicts of Interest (C)

(c) Social workers should not engage in dual or multiple relationships with clients or former clients in which there is a risk of exploitation or potential harm to the client. In instances when dual or multiple relationships are unavoidable, social workers should take steps to protect clients and are responsible for setting clear, appropriate, and culturally sensitive boundaries. (Dual or multiple relationships occur when social workers relate to clients in more than one relationship, whether professional, social, or business. Dual or multiple relationships can occur simultaneously or consecutively.)

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Clients

Conflicts of Interest (D)

(d) When social workers provide services to two or more people who have a relationship with each other (for example, couples, family members), social workers should clarify with all parties which individuals will be considered clients and the nature of social workers' professional obligations to the various individuals who are receiving services. Social workers who anticipate a conflict of interest among the individuals receiving services or who anticipate having to perform in potentially conflicting roles (for example, when a social worker is asked to testify in a child custody dispute or divorce proceedings involving clients) should clarify their role with the parties involved and take appropriate action to minimize any conflict of interest.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Clients

Privacy and Confidentiality (A)

Social workers should respect clients' right to privacy. Social workers should not solicit private information from clients unless it is essential to providing services or conducting social work evaluation or research. Once private information is shared, standards of confidentiality apply.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Clients

Privacy and Confidentiality (B)

Social workers may disclose confidential information when appropriate with valid consent from a client or a person legally authorized to consent on behalf of a client.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Clients

Privacy and Confidentiality (C)

Social workers should protect the confidentiality of all information obtained in the course of professional service, except for compelling professional reasons. The general expectation that social workers will keep information confidential does not apply when disclosure is necessary to prevent serious, foreseeable, and imminent harm to a client or other identifiable person. In all instances, social workers should disclose the least amount of confidential information necessary to achieve the desired purpose; only information that is directly relevant to the purpose for which the disclosure is made should be revealed.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Clients

Privacy and Confidentiality (D)

Social workers should inform clients, to the extent possible, about the disclosure of confidential information and the potential consequences, when feasible before the disclosure is made. This applies whether social workers disclose confidential information on the basis of a legal requirement or client consent.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Clients

Privacy and Confidentiality (E)

Social workers should discuss with clients and other interested parties the nature of confidentiality and limitations of clients' right to confidentiality. Social workers should review with clients circumstances where confidential information may be requested and where disclosure of confidential information may be legally required. This discussion should occur as soon as possible in the social worker-client relationship and as needed throughout the course of the relationship.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Clients

Privacy and Confidentiality (F)

When social workers provide counseling services to families, couples, or groups, social workers should seek agreement among the parties involved concerning each individual's right to confidentiality and obligation to preserve the confidentiality of information shared by others. Social workers should inform participants in family, couples, or group counseling that social workers cannot guarantee that all participants will honor such agreements.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Clients

Privacy and Confidentiality (G)

Social workers should inform clients involved in family, couples, marital, or group counseling of the social worker's, employer's, and agency's policy concerning the social worker's disclosure of confidential information among the parties involved in the counseling.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Clients

Privacy and Confidentiality (H)

Social workers should not disclose confidential information to third-party payers unless clients have authorized such disclosure.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Clients

Privacy and Confidentiality (I)

Social workers should not discuss confidential information in any setting unless privacy can be ensured. Social workers should not discuss confidential information in public or semi-public areas such as hallways, waiting rooms, elevators, and restaurants.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Clients

Privacy and Confidentiality (J)

Social workers should protect the confidentiality of clients during legal proceedings to the extent permitted by law. When a court of law or other legally authorized body orders social workers to disclose confidential or privileged information without a client's consent and such disclosure could cause harm to the client, social workers should request that the court withdraw the order or limit the order as narrowly as possible or maintain the records under seal, unavailable for public inspection.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Clients

Privacy and Confidentiality (K)

Social workers should protect the confidentiality of clients when responding to requests from members of the media.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Clients

Privacy and Confidentiality (L)

Social workers should protect the confidentiality of clients' written and electronic records and other sensitive information. Social workers should take reasonable steps to ensure that clients' records are stored in a secure location and that clients' records are not available to others who are not authorized to have access.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Clients

Privacy and Confidentiality (M)

Social workers should take precautions to ensure and maintain the confidentiality of information transmitted to other parties through the use of computers, electronic mail, facsimile machines, telephones and telephone answering machines, and other electronic or computer technology. Disclosure of identifying information should be avoided whenever possible.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Clients

Privacy and Confidentiality (N)

Social workers should transfer or dispose of clients' records in a manner that protects clients' confidentiality and is consistent with state statutes governing records and social work licensure.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Clients

