Social Work Competencies Social Work Ethics Robin M. Kohn, MSW, LCSW Robin.kohn@ucf.edu Field Education Seminar

CSWE Core Competencies Professional Identity 2.1.1 Identify as a professional social worker & conduct oneself accordingly Practice Behaviors Advocacy for client access to services Practice personal reflection & self-correction Attend to professional roles & boundaries Demonstrate professional demeanor in behavior, appearance & communication Engage in career-long learning Use supervision & consultation

CSWE Core Competencies Ethical Practice 2.1.2 Apply social work ethical principles to guide professional practice Practice Behaviors Has an obligation to conduct themselves ethically & engage in ethical decision-making Knowledgeable about the value base of the profession, its ethical standards, & relevant law Apply strategies of ethical reasoning to arrive at principled decisions Recognize & manage personal values in a way that allows professional values to guide practice

Core Competencies Ethical Practice Practice Behaviors Recognize and manage personal values in a way that allows professional values to guide practice Make ethical decisions by applying standards of the NASW Code of Ethics, and as applicable, of the International Federation of Social Workers, Statement of Principles

CSWE Core Competencies Critical Thinking 2.1.3 Apply critical thinking to inform & communicate professional judgments Practice Behaviors Distinguish, appraise, & integrate multiple sources of knowledge Analyze models of assessment, prevention, intervention, & evaluation Demonstrate effective oral & written communication in working with individuals, families, groups, organizations, communities, & colleagues

CSWE Core Competencies Diversity in Practice 2.1.4 Engage diversity & difference in practice Practice Behaviors Recognize the extent to which a culture’s structures & values may oppress, marginalize, alienate, or create or enhance privilege & power Gain self-awareness to eliminate the influence of personal biases & values in working with diverse groups Recognize & communicate their understanding of the importance of difference in shaping life’s experiences View themselves as learners & engage those with whom they work as informants

CSWE Core Competencies Human Rights & Justice 2.1.5 Advance human rights & social & economic justice Practice Behaviors Understand the forms & mechanisms of oppression & discrimination Advocate for human rights & social & economic justice Engage in practices that advance social & economic justice

CSWE Core Competencies Research Based Practice 2.1.6 Engage in research-informed practice & practice-informed research Practice Behaviors Use practice experience to inform scientific inquiry Use research evidence to inform practice

CSWE Core Competencies Human Behavior 2.1.7 Apply knowledge of human behavior & the social environment Practice Behaviors Knowledgeable about human behavior across the life course, the range of social systems in which people live, & the ways social systems promote or deter people in maintaining or achieving health & well-being Utilize conceptual frameworks to guide the processes of assessment, intervention, & evaluation Critique & apply knowledge to understand person & environment

CSWE Core Competencies Policy Practice 2.1.8 Engage in policy practice to advance social & economic well-being & to deliver effective social work services Practice Behaviors Understand policy impacts service delivery (practice) Analyze, formulate, & advocate for policies that advance social well-being Collaborate with colleagues & clients for effective policy action

CSWE Core Competencies Practice Contexts 2.1.9 Respond to contexts that shape practice Practice Behaviors Continuously discover, appraise, & attend to changing locales, populations, scientific & technological developments, & emerging societal trends to provide relevant services Provide leadership in promoting sustainable changes in service delivery & practice to improve the quality of social services

CSWE Core Competencies Engage, Assess, Intervene, Evaluate 2.1.10 Engage, assess, intervene, & evaluate with individuals, families, groups, organizations, & communities

CSWE Core Competencies Engagement Practice Behaviors Substantively & effectively prepare for action with individuals, families, groups, organizations, &communities Use empathy & other interpersonal skills Develop a mutually agreed-on focus of work & desired outcomes

CSWE Core Competencies Assessment Practice Behaviors Collect, organize, & interpret client data Assess client strengths & limitations Develop mutually agreed-on intervention goals & objectives Select appropriate intervention strategies

CSWE Core Competencies Intervention Practice Behaviors Initiate actions to achieve organizational goals Implement prevention interventions that enhance client capacities Help clients resolve problems Negotiate, mediate, & advocate for clients Facilitate transitions & endings

CSWE Core Competencies Evaluation Practice Behavior Critically analyze, monitor, & evaluate interventions (Garthwait, 2011, introduction – adapted with permission from the Council on Social Work Education)

Social Work Ethics Ethics Values Ethical Dilemmas Ethical competencies Values Ethical Dilemmas Guidelines to assist with ethical dilemmas NASW Code of Ethics

Social Work Ethics Ethical mistakes made by students tend to be in the following areas of ethical conduct: Violating client autonomy & self-determination Violating client confidentiality & privacy Violating client right to information & informed consent

Social Work Ethics Violating client right to competent service Entering into a dual relationship Privileged communication – refers to the principle that clients can expect that their social worker cannot or will not share information without their consent (Garthwait, 2011, pp.149-151)

Social Work Ethics What two or three ethical concerns or dilemmas are most frequently encountered in your practicum setting? How does your agency handle and/or resolve ethical dilemmas? Does your agency have policies that are in conflict with your personal moral code? If yes, how will you handle or resolve these conflicts?