...professional conduct of social workers. This Code includes four sections. The first Section, "Preamble," summarizes the social work profession's mission and core values. The second section, "Purpose of the NASW Code of Ethics," provides an overview of the Code's main functions and a brief guide for dealing with ethical issues or dilemmas in social work practice. The third section, "Ethical Principles," presents broad ethical principles based on social work's core values that inform social work practice. The final section, "Ethical Standards," includes specific ethical standards to guide social workers' conduct, and to provide a basis for adjudication. The Code identifies core values on which social work's mission is based, summarizes ethical principles that reflect the profession's core values, establishes a set of specific ethical standards that guide social work practice, and provides the basis on which the public can hold a practitioner accountable. Here I will provide a summary of principles. Social worker's primary goal is to help people in need and to address social problems. Social workers challenge social injustice. Social workers respect the inherent dignity and worth of the person. Social workers recognize the central importance of human relationships. Social workers behave in a trustworthy manner. Social workers practice within their areas of competence, and develop and enhance their professional expertise. Ethical standards are articulated under social workers' ethical responsibilities...
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...9 chapter current controversies and issues Introduction The Clash of Values in Social Policies Welfare Euthanasia Government: How Much Support for the Needy? Target Populations: The Struggle for Support The AIDS Epidemic The Homeless Welfare Recipients Professionalism in the Human Services The Role of Human Services Workers Whom Do Human Services Workers Serve? A Basic Reading and Thinking Skill Ranking American Values References 324 Human Services in Contemporary America - © Cengage Learning c u r r e n t c o n t r ov e r s i e s a n d i s s u e s 325 INTRODUCTION You may have gathered by now that the human services field is quite complex. Complete agreement regarding philosophies, methods, goals, services, funding, or anything else just does not exist nor, from our point of view, should it. There are times when controversies and differences are stimulating, healthy, and valid and lead to creative solutions. At other times, they are repetitious, meaningless, and destructive. Too frequently they consume time, energy, and resources that might better be used providing needed services. To this end, we highly recommend that students become familiar with the books in the Opposing Viewpoints series, published by the Greenhaven Press, that deal with issues of concern to human services workers. The purpose of this chapter is to present a sampling of basic controversies and issues in the field of human services that have not yet been resolved and may never be resolved...
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...may all have differing perceptionsof families with same-sex caregivers; some view this as strength whereas otherswill see membership of a minority group as a risk. Family members themselvesmay negatively discriminate on the basis of sexuality. Prior awareness of thepossibility of conflicting opinions will enable the worker to reactthoughtfully and mediate effectively. The social worker should criticallyevaluate their own practice continuously, checking for assumptions,stereotyping and cultural bias. Preparation for the assessment should beginwith ensuring an appropriate social worker is allocated. The team managershould consider the field workers knowledge and understanding of the issuespertaining to this particular family (for example youth offending,discrimination/oppression based on sexuality/gender, attachment issues etc), aswell as ensuring the worker is an appropriate match in terms of race and gender. Once a suitable worker is allocated thecase, he/she will need to refer to all information gathered previously. Thiswill prevent the family repeating sensitive information again, and will enablethe social worker to identify gaps in information that need to be filled duringthe assessment. Assessments and subsequent care plans aremore effective if the child and family feel empowered and involved throughoutthe process (Department for Education and Skills, 2001). Indeed this is a dutyof any professional working with children as outlined in Article 12 of theUnited Nations...
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...A general definition of social justice is hard to arrive at and even harder to implement. In essence, social justice is concerned with equal justice, not just in the courts, but in all aspects of society. This concept demands that people have equal rights and opportunities; everyone, from the poorest person on the margins of society to the wealthiest deserves an even playing field. Social justice generally refers to the idea of creating a society or institution that is based on the principles of equality and solidarity, that understands and values human rights, and that recognizes the dignity of every human being.The term and modern concept of "social justice" was coined by the Jesuit Luigi Taparelli in 1840 based on the teachings of St. Thomas Aquinas and given further exposure in 1848 by Antonio Rosmini-Serbati. The idea was elaborated by the moral theologian John A. Ryan, who initiated the concept of a living wage. Father Coughlin also used the term in his publications in the 1930s and the 1940s. It is a part of Catholic social teaching, Social Gospel from Episcopalians and is one of the Four Pillars of the Green Party upheld by green parties worldwide. Social justice as a secular concept, distinct from religious teachings, emerged mainly in the late twentieth century, influenced primarily by philosopher John Rawls. Some tenets of social justice have been adopted by those on the left of the political spectrum. Social justice is based on the concepts of human rights and...
