12

Disciplines and Ideas

in the Applied Social
Sciences
Quarter1-Week 5-Module16
Social Workers’ Ethical
Responsibilities
Disciplines and Ideas in the Applied Social Sciences – Grade 12
Quarter 1- Week 5- Module 16: Social Workers’ Ethical Responsibilities

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Regional Director: Gilbert T. Sadsad

Assistant Regional Director: Jessie L. Amin

Development Team of the Module

Writer: RICHARD M. MUÑOZ
Editors: FLORENIA C. TORALDE / RICARDO M. GAMUROT JR.
Reviewers: JARME TAUMATORGO / JERSON V. TORALDE
Illustrator: KIM ARTHUR B. CARGULLO / RICHARD M. MUÑOZ
Layout Artist: KIM ARTHUR B. CARGULLO / RICHARD M. MUÑOZ
Module 16
Social Workers’ Ethical Responsibilities

Introduction: (GET STARTED)

Professional ethics are at the core of social work. The profession has an obligation
to articulate its basic values, ethical principles, and ethical standards. Ethical
responsibilities flow from all human relationships, whether personal or professional. Thus,
this module will help us to fully understand the different ethical responsibilities of social
workers as professionals, in practice setting, in the social work profession, and in the
broader society.

Learning Objectives: (SET THE DIRECTION)

Generally, at the end of the module, you are expected to identify the social workers’
ethical responsibilities in the performance of their roles and functions. In particular, you
are most likely to exhibit the following competencies:

1. Identify the different ethical responsibilities of the social workers

2. apply a specific responsibility to different settings of human life, and
3. reflect on the different ethical responsibilities of social workers.

Vocabulary List: (DISCOVER CONCEPTS)

For the purpose of creating a definite understanding of specific concepts along

social workers’ ethical responsibilities, here are some important terms you should bear in
mind before proceeding with the activities in this module:

Supervision - is a process that involves a manager meeting regularly and

interacting with worker(s) to review their work.
Evaluation - the process of judging or calculation the quality, importance,
amount, or value of something.
Consultation - a meeting to discuss something or to get advice.
Administration - the arrangements and tasks needed to control the operation of a
plan or organization.
Management - is the coordination and administration of tasks to achieve a goal
Impairment - the act of spoiling something or making it weaker so that it is less
effective.
Research - a detailed study of a subject, especially in order to discover (new)
information or reach a (new) understanding.
Social welfare - services provided by the government or private organizations to
help poor, sick or old people.
Public - can be any process that directly engages the public in decision-
participation making and gives full consideration to public input in making that
decision.

Pre-test: STRETCH YOUR BRAIN

Directions: Multiple Choice Type: Read the questions critically. Encircle the letter of the
correct answer on the answer sheet. If two or more correct answers are provided in the
option, choose the best correct answer.

1. The National Association of Social Work (NASW) is the source for the code of
ethics for Professional social workers?
a. True
b. False
2. Maintaining professional boundaries is the responsibility of:
a. The supervisor at the agency
b. The worker and the client
c. The worker
d. The client
3. Professional boundaries only apply when there is a dual relationship?
a. True
b. False
4. It is never appropriate to use self-disclosure in a professional setting.
a. True
b. False
5. Transference and counter transference between the work and a client is:
a. When strong physical attraction occurs
b. The worker accepts monetary or valuable gift from a client
c. A client and worker unconsciously transfers feeling regarding issues dealt
with in the therapeutic relationships
d. When confidentiality is broken between client and worker
6. When a worker has a conflict of interest or a dual relationship with a client they only
need to inform their supervisor if a problem occurs?
a. True
b. False
7. Professional social workers should:
a. Be well educated regarding the use of social networking sites
b. Avoid using any social networking sites for professional or personal
reasons
c. Secretly follow their clients on twitter, facebook, etc in order to keep the
client accountable
d. Only participate in social networking with those clients you have dual
relationships.
8. The most frequently used skill in social work
a. Needs assessment
b. The interview
c. Goal setting
d. The determination of eligibility
9. All of the following are TRUE about social work interview EXCEPT;
a. It is purposeful
b. It has a formally determined time, meeting place and duration
c. The workers’ actions are planned, deliberate, and consciously selected
further the interview
d. It is similar to a conversation with a friend
10. The NASW Code of Ethics comprises all of the following primary facets EXCEPT;
a. General goals
b. Ethical principles
c. Ethical standards
d. By-laws

Learning Activities: TELL ME WHAT IT IS?

Directions.

1.Analyze the descriptions provided in each number.

