Every profession has its ethical values that should be taken care off. Social work is a profession that involves bringing a change for the better in other people’s lives by assisting them and in doing so, in any kind of a situation. There are several sub categories and areas of social work.
Some involve government organizations, whereas others are private organizations. Nonetheless, all social workers have to follow a particular code of conduct. This involves a set of ethical principles that should be observed by them at all costs.
Although all individual organizations work according to their own set of principles and code of conduct for its workers, there are some like that of National Association of Social workers that have developed a certain code of ethics for all their social workers. This applies to all kinds of workers. In fact, it revolves around the important values and characteristics that are the traits of a good worker.
The characteristic that is of major significance is that of service. This means that the basic objective of a worker should be to offer their services to troubled people, and also to help them in any way that they can. While doing so, their personal financial gains should be the last thing on their mind. It is these kinds of workers that can play a significant role in highlighting the social injustices like discrimination, poverty and unemployment. Further, the worker should know well that every human being is worthy, and that he/she should play a significant role in bringing a positive change in troubled people’s lives.
In addition to the above, there are certain ethical standards that should also be maintained. Social workers should be committed to the well-being of their clients, and should give them preference above their own individual gain. Taking the consent of an individual they intend to help is a must, as they should not and cannot force anyone to seek help. What is more, they should also maintain confidentiality. If the worker fails to keep his/her client’s issues confidential then it will be extreme dishonesty on his part!
In short, ethical values and standards that a social worker should work by vary according to organizations and situations. An ideal worker should have all the above mentioned values, as they are extremely significant in helping others in an effective manner.