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...Relational Cultural Theory: What is it? Relational cultural theory derives from an area of psychology that focuses on individuals interacting with others through relationships. Relational cultural theory shows how relationships have power and can change individuals. Relational cultural theory was derived from the work of Jean Baker Miller. RCT challenges the traditional psychology conceptions of self, autonomy, independence, individuation and competition (Miller). “The central tenet of RCT is that people develop through and toward relationship, which occurs within and is influenced by a cultural context. Above all, RCT asserts that people need to be in connection in order to change, to open up, to shift, to transform, to heal, and to grow” (Jordan 3). It is disconnection that causes psychological problems. Core Values of RCT Some of the core relational cultural theory and assumptions of growth dealing with psychological and relational development include the idea that: * People grow through and toward relationship throughout the lifespan * Movement towards mutuality rather than movement towards separation characterizes mature functioning * Relationship differentiation and elaboration characterize growth * Mutual empathy and mutual empowerment are the core of growth-fostering relationships * In growth-fostering relationships, all people contribute and grow or benefit; development is not a one-way street * Mutual empathy is the vehicle for change in therapy ...
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...Social Services Lobbyists Social lobbyists seek to obtain the support of many individuals along with politicians. The social lobbyists gather ideas and resources needed for the human services and then seeks to persuade and gather supporters. A social lobbyist as a social advocate is very important. The reason for this is that the lobbyist actually experiences the resources and knows what can be implemented for improvement. The responsibility of a lobbyist is extensive and consists of numerous tasks. Social advocates are courageous people who attain good analytical skills. Social advocates stand for what they believe in, and they lobby for people who are exploited, underprivileged, and destitute. There are different types of social advocates who lobby for what they believe in, such as human rights activist, environmentalists, revolutionary leader, and social workers. Social workers are huge social advocates; they lobby for political and social actions that help clients have equal access to employment, and services. Social workers lobby for county programs, local human rights commissions, and state agencies, such as those providing food stamps, Medicaid, and vocational rehabilitation. On the federal side social workers lobby for Social Security Administration, Department of Health and Human services, United States Department of Justice, and the president of the United States. Social workers positions as lobbyists effect social policy changes through changing laws...
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...term goal and history of Human Services, the nature of the generalist practice, theoretical frameworks, common intervention strategies and finally, ethical considerations will all be discussed in this essay. The Goal of Human Services As previously mentioned, Human Services is a means by which the socially disadvantaged can be assisted in meeting their basic physical and emotional needs. Various obstacles keep some from meeting their needs on their own. Some of these obstacles have been created by the individual himself due to bad judgment or decisions. However, more often than not the reasons why people cannot meet their basic needs are due to circumstances beyond their control (Martin, 2007). Human service agencies (also known as social service agencies) are called upon by these individuals when they have encountered these obstacles and they do not have anyone that can help them succeed in circumventing them. These obstacles or barriers can be any number of things ranging from lack of a family or friends, unemployment and mental and/or physical illnesses (Martin, 2007). History of Human Services Human Services as we now...
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...SOCIAL JUSTICE Social justice generally refers to the idea of creating a society or institution that is based on the principles of equality and solidarity, that understands and values human rights, and that recognizes the dignity of every human being.[1][2][3] The term and modern concept of "social justice" was coined by the Jesuit Luigi Taparelli in 1840 based on the teachings of St. Thomas Aquinas and given further exposure in 1848 by Antonio Rosmini-Serbati.Social justice as a secular concept, distinct from religious teachings, emerged mainly in the late twentieth century, influenced primarily by philosopher John Rawls. Some tenets of social justice have been adopted by those on the left of the political spectrum.Social justice is based on the concepts of human rights and equality and involves a greater degree of economic egalitarianism through progressive taxation, income redistribution, or even property redistribution.These policies aim to achieve what developmental economists refer to as more equality of opportunity than may currently exist in some societies, and to manufacture equality of outcome in cases where incidental inequalities appear in a procedurally just system.The Constitution of the International Labour Organization affirms that "universal and lasting peace can be established only if it is based upon social justice. Social justice is when something is unreasonable within society or around the world. There are many different unjust things that happen in our...
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...Running Head: COUNSELING AND SOCIAL JUSTICE Stepping up Counseling Responsibilities in a Socially Unjust Society Abstract Social Justice has been an emerging issue over the last century in today’s service environment of helping professionals. I reviewed several articles where the main theme is; we live in a world of systems that allow for injustice and oppression. The Professional Counselor’s work deals with many of the symptoms that permit for this injustice and oppression. The articles had similar recurring traits that are stressed as important practices that need to be adopted by Professionals in the helping field to increase awareness of social justice and implement actions for change in a socially unjust society. I will explain the four main attributes: knowledge, awareness, research and advocacy and explain how education and focus in each area will contribute to the social justice inequities in the communities we practice. If professional counselors want to promote social justice, to be effective, there has to be a movement to take action on the burdensome stigmatisms and unfortunate inequities that human beings bring to professionals about the communities they live in. Social justice and the counseling profession have roots that goes back to the 1900’s. It has always been understood from a social work point of view that problems such as depression, anxiety, and abuse often derive from economic...
