Core Values in Social Work

Professional ethics are rooted in the heart of social work. Core values have ethical
requirements each social worker should strive to follow. These legal provisions help social
workers identify professional obligations and legal conflicts of interest.
The code is composed of six core values:
Service
The main focus of social workers is to uphold exemplary public service by helping people in
need address and overcome their social issues. They must elevate public service above self-
interest or personal gain. Because of this belief, social workers often volunteer their
professional skills—in addition to their full-time work—with no expectation for
compensation.
Social justice
Social workers advocate on behalf of those who have no voice in society. They usually target
problems related to poverty, unemployment, discrimination, harassment and other forms of
oppression. They also educate the public on sensitive matters that correspond with social
justice by encouraging the public to embrace opportunities for diversity and inclusion. Social
workers ensure their clients have the right resources, services and information they need to
thrive.
Dignity and worth of the individual
Since everyone has their own social and cultural values, professionals in this line of work
have to be mindful of them. Social workers must treat each person with dignity and respect
to help them reach their full potential. For example, a social worker might encourage a
client to address their personal challenges in the hope they will become more socially
responsible. Social workers have to be mindful of their role to the people they serve and to
society as a whole and seek out fair solutions for all parties.
Importance of human relationships
Building positive, meaningful relationships lie at the core of social work. Professionals
understand that human connection is critical when it comes to change. Social workers
engage clients with individuals, groups or organizations in the community to provide the
appropriate help. They aspire to restore functionality between clients and their loved ones
and society. Considering that social work relies heavily on the ability to maintain good
relationships with people who may be averse and doubtful, social workers must be patient.
Integrity
To facilitate successful relationships and strengthen the lives of others, social workers need
to be trustworthy. They should always be aware of the profession’s core values and ethical
principles. By setting a good example for their clients, social workers may help progress their
career competency, further support the organizations they’re affiliated with, and create the
best value for the people they serve.
Competence
Although many social workers hold an undergraduate or master’s degree in social work, a
fair share of their knowledge comes from real-world experience. In accordance with the
social work values in the NASW Code of Ethics, each social worker must practice within his
or her scope of competence. Social workers must expand their knowledge for the benefit of
the people.
Social work ethics and core values are more than just following rules, regulations and
protocols. In a profession where the clients are often vulnerable, it’s necessary for social
workers to be passionate about empowering those who are defenseless, oppressed or
impoverished.

I am interested in pursuing my education in obtaining my

Master’s in Social Work because I have a strong passion for
helping people and I can give back to my community. I have a
passion to help others and committed to helping people
function the best they can in their surroundings, meaning that I
can provide direct services to people in their homes or place of
work, helping people through social service organizations, and
working towards change to improve social conditions. Like
any helping profession, i.e. Doctors, Teachers, etc. Social
Work seeks to help people overcome some of life’s most
difficult challenges. I want to improve the well-being of people
and society. Social Work looks to improve the quality of life
for individuals. I care about social justice, human dignity, and I
enjoy working with diverse populations. Social work is a
unique profession with lots meaning, action, and the power to
make a difference. I have interest to pull communities together,
as one, help individuals and families find solutions, advance
changes in social stance, promote social justice, and foster
human and global well-being. Being a social worker is often a
challenging yet rewarding career. Social work is a selfless and
demanding field. I am great at listening, able to judge
situations fairly and accurately. As a social worker, I know I
may have to face some tough situations like child abuse, drug
abuse, etc. which I am willing to learn the skills to handle these
situations

My Personal Values: Professional Ethics Are

the Foundation of Social Work
1798 Words7 Pages
A career in Social Work requires conviction to personal values
that reflect and uphold the National Association of Social
Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics. Professional ethics are the
foundation of social work, as the trade has an innate obligation
to endorse ethical principles and basic values to advocate for
the wellness of others. The core values adopted by all social
workers, as distinguished by NASW, are service, social justice,
dignity and worth of the person, importance of human
relationships, integrity, and competence. As a Clinical Social
Worker, I will honor the NASW Code of Ethics in addition to
my personal values of respect, self determination,
responsibility, motivation, and wisdom. My personal values
complement the NASW Code of Ethics and will resonate in
my work as a social worker. My first personal value that will
impact my work as a social worker is respect. In terms of
social work and ability to influence my additional values,
respect is the most important. For me, respect means to honor
others and appreciate their perspective. While my definition of
respect may seem simple, its usefulness is multifaceted. One
may respect a person, a place, a situation, a circumstance, etc. I
learned concepts of respect as a child as my parents were
teaching me to observe boundaries. They wanted me to respect
my room, and keep it clean, and they explained to me how they
respected my personal space. In return, my parents taught me
to respect their boundaries, their room, and

4 Discrimination and anti-oppressive practice

It is important that social workers are knowledgeable about the law in relation to
discrimination. The Equality Act 2010 makes it unlawful to discriminate against someone
based on ‘protected characteristics’ – people’s age; disability; gender reassignment; marital
or civil partnership status; pregnancy and maternity; race; religion or belief; sex; and sexual
orientation. This includes, of course, being applicable to local authorities and governmental
bodies, as well as to individuals, in the delivery of health and social care services. Being
aware of the forces influencing and shaping social behaviour and cultural traditions is
therefore essential, as these can impact directly on the ability to express and upon the means
of expression of an individual’s unique characteristics and choices.
Neil Thompson designed a model for addressing social disadvantage, including
discrimination and poverty, known as the Personal/Cultural/Structural, ‘PCS’ analysis
(Thompson, 1997, 2006, