Ethics and Diversity in Social Work - Essay Sample

Introduction

Social work is generally identified with the caring profession's hospitality since it helps individuals meet their needs in a changing global environment. Social work undeniably started as philanthropic helping activities, where it further developed as an outstanding scientific field. Consequently, social work's identity requires extra defining and form with precise characteristics, allowing for a unique description of its practice (Peters, 2017). Social work's characterization as a profession and science, elements such as ethics, methods, techniques, values, and social work theories are acknowledged. The importance of ethics in practicing the job goes beyond mere compliance with the regulations. This paper sheds light on how ethics and diversity in human relations are essential in the social work profession. Social work is a value and a mission-driven job, and the code of ethics forges the interconnection from which work is done.

Ethics

In the social work profession, ethical awareness has emerged as a significant skill that enables social workers to undertake responsibilities diligently while making morally informed decisions. Ethics generally are morals. However, in the social work profession, ethics is used to define the principles derived from its values and ultimately guide it. Ethics is a defining feature in the social work field, focusing on individual and societal wellbeing (Smith, 2014).

Significance of Ethics

Ethics are at the center of the social work profession. Identifying principles, standards, and values governing social work, just as in other jobs, gives social workers a roadmap to conducting them. From ethics, in social work, the standard that guides and supports social workers in everyday work in job experiences is forged. The group of principles reflects the uniqueness of the profession. Ethics are significant since they offer a guide to decision making when there are ethical issues.

NASW Code of Ethics

The NASW points out that there are six major principles. Social equity, dignity, worth of the individual, honesty, service, and significance of human connections are the six fundamental beliefs. These core principles are used as a guide with the social work profession (Danso, 2014). While all other aspect is essential, the critical factor principal affecting ethical practice is integrity. Integrity as a core value ensures all social workers are continually aware of their mission, ideals, and ethical principles and standards. By behaving responsibly and honestly, social workers promote their affiliate organization while creating the most value for the population they serve. However, the NASW code of ethics does not create a ranking of which principle, value, or standard is essential, and only during conflict do application render one reasonable.

Ethical Dilemma, Challenges, and Solutions

Ethical dilemmas are an integral characteristic of social work uniqueness and reflect the hard decisions social workers must make under the conflicting principles. However, ethical awareness has played a significant role in empowering social workers to react effectively to their responsibilities while making informed decisions. Ethical decision making is a progressive undertaking. Many are situations that call for simple solutions for complex problems that are not available. However, the action and decisions undertaken should be in line with the NAWS code of ethics' context and spirit (Machado, 2017). Instances when the ethical obligations are not in line with agency regulations arise. In these conflict situations, social workers must consistently resolve the issue with the NAWS code of ethics' principles and values. In the absence of realistic resolution, social workers must seek useful advice before making the decision.

The social work profession is regularly presented with ethical dilemmas, the situations call for choice between conflicting but just as essential principles. A practical case is where a social worker who values children's right to a safe environment must also appreciate parents' involvement in deciding their child's future. Choosing with no apparent solution between equally important values creates a dilemma.

Diversity

Definition of Diversity

Social workers interconnect individuals in need of help with individuals or organizations that can provide the appropriate care. Social workers understand the importance of facilitating human interactions, recognizing its usefulness for impacting change. Diversity is from generally means different things (Van Rooyen, 2014). Social workers mean interacting with individuals from varying backgrounds, with other religions, economic statuses, races, and gender. Diversity is an essential principle for social workers. Embracing diversity makes them wholesome in their profession.

Significance of Diversity

Social workers encounter different problems, personalities, and individuals. A simple fact of this profession, varying kinds of individuals require support and care. Social workers have the remarkable capacity to comprehend individuals' problems and how varying social frameworks can negatively affect lives — regardless of whether it is minorities, society, or individuals with psychological wellness issues. Diverse social workers are essential to the prosperity of the network and the individuals they serve. They recognize dangerous circumstances, narrow cultural limits, rise above language barriers, and comprehend the subtlety of family peculiarities across ethnicities (Maiter et al., 2015). They are thoughtful to the privileges of the old, individuals with inabilities. Diversity is a priceless part of social work and a characteristic of all praiseworthy social laborers.

NASW Code of Ethics and the Importance of Diversity

The NASW solidly accepts its mandate to safeguards social justice. The accurate conviction as social workers is one of only a handful of professions ready to fight injustice. The fundamental beliefs maintained by social specialists seep into their expert lives (Danso, 2014). Social laborers try to advance strategies that consider the headway of disappointed people. They uphold enactment (like the Voting Rights Act) that secures everyday freedoms, and they commit their professions to guarantee balance. Ideally, social justice is attained with equitable distribution of resources and is beneficial to all regardless of their position. Social work involvement in social justice ensures that resource distribution is achieved efficiently and effectively. Diversity as an aspect in social workers finds new ways and programs where the oppressed, sick, and underprivileged can benefit from the resource at their disposal.

Social workers encounter many challenges in their process of actualizing diversity. The language barrier and resistance to change from the communities they serve are some of the challenges. The language barrier is where the existing community is unwilling to learn new languages, or even the social worker does not grasp the new language enough. The language barrier creates communication problems where both the social worker and the communities cannot understand each other. Another problem is communities resistant to change. Organizations which hold their traditions and belief strongly are always a barrier to diversity actualization. The new virtues, principles from the social workers are not welcome.

Social work is basically about relationship: most importantly, with service to clients and social work partners and associates from other expert foundations. Propelling the wellbeing of all individuals from the worldwide network remains central to the mission. Preparing, research, medical services conveyance, and different establishments assume a focal part in meeting this objective. The advancement of incorporation, decent variety, access, and value is necessary to outfit the full scope of development, research, understanding consideration, and administration missions that establish such organizations' primary destinations. Substantial and positive institutional societies and atmospheres are fundamental to accomplishing these objectives.

Conclusion

Social work ethics have streamlined the way each social worker plays its part. However, social workers face different challenges every day. The dilemma to which principle, virtue, or standard to apply in various job situations calls for proper training. The training will ensure the efficiency and effectiveness of social workers in challenging work situations. Diversity helps social workers ready and able to assimilate, understand, and offer solutions to a wide variety of individuals with problems. Creating educational systems that will allow for improved social work knowledge and offer opportunities will help realize NASW ethics goals. Institutional programs should also reference their courses to social work governing bodies to offer relevant practice to the job market.

References

Danso, R. (2014). An integrated framework of critical cultural competence and anti-oppressive practice for social justice social work research. Qualitative Social Work: Research and Practice, 14(4), 572-588. https://doi.org/10.1177/1473325014558664

Machado, A. (2017). A Code of Ethics for Social Workers. Global Bioethics Enquiry Journal, 5(3), 130. https://doi.org/10.38020/gbe.5.3.2017.130-133

Maiter, S., Alaggia, R., Chan, A., & Leslie, B. (2015). Trial and error: Attending to language barriers in child welfare service provision from frontline workers' perspective. Child & Family Social Work, 22(1), 165-174. https://doi.org/10.1111/cfs.12214

Peters, S. (2017). Defining social work leadership: A theoretical and conceptual review and analysis. Journal Of Social Work Practice, 32(1), 31-44. https://doi.org/10.1080/02650533.2017.1300877

Smith, S. (2014). Ethics and values in social work. Ethics And Social Welfare, 8(4), 423-424. https://doi.org/10.1080/17496535.2014.956991

Van Rooyen, D. (2014). Community development workers: Four lessons from international experience of community-based workers. Social Work/Maatskaplike Werk, 43(3). https://doi.org/10.15270/43-3-270