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Code of Practice and

Ethical DilemmasT.Y. LEE, Fieldwork Coordinator BSW

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The Code of Practice for Registered Social Workers in Hong Kong

Prepared by

The Hong Kong Social Workers Registration Board

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The Code of Practice is an operational statement of the

central values of the social work profession.

Social work students should be

thoroughlythoroughly familiar with it. Represents standards of ethical

behavior for social workers.

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Contents of the Code of Practice1. Basic values and beliefs2. Principles of practice

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Principles of Practice Personal Conduct Clients Colleagues Agency Profession Society

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ViolationViolation of the Code of Practice

may lead to failure in fieldwork assessment

if a placement student breaches the Code, when evidence for the malpracticemalpractice is

upheld, his/her fieldwork will be given a

failure or zero mark

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What is an ethical dilemma? It is a Conflict between ... one’s personal and professional values two values/ethical principles two possible actions each with reasons strongly

favorable and unfavorable two unsatisfactory alternatives one’s values/principles and one’s perceived role

the need to act and the need to reflect

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Can ethical dilemma be avoided?

You can avoid ethical dilemmas! But...

You cannotcannot completelycompletely

avoid ethical dilemmas!

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You can avoid ethical dilemmas! An Example Your placement is in a school, you should give

prior thoughtprior thought to how you would respond when a child reveals abuse or neglect.

Find out how your field instructor wants you to handle these situations.

What information does the schoolschool expect you will share with concerned teachers? The principal?

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You cannot completely avoid ethical dilemmas! It is best to prepare yourself for them by examining your own values from

time to time and learning all you can about: how past ethical problems in your

placement settings were resolved.

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What are the behaviors that will almost always be viewed as

unethical?

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Sexual intimacy with clients

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Libeling or slandering a client

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Sharing confidences without compelling professional reasons

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Assaulting, causing physical injuries, or placing clients in danger

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Discriminatory practices

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Withdrawing services precipitously (abandoning a client)

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Failure to warn and protect the victim of a violent crime

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Failure to exercise reasonable precautions with a potentially suicidal client

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Promising “cures” for problems

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How do I avoid rushing into ethical dilemmas? Develop a working knowledge

of the Code of Practice (by necessity they cannot be specific to

every possible ethics violation)

By anticipating likely trouble spots before they occur.

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How do I resolve ethical dilemmas? The first step is recognizing the problem

and identifying the source of the conflict. You also must keep all parties informed

of your legal and ethical obligations. Engage clients or involved parties in

dialogue, and brainstorm the “best”

course of action.

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Make sure you are constantly keeping in

mind the mission of the profession and

observing the client’s right to self-determination.

If you are still unclear about what to do, discuss

the situation with your field instructor. Protect the identity of the client if

necessary, and present the situation as a “hypothetical” case if you need external external help.

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The priority ranking of ethical principles (Lowenberg and Dolgoff ,1992) An approach for ordering social work values that might help you get off the “horns of a dilemma.” Protection of life Equality Autonomy and freedom Least harm Quality of life Privacy and confidentiality Truthfulness and full disclosure

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How do I know whether I am doing the right thing? It is not always possible to know, but there is a greater chance that we can feel good about the decision we have to

make if we go through a deliberate process where we examine our values, seek additional information, and consult others.

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A Decision-Making Model: 5 Steps (M.V. Joseph, 1983)

1. definition of the dilemma,

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A Decision-Making Model: 5 Steps (M.V. Joseph, 1983).

looking at all the

relevant facts and developing valid arguments for various courses of action,

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A Decision-Making Model: 5 Steps (M.V. Joseph, 1983)

3. consideration of practice wisdom, personal beliefs and values, and how these might

influence the final decision,

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A Decision-Making Model: 5 Steps (M.V. Joseph, 1983)

4. developing options, exploring compromises, evaluating alternatives in an attempt to find a course of action with the

least negative effects, and

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A Decision-Making Model: 5 Steps (M.V. Joseph, 1983)

5. choosing a

position that you can

defend.

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The End

Read the Code of Practice and

keep a copy while you

practice