2.Use the descriptions to identify what ethical responsibility being described.
3.Write your answer in the blank provided before each number.
4.Underline the word or group of words that gave you the hint in identifying the work
area.
ADMINISTRATION PERFORMANCE CLIENT RECORDS
EVALUATION
COMMITMENT SOLICITATION
LABOR-MANAGEMENT
COMPETENCE DISCRIMINATION INTEGRITY
INFORMED CONSENT CONFLICT OF INTEREST
SOCIAL WELFARE
CONFIDENTIALITY LOYALTY

___________________1. Social work administrators should take reasonable steps to

ensure that the working environment for which they are responsible
is consistent with and encourages compliance with the NASW
Code of Ethics.
___________________2. Social workers who have responsibility for evaluating the
performance of others should fulfill such responsibility in a fair and
considerate manner and on the basis of clearly stated criteria.
___________________3. Social workers should take reasonable steps to ensure that
documentation in records is accurate and reflects the services
provided.
___________________4. Social workers should work to improve employing agencies’
policies and procedures and the efficiency and effectiveness of
their service.
___________________5. Social workers may engage in organized action, including the
formation of and participation in labor unions, to improve services
to clients and working conditions.
___________________6. Social workers should not engage in uninvited solicitation of
potential clients who, because of their circumstances, are
vulnerable to undue influence, manipulation, or coercion.
___________________7. Social workers should strive to become and remain proficient in
professional practice and the performance of professional
functions.
___________________8. 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, age, marital
status, political belief, religion, or mental or physical disability.
__________________9. Social workers should work toward the maintenance and
promotion of high standards of practice.
__________________10. Social workers should promote the general welfare of society,
from local to global levels, and the development of people, their
communities, and their environments.
__________________11. Social workers should use clear and understandable language
to inform clients of the purpose of the services, risks related to the
services, limits to services because of the requirements of a third-
party payer, relevant costs, reasonable alternatives, clients’ right
to refuse or withdraw consent, and the time frame covered by the
consent
__________________12. Social workers should not take unfair advantage of any
professional relationship or exploit others to further their personal,
religious, political, or business interests.
Guide Questions:

1. What did you notice about the given descriptions?

2. How did it help you identify social workers’ ethical responsibilities?
3. What important lessons did you get after completing the activity?

Practice Task 1: KNOW YOUR TARGET

Directions.

1. After completing the previous activity, you are expected to have an idea of the
ethical responsibilities of social worker.
2. Given the understanding you have established in the preceding experience, name
at least three (3) ethical responsibilities of social worker in the given scope.
3. Use bold letters in writing your answer.

ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITIES AS PROFESSIONALS

1.
2.
3.
ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITIES IN PRACTICE SETTING
1.
2.
3.
ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITIES IN THE SOCIAL WORK PROFESSION
1.
2.
3.
ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITIES TO THE BROADER SOCIETY
1.
2.
3.

Guide Questions:

1. What difficulty did you encounter in identifying social workers’ ethical

responsibilities?
2. What are the reasons behind the difficulty encountered?
3. How did you respond to the challenge?

Practice Task 2: WE ARE ONE

Directions.

1. Think one ethical responsibility of a social worker.

2. Write your identified ethical responsibility in the box labelled as ethical
responsibility.
3. Analyze how your chosen responsibility will be applied across the given scopes of
the social workers’ ethical responsibility.
4. Write the identified challenges in boxes below the identified ethical responsibility.

(ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITY)
AS PROFESSIONALS

IN PRACTICE SETTING

TO THE SOCIAL WORK PROFESSION

TO THE BROADER SOCIETY

Guide Questions:

1. What motivates you to choose the ethical responsibility?

2. Which part of the activity were you challenged the most?
3. Do you think the activity has helped you to become more critical in organizing your
thoughts? How?

Practice Task 3

Directions.

1. Reflect on the given ethical responsibility of a social worker.

2. Think of particular challenges that may hinder the practice of each responsibility.
3. Write your recommendation on how you can help address these challenges.

Ethical Responsibility Identified Recommended

Challenges Solutions
COMPETENCE
INTEGRITY OF THE PROFESSION
PUBLIC EMERGENCIES__
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
SOCIAL AND POLITICAL ACTION

Guide Questions:

1. Do you think your recommendation is relevant?

2. What do you think would be it
3. s impact to the social workers?
4. How would it affect effectiveness and efficiency in service delivery?

Post-test: CHECK YOUR PROGRESS

Directions: Read and analyze the descriptions in Column A and look for the ethical
responsibilities they represent in Column B. Write the letter of the correct answer
in the blank provided before each number.

Column A Column B

___ 1. Social workers should have the necessary A. Impairment

knowledge and skill to supervise or consult B. Commitment
appropriately and should do so only within C. Evaluation and
their areas of knowledge and competence Research
___ 2. Social workers should provide instruction D. Client transfer
only within their areas of knowledge and E. Public
competence and should provide instruction Emergencies
based on the most current information and F. Integrity
knowledge available in the profession. G.
___ 3. When an individual who is receiving services Misrepresentation
from another agency or colleague contacts a H. Supervision
social worker for services, the social worker I. Education
should carefully consider the client’s needs J. Confidentiality
before agreeing to provide services. K. Social Welfare
___ 4. Social workers should be diligent stewards of L. Loyalty
the resources of their employing
organizations, wisely conserving funds where
appropriate and never misappropriating
funds or using them for unintended purposes.
___ 5. Social workers should make clear distinctions
between statements made and actions
engaged in as a private individual and as a
representative of the social work profession.
___ 6. Social workers should contribute to the
knowledge base of social work and share
with colleagues their knowledge related to
practice, research, and ethics
___ 7. Social workers should not allow their own
personal problems, psychosocial distress,
legal problems, substance abuse, or mental
health difficulties to interfere with their
professional judgment and performance or
to jeopardize the best interests of people for
whom they have a professional
responsibility.
___ 8. Social workers should critically examine and
keep current with emerging knowledge
relevant to social work.
___ 9. Social workers should provide appropriate
professional services to the greatest extent
possible.
___ Social workers should promote the general
10. welfare of society, from local to global levels,
and the development of people, their
communities, and their environments.