Privacy and Confidentiality (O)

Social workers should take reasonable precautions to protect client confidentiality in the event of the social worker's termination of practice, incapacitation, or death.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Clients

Privacy and Confidentiality (P)

Social workers should not disclose identifying information when discussing clients for teaching or training purposes unless the client has consented to disclosure of confidential information.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Clients

Privacy and Confidentiality (Q)

Social workers should not disclose identifying information when discussing clients with consultants unless the client has consented to disclosure of confidential information or there is a compelling need for such disclosure.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Clients

Privacy and Confidentiality (R)

Social workers should protect the confidentiality of deceased clients consistent with the preceding standards.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Clients

Access to Records

(a) Social workers should provide clients with reasonable access to records concerning the clients. Social workers who are concerned that clients' access to their records could cause serious misunderstanding or harm to the client should provide assistance in interpreting the records and consultation with the client regarding the records. Social workers should limit clients' access to their records, or portions of their records, only in exceptional circumstances when there is compelling evidence that such access would cause serious harm to the client. Both clients' requests and the rationale for withholding some or all of the record should be documented in clients' files.

(b) When providing clients with access to their records, social workers should take steps to protect the confidentiality of other individuals identified or discussed in such records.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Clients

Sexual Relationships (A)

Social workers should under no circumstances engage in sexual activities or sexual contact with current clients, whether such contact is consensual or forced.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Clients

Sexual Relationships (B)

Social workers should not engage in sexual activities or sexual contact with clients' relatives or other individuals with whom clients maintain a close personal relationship when there is a risk of exploitation or potential harm to the client. Sexual activity or sexual contact with clients' relatives or other individuals with whom clients maintain a personal relationship has the potential to be harmful to the client and may make it difficult for the social worker and client to maintain appropriate professional boundaries. Social workers—not their clients, their clients' relatives, or other individuals with whom the client maintains a personal relationship—assume the full burden for setting clear, appropriate, and culturally sensitive boundaries.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Clients

Sexual Relationships (C)

Social workers should not engage in sexual activities or sexual contact with former clients because of the potential for harm to the client. If social workers engage in conduct contrary to this prohibition or claim that an exception to this prohibition is warranted because of extraordinary circumstances, it is social workers—not their clients—who assume the full burden of demonstrating that the former client has not been exploited, coerced, or manipulated, intentionally or unintentionally.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Clients

Sexual Relationships (D)

Social workers should not provide clinical services to individuals with whom they have had a prior sexual relationship. Providing clinical services to a former sexual partner has the potential to be harmful to the individual and is likely to make it difficult for the social worker and individual to maintain appropriate professional boundaries.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Clients

Physical Contact

Social workers should not engage in physical contact with clients when there is a possibility of psychological harm to the client as a result of the contact (such as cradling or caressing clients). Social workers who engage in appropriate physical contact with clients are responsible for setting clear, appropriate, and culturally sensitive boundaries that govern such physical contact.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Clients

Sexual Harassment

Social workers should not sexually harass clients. Sexual harassment includes sexual advances, sexual solicitation, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Clients

Derogatory Language

Social workers should not use derogatory language in their written or verbal communications to or about clients. Social workers should use accurate and respectful language in all communications to and about clients.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Clients

Payment for Services (A)

When setting fees, social workers should ensure that the fees are fair, reasonable, and commensurate with the services performed. Consideration should be given to clients' ability to pay.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Clients

Payment for Services (B)

Social workers should avoid accepting goods or services from clients as payment for professional services. Bartering arrangements, particularly involving services, create the potential for conflicts of interest, exploitation, and inappropriate boundaries in social workers' relationships with clients. Social workers should explore and may participate in bartering only in very limited circumstances when it can be demonstrated that such arrangements are an accepted practice among professionals in the local community, considered to be essential for the provision of services, negotiated without coercion, and entered into at the client's initiative and with the client's informed consent. Social workers who accept goods or services from clients as payment for professional services assume the full burden of demonstrating that this arrangement will not be detrimental to the client or the professional relationship.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Clients

Payment for Services (C)

Social workers should not solicit a private fee or other remuneration for providing services to clients who are entitled to such available services through the social workers' employer or agency.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Clients

Clients Who Lack Decision-Making Capacity

When social workers act on behalf of clients who lack the capacity to make informed decisions, social workers should take reasonable steps to safeguard the interests and rights of those clients.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Clients

Interruption of Services

Social workers should make reasonable efforts to ensure continuity of services in the event that services are interrupted by factors such as unavailability, relocation, illness, disability, or death.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Clients

