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Social Work
Code of Ethics for Social Workers
*** Summary of Major Principles ***
1. The Social Worker's Conduct and Component as a Social Work
- Propriety. The social worker should maintain high standards of personal conduct in the capacity or identity as social worker.
- Competence and Professional Development. The social worker should strive to become and remain proficient in professional practice and the performance of professional functions.
- Service. The social worker should regard as primary the service obligation of the social work profession.
- Integrity. The social worker should act in accordance with the highest standards of professional integrity.
- Scholarship and Research. The social worker engaged in study and research should be guided by the conventions of scholarly inquiry.
2. The Social Worker's Ethical Responsibility to Clients
- Primacy of Clients' Interests. The social worker's primary responsibility is to clients.
- Rights and Prerogatives of Clients. The social worker should make every effort to foster maximum self-determination on the part of clients.
- Confidentiality and Privacy. The social worker should respect the privacy of clients and hold in confidence all information obtained in the course of professional service.
- Fees. When settling fees, the social worker should ensure that they are fair, reasonable, considerate and commensurate with the service performed and with due regard for the clients' ability to pay.
3. The Social Worker's Ethical Responsibility to Colleagues
- Respect, Fairness, and Courtesy. The social worker should treat colleagues with respect, courtesy, fairness, and good faith.
- Dealing with Colleagues' Clients. The social worker has the responsibility to relate to the clients of colleagues with full professional consideration.
4. The Social Worker's Ethical Responsibility to Employers and Employing Organizations
- Commitments to Employing Organizations. The social worker should adhere to commitments made to the employing organizations.
5. The Social Worker's Ethical Responsibility To the Social Work Profession
- Maintaining the Integrity of the Profession. The social worker should uphold and advance the values, ethics, knowledge, and mission of the profession.
- Community Service. The Social Worker should assist the profession in making social services available to the genera public.
- Development of Knowledge. The social worker should take responsibility for identifying, developing, and fully utilizing knowledge for professional practice.
6. The Social Worker's Ethical Responsibility To Society
- Promoting the General Welfare. The social worker should promote the general welfare of society.
The above constitutes a summary of the Code effective July 1, 1980, as adopted by the 1979 National Association of Social Workers Delegate Assembly. The complete text, including preamble and expanded definition of principles, is available on request from the National Association of Social Workers, 1425 H Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20005.
Last Updated: 03 Dec 2001
