Draft document: Ethics in Social Work Statement of Principles
IFSW General Meeting, Geneva, Switzerland, 10-12 July 2002
Introduction to the draft statement
This document is a draft statement of principles, to be circulated for consultation to members of the IFSW and other interested parties, with a view to presenting a final version at the General Meeting in Adelaide in August 2004. It will replace the Ethical Principles and Standards adopted in Sri Lanka in 1994. In response to various comments from member associations, this document is designed to be shorter than the 1994 version, and remains largely at the level of general principles. It is not the role of IFSW to prescribe more detailed rules of conduct for social workers in the many different countries in membership of IFSW . Rather, it is expected that member associations will develop their own ethical guidance and codes with reference to this document, along with their own procedures for disciplining those who violate the ethical guidance and mechanisms for promoting education, debate and discussion on ethical issues in social work.1. Preface
Ethical awareness is a necessary part of the professional practice of any social worker. His or her ability to act ethically is an essential aspect of the quality of the service offered to those who use social work services .
The purpose of IFSW's work on ethics is to promote ethical debate and reflection in the member associations and among the providers of social work in member countries. Some ethical challenges and problems facing social workers are specific to particular countries; others are common. By staying at the level of general principles, the IFSW statement aims to encourage social workers across the world to reflect on the challenges and dilemmas that face them and make ethically informed decisions about how to act in each particular case. Some of these problem areas include:
This document takes as its starting point the definition of social work adopted by the IFSW at the General Meeting in Montreal, Canada in July 2000 (section 2). This definition stresses principles of human rights and social justice. The next section (3) makes reference to the various declarations and conventions on human rights that are relevant to social work, followed by a statement of general ethical principles under the two broad headings of human rights and dignity and social justice (section 4). The final section introduces some basic guidance on ethical conduct in social work, which it is expected would be elaborated by the ethical guidance and codes of the member associations of IFSW.
The purpose of IFSW's work on ethics is to promote ethical debate and reflection in the member associations and among the providers of social work in member countries. Some ethical challenges and problems facing social workers are specific to particular countries; others are common. By staying at the level of general principles, the IFSW statement aims to encourage social workers across the world to reflect on the challenges and dilemmas that face them and make ethically informed decisions about how to act in each particular case. Some of these problem areas include:
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This document takes as its starting point the definition of social work adopted by the IFSW at the General Meeting in Montreal, Canada in July 2000 (section 2). This definition stresses principles of human rights and social justice. The next section (3) makes reference to the various declarations and conventions on human rights that are relevant to social work, followed by a statement of general ethical principles under the two broad headings of human rights and dignity and social justice (section 4). The final section introduces some basic guidance on ethical conduct in social work, which it is expected would be elaborated by the ethical guidance and codes of the member associations of IFSW.
2. Definition of Social Work
The social work profession promotes social change, problem solving in human relationships and the empowerment and liberation of people to enhance well-being. Utilising theories of human behaviour and social systems, social work intervenes at the points where people interact with their environments. Principles of human rights and social justice are fundamental to social work.
3. International conventions
International human rights declarations and conventions form common standards of achievement, and recognise rights that are accepted by the global community.
These documents include:
These documents include:
4. Principles
4.1. Human Rights and Human Dignity
Social work is based on respect for the inherent worth and dignity of all people, and the rights that follow from this. Social workers should uphold and defend each person’s physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual integrity and well-being. This means:1. Respecting the right to self-determination - Social workers should respect people’s rights to make their own choices and decisions, irrespective of their values and life choices, provided this does not threaten the rights and interests of others.
2. Promoting the right to participation - Social workers should promote the full involvement and participation of people using their services in ways that enable them to be empowered in all aspects of decisions and actions affecting their lives.
3. Treating each person as a whole - Social workers should be concerned with the whole person, within the family and the community, and should seek to recognise all aspects of a person’s life.
4.2. Social justice
Social workers have a responsibility to promote social justice, in relation to society generally, and in relation to the people with whom they work. This means:1. Challenging negative discrimination - Social workers have a responsibility to challenging negative discrimination on the basis of irrelevant characteristics such as ability, age, culture, gender or sex, marital status, political opinions, skin colour or other physical characteristics, sexual orientation, or spiritual beliefs.
2. Recognising diversity – Social workers should recognise and respect the racial and cultural diversity of societies in which they practice, taking account of individual, family, group and community differences.
3. Distributing resources equitably – Social workers should ensure that resources at the their disposal are distributed fairly, according to need.
4. Challenging unjust polices and practices – Social workers have a duty to bring to he attention of policy makers, politicians and the general public situations where resources are inadequate or where policies and practices are unfair or harmful.
5. Professional conduct
It is the responsibility of the national associations in membership of IFSW to develop and regularly update their own ethical codes or guidelines, consistent with the IFSW statement.
Social workers should act in accordance with the ethical code or guidelines current in their country. These will generally include more detailed guidance in ethical practice specific to the national context. The following general guidelines on professional conduct apply:
1. Social workers are expected to develop and maintain the required skills and competence to do their job.
2. Social workers should not allow their skills to be used for inhumane purposes, such as torture or terrorism.
3. Social workers should act with integrity. This includes not abusing the relationship of trust with the people using their services, recognising the boundaries between personal and professional life, and not abusing their position for personal benefit or gain.
4. Social workers should act in relation to the people using their services with compassion, empathy and care.
5. Social workers should not subordinate the needs or interests of people who use their services to their own needs or interests.
6. Social workers have a duty to take necessary steps to care for themselves professionally and personally in the workplace, in order to ensure that they are able to provide appropriate services.
7. Social workers should maintain confidentiality regarding information about people who use their services. Exceptions to this may only be justified on the basis of a greater ethical requirement (such as the preservation of life).
8. Social workers need to acknowledge that they are accountable for their actions to the people they work with, their colleagues, their employers, the professional association and to the law, and that these accountabilities may conflict.
9. Social workers should foster and engage in ethical debate with their colleagues and employers and take responsibility for making ethically informed decisions.
10. Social workers should work to create conditions in employing agencies and in their countries where the principles of this statement and those of their own national code (if applicable) are discussed, evaluated and upheld.
Social workers should act in accordance with the ethical code or guidelines current in their country. These will generally include more detailed guidance in ethical practice specific to the national context. The following general guidelines on professional conduct apply:
1. Social workers are expected to develop and maintain the required skills and competence to do their job.
2. Social workers should not allow their skills to be used for inhumane purposes, such as torture or terrorism.
3. Social workers should act with integrity. This includes not abusing the relationship of trust with the people using their services, recognising the boundaries between personal and professional life, and not abusing their position for personal benefit or gain.
4. Social workers should act in relation to the people using their services with compassion, empathy and care.
5. Social workers should not subordinate the needs or interests of people who use their services to their own needs or interests.
6. Social workers have a duty to take necessary steps to care for themselves professionally and personally in the workplace, in order to ensure that they are able to provide appropriate services.
7. Social workers should maintain confidentiality regarding information about people who use their services. Exceptions to this may only be justified on the basis of a greater ethical requirement (such as the preservation of life).
8. Social workers need to acknowledge that they are accountable for their actions to the people they work with, their colleagues, their employers, the professional association and to the law, and that these accountabilities may conflict.
9. Social workers should foster and engage in ethical debate with their colleagues and employers and take responsibility for making ethically informed decisions.
10. Social workers should work to create conditions in employing agencies and in their countries where the principles of this statement and those of their own national code (if applicable) are discussed, evaluated and upheld.
page last updated on 09.10.2005