Assignment: EXPLORE YOUR EXPERIENCES

Directions:

1. Make an essay about your personal experience on social worker’s ethical

responsibilities.
2. Make it short and simple.

Guide Questions:

1. How did you find the activity?

2. What realizations did you reach while you are writing your essay?
3. In your own simple way, how will you be able to help the social workers assigned
in your community do the roles and functions?
Answer Key:
Pre-test

1. A
2. C
3. B
4. B
5. C
6. B
7. A
8. B
9. D
10. D

Learning Activities:

1. ADMINISTRATION
2. PERFORMANCE EVALUATION
3. CLIENT RECORDS
4. COMMITMENT
5. LABOR-MANAGEMENT
6. SOLICITATION
7. COMPETENCE
8. DISCRIMINATION
9. INTEGRITY
10. SOCIAL WELFARE
11. INFORMED CONSENT
12. CONFLICT OF INTEREST

Practice Task 3: (Suggested Rubric)

Criteria 1 2 3 4 5
Number of Identified 1 to 3 but 4 to 6 but 1 tio 3 real 4 to 6 real
identified challenge some are majority are challenges challenges
challenges s do not not real not real
exist challenges challenges
Relevance of 1 - 3 but 4 - 6 but do 1 - 2 good 3 -4 good 5 -6 good
recommendati do not not respond recommend recommenda recommen
ons respond to identified ations fit tions fit the dations fit
to challenges the identified the
identified identified challenges identified
challenge challenges challenges
s
Post-test

1. H
2. I
3. D
4. B
5. G
6. F
7. A
8. C
9. E
10. K

Assignment: Suggested Rubric

Exemplary Sufficient Minimal Beginning

10 points 8 points 6 points 4 points
Self- Student Student Students Student
disclosure/Depth demonstrates demonstrates demonstrates demonstrates
of Reflection an in-depth a general a minimal a lack of
reflection on, reflection on, reflection on, reflection on,
and and and of
personalization personalization personalization personalization
of the theories, of, the of, the of, the
concepts, theories, theories, theories,
and/or concepts, concepts, concepts,
strategies and/or and/or and/or
presented in strategies strategies strategies
the course presented in presented in presented in
materials. the course the course the course
Viewpoints materials. materials. materials.
and Viewpoints Viewpoints Viewpoints
interpretations and and and
are insightful interpretations interpretations interpretations
and well are supported. are are missing,
supported. Appropriate unsupported or inappropriate,
Clear, detailed examples are supported with and/or
examples from provided from flawed unsupported.
personal personal arguments. Examples are
experiences experiences, Examples are not provided.
are provided, as applicable. not provided or
as applicable are irrelevant
to the
assignment.
Connection to Student makes Student goes Student goes Student merely
outside in-depth into some into little detail identifies some
experiences synthesis of detail explaining general ideas
thoughtfully explaining some specific or issues from
selected some specific ideas or issues outside
aspects of ideas or issues from outside experiences
experiences from outside experiences related to the
related to the experiences related to the topic.
topic and related to the topic and very
makes clear topic and few
connections makes general connections
between what connections between what
is learned from between what is learned from
outside is learned from outside
experiences outside experiences
and the topic. experiences and the topic.
and the topic.
Connection to Student makes Student goes Student goes Student
readings in-depth into more into little detail identifies some
synthesis of detail explaining general ideas
thoughtfully explaining some specific or issues from
selected some specific ideas or issues readings
aspects of ideas or issues from readings related to the
readings from readings related to the topic.
related to the related to the topic and Readings are
topic and topic and makes general only those
makes clear makes general connections assigned for
connections connections between what the topic.
between what between what is learned from
is learned from is learned from readings and
readings and readings and the topic.
the topic. the topic.
Includes Includes
reference to at reference to at
least two least one
readings other reading other
than those than those
assigned for assigned for
class. class.
Connection to Student Student Student Student has
discussions & synthesizes, synthesizes attempts to difficulty
unit objectives analyzes and clearly some synthesize restating some
evaluates directly some directly general ideas
thoughtfully appropriate appropriate or issues from
selected ideas or issues ideas or issues the class
aspects of from the class from the class discussion as
ideas or issues discussion as discussion as
from the class they relate to they relate to they relate to
discussion as this topic. this topic. this topic
they relate to
this topic.

References:

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