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...The History of Human Services Human Services is no new idea, in fact, it existed during the Feudal systems of old England, those needing food, water, clothing and shelter where the responsibility of the Lord of that realm, and the religious sector of that area as well. The level and quality of care provided during those times were determined by the Lord of the realm, but as rural areas evolved into urban areas a new system was needed. Consequently poverty had to be addresses which brought about the poor laws of England bringing into question the morality of poverty. This separated society into the deserving and undeserving poor, which then lead to the deserving receiving intervention and the undeserving shunned and punished by society. In the 1870s The Charity Organization Societies formed by Reverend S, Humphreys grew out of the frustration with the current system's lack of organization and distribution, within the new system they tried to organize so that they could assist with matters of charity and relief by cutting down on the dependence of the welfare and fraud of the system. As society grew so did the problems of society, which lead to the development of what was called Settlement houses which provided a holistic approach to poverty. This new concept gave emphasis on issues such as empathy and acceptance surrounding issues related to the people of the community who needed help, also promoting ideas of comprehensive care involving poverty. This movement brought to light...
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...Does American Social Work Have a Progressive Tradition? Allison D. Murdach Social work authors in the 1950s claimed progressivism as a unique social work "tradition" and set of values, and this historical interpretation has influenced many versions ofsocial work history since that time.Today, other voices in the profession claim various divergent traditions for social work and note that the progressive tradition has waned in the profession. Given these uncertainties, the question of whether social work has or still possesses a progressive tradition is once again revisited, and the current relationship between social work and progressivism is evaluated. KEY WORDS: professional identity;progressivism; social work practice; social work traditions; social work values T he field ofsocial work has long been identified with a focus on poverty, tbe welfare of children and families, unemployment, discrimination, and social justice. Tbese areas are also among the constant concerns of progressivism, a political movement stemming from the early 20th century that, at various times, has dominated tbe political process in tbe United States during the past 100 years. Given the similarity ofthe concerns of social work and progressivism, it has been argued that because social work from its earliest days adopted a "tradition" of humanitarian social reform—called the "American tradition" by Cohen (1958)—tbe profession has essentially become identical with progressivism in all major respects...
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...Profession Code of Ethics Comparison As a social work student, we are provided with the foundational education necessary to succeed in our profession. The National Association of Social Work (NASW) Code of Ethics is the most significant publication because it “is intended to serve as a guide to the everyday professional conduct of social workers” (NASW Code of Ethics, 2017). For this assignment, we are charged with exploring other professional codes of ethics to gain a better understanding of how they may be similar or differ from one another. Therefore, I choose to explore the American Counseling Association (ACA) Code of Ethics with the intention of conducting a comparison analysis of both documents. First, the NASW Code of Ethics clearly...
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...Disparities can be referred to any from of differences, bias or general inequality. To reduce any form of disparities, the aid provided must be effective. To provide aid is to provide poor/developing countries with a better quality of life and improve their standard of living. Effective aid would reduce disparities since the people of the country can develop, improve their standard of living, quality of life and most importantly learn to be independent. Effective aid isn’t necessarily always present, the different types of aid, such as short term, long term, conditional etc. can be assessed to determine whether they can reduce global disparities. Effective aid would be a form of aid that provides the resources needed to invest in projects and generic humanitarian relief, however to to what extent does aid actually help reduce global disparities? Various forms of aid, apart from often emergency, are controversial. There are certain countries out there who look at benefitting themselves when giving aid rather than looking at what actually benefits the recipients. These countries often tend to provide aid, however with a condition that benefits their behalf. Conditional Aid is a form of aid in which aid is provided but with a condition. An example would be in the year of 1991 when the UK provided Malaysia with aid, but in return Malaysia should purchase arms fro the UK only. This was later fulfilled when Malaysia bought 1 billion euros worth of arms from the UK, leaving them in...
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...Code of Ethics of the National Association of Social Workers Approved by the 1996 NASW Delegate Assembly and revised by the 2008 NASW Delegate Assembly The 2008 NASW Delegate Assembly approved the following revisions to the NASW Code of Ethics: 1.05 Cultural Competence and Social Diversity (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. 2.01 Respect (a) Social workers should treat colleagues with respect and should represent accurately and fairly the qualifications, views, and obligations of colleagues. (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. 4.02 Discrimination Social workers should not practice, condone, facilitate, or collaborate with any form of discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender...
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...Social and economic justice occurs when "all members of a society share equally in the social order, secure an equitable consideration of resources and opportunities, and enjoy their full benefit of civil liberties". An easier way to understand the concept of social and economic justice may be to consider what a lack of justice is: "when societies do not accord citizens equity and equality and when they violate their citizens' human and civil rights". Social injustice could include any social problem-domestic violence, inadequate healthcare, or substance abuse. Social justice ideally addresses these problems, but also addresses social issues-the increasing aging population, education expenses, and environmental concerns. Social workers' responsibility regarding social and economic justice is formally defined in the NASW Code of Ethics. The last section of the Code of Ethics, "the social worker's ethical responsibility to society," states that "the social worker should promote the general welfare of society." More specifically, it states "the social worker should advocate changes in policy and legislation to improve social conditions and to promote social justice." It is clear then that social workers are obligated to promote social justice - to empower people individually and collectively. This stipulation is congruent with my own personal beliefs about social justice. Influenced by my values based in Christianity and humanism, I feel action to promote social justice is a personal...
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