Termination of Services (A)

Social workers should terminate services to clients and professional relationships with them when such services and

relationships are no longer required or no longer serve the clients' needs or interests.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Clients

Termination of Services (B)

Social workers should take reasonable steps to avoid abandoning clients who are still in need of services. Social workers should withdraw services precipitously only under unusual circumstances, giving careful consideration to all factors in the situation and taking care to minimize possible adverse effects. Social workers should assist in making appropriate arrangements for continuation of services when necessary.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Clients

Termination of Services (C)

Social workers in fee-for-service settings may terminate services to clients who are not paying an overdue balance if the financial contractual arrangements have been made clear to the client, if the client does not pose an imminent danger to self or others, and if the clinical and other consequences of the current nonpayment have been addressed and discussed with the client.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Clients

Termination of Services (D)

Social workers should not terminate services to pursue a social, financial, or sexual relationship with a client.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Clients

Termination of Services (E)

Social workers who anticipate the termination or interruption of services to clients should notify clients promptly and seek the transfer, referral, or continuation of services in relation to the clients' needs and preferences.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Clients

Termination of Services (F)

Social workers who are leaving an employment setting should inform clients of appropriate options for the continuation of services and of the benefits and risks of the options.

Name the 11 ways social workers are ethically responsible to their colleagues

1. Respect

2. Confidentiality

3. Interdisciplinary Collaboration

4. Disputes Involving Colleagues

5. Consultation

6. Referral for Services

7. Sexual Relationships

8. Sexual Harassment

9. Impairment of Colleagues

10. Incompetence of Colleagues

11. Unethical Conduct of Colleagues

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Colleagues

Respect (A)

Social workers should treat colleagues with respect and should represent accurately and fairly the qualifications, views, and obligations of colleagues.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Colleagues

Respect (B)

Social workers should avoid unwarranted negative criticism of colleagues in communications with clients or with other professionals. Unwarranted negative criticism may include demeaning comments that refer to colleagues' level of competence or to individuals' attributes such as race, ethnicity, national origin, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, political belief, religion, immigration status, and mental or physical disability.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Colleagues

Respect (C)

Social workers should cooperate with social work colleagues and with colleagues of other professions when such cooperation serves the well-being of clients.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Colleagues

Confidentiality

Social workers should respect confidential information shared by colleagues in the course of their professional relationships and transactions. Social workers should ensure that such colleagues understand social workers' obligation to respect confidentiality and any exceptions related to it.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Colleagues

Interdisciplinary Collaboration (A)

Social workers who are members of an interdisciplinary team should participate in and contribute to decisions that affect the well-being of clients by drawing on the perspectives, values, and experiences of the social work profession. Professional and ethical obligations of the interdisciplinary team as a whole and of its individual members should be clearly established.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Colleagues

Interdisciplinary Collaboration (B)

Social workers for whom a team decision raises ethical concerns should attempt to resolve the disagreement through appropriate channels. If the disagreement cannot be resolved, social workers should pursue other avenues to address their concerns consistent with client well-being.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Colleagues

Disputes Involving Colleagues (A)

Social workers should not take advantage of a dispute between a colleague and an employer to obtain a position or otherwise advance the social workers' own interests.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Colleagues

Disputes Involving Colleagues (B)

Social workers should not exploit clients in disputes with colleagues or engage clients in any inappropriate discussion of conflicts between social workers and their colleagues.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Colleagues

Consultation (A)

Social workers should seek the advice and counsel of colleagues whenever such consultation is in the best interests of clients.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Colleagues

Consultation (B)

Social workers should keep themselves informed about colleagues' areas of expertise and competencies. Social workers should seek consultation only from colleagues who have demonstrated knowledge, expertise, and competence related to the subject of the consultation.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Colleagues

Consultation (C)

When consulting with colleagues about clients, social workers should disclose the least amount of information necessary to achieve the purposes of the consultation.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Colleagues

Referral for Services (A)

Social workers should refer clients to other professionals when the other professionals' specialized knowledge or expertise is needed to serve clients fully or when social workers believe that they are not being effective or making reasonable progress with clients and that additional service is required.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Colleagues

Referral for Services (B)

Social workers who refer clients to other professionals should take appropriate steps to facilitate an orderly transfer of responsibility. Social workers who refer clients to other professionals should disclose, with clients' consent, all pertinent information to the new service providers.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Colleagues

Referral for Services (C)

Social workers are prohibited from giving or receiving payment for a referral when no professional service is provided by the referring social worker.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Colleagues

Sexual Relationships (A)

Social workers who function as supervisors or educators should not engage in sexual activities or contact with supervisees, students, trainees, or other colleagues over whom they exercise professional authority.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Colleagues

Sexual Relationships

(B)

Social workers should avoid engaging in sexual relationships with colleagues when there is potential for a conflict of interest. Social workers who become involved in, or anticipate becoming involved in, a sexual relationship with a colleague have a duty to transfer professional responsibilities, when necessary, to avoid a conflict of interest.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Colleagues

Sexual Harassment

Social workers should not sexually harass supervisees, students, trainees, or colleagues. Sexual harassment includes sexual advances, sexual solicitation, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Colleagues

Impairment of Colleagues (A)

Social workers who have direct knowledge of a social work colleague's impairment that is due to personal problems, psycho-social distress, substance abuse, or mental health difficulties and that interferes

with practice effectiveness should consult with that colleague when feasible and assist the colleague in taking remedial action.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Colleagues

Impairment of Colleagues (B)

Social workers who believe that a social work colleague's impairment interferes with practice effectiveness and that the colleague has not taken adequate steps to address the impairment should take action through appropriate channels established by employers, agencies, NASW, licensing and regulatory bodies, and other professional organizations.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Colleagues

Incompetence of Colleagues (A)

Social workers who have direct knowledge of a social work colleague's incompetence should consult with that colleague when feasible and assist the colleague in taking remedial action.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Colleagues

Incompetence of Colleagues (B)

Social workers who believe that a social work colleague is incompetent and has not taken adequate steps to address the incompetence should take action through appropriate channels established by employers, agencies, NASW, licensing and regulatory bodies, and other professional organizations.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Colleagues

Unethical Conduct of Colleagues (A)

Social workers should take adequate measures to discourage, prevent, expose, and correct the unethical conduct of colleagues.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Colleagues

Unethical Conduct of Colleagues (B)

Social workers should be knowledgeable about established policies and procedures for handling concerns about colleagues' unethical behavior. Social workers should be familiar with national, state, and local procedures for handling ethics complaints. These include policies and procedures created by NASW, licensing and regulatory bodies, employers, agencies, and other professional organizations.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Colleagues

Unethical Conduct of Colleagues (C)

Social workers who believe that a colleague has acted unethically should seek resolution by discussing their concerns with the colleague when feasible and when such discussion is likely to be productive.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to ColleaguesUnethical

Unethical Conduct of Colleagues (D)

When necessary, social workers who believe that a colleague has acted unethically should take action through appropriate formal channels (such as contacting a state licensing board or regulatory body, an NASW committee on inquiry, or other professional ethics committees).

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibility to Colleagues

Unethical Conduct of Colleagues (E)

Social workers should defend and assist colleagues who are unjustly charged with unethical conduct.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibilities in Practice Settings

Supervision and Consultation (A)

Social workers who provide supervision or consultation should have the necessary knowledge and skill to supervise or consult appropriately and should do so only within their areas of knowledge and competence.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibilities in Practice Settings

Supervision and Consultation (B)

Social workers who provide supervision or consultation are responsible for setting clear, appropriate, and culturally sensitive boundaries.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibilities in Practice Settings

Supervision and Consultation (C)

Social workers should not engage in any dual or multiple relationships with supervisees in which there is a risk of exploitation of or potential harm to the supervisee.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibilities in Practice Settings

Supervision and Consultation (D)

Social workers who provide supervision should evaluate supervisees' performance in a manner that is fair and respectful.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibilities in Practice Settings

Education and Training (A)

Social workers who function as educators, field instructors for students, or trainers should provide instruction only within their areas of knowledge and competence and should provide instruction based on the most current information and knowledge available in the profession.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibilities in Practice Settings

Education and Training (B)

Social workers who function as educators or field instructors for students should evaluate students' performance in a manner that is fair and respectful.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibilities in Practice Settings

Education and Training (C)

Social workers who function as educators or field instructors for students should take reasonable steps to ensure that clients are routinely informed when services are being provided by students.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibilities in Practice Settings

Education and Training (D)

Social workers who function as educators or field instructors for students should not engage in any dual or multiple relationships with students in which there is a risk of exploitation or potential harm to the student. Social work educators and field instructors are responsible for setting clear, appropriate, and culturally sensitive boundaries.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibilities in Practice Settings

Performance Evaluation

Social workers who have responsibility for evaluating the performance of others should fulfill such responsibility in a fair and considerate manner and on the basis of clearly stated criteria.

Social Workers' Ethical Responsibilities in Practice Settings

Client Records (A)

Social workers should take reasonable steps to ensure that documentation in records is accurate and reflects the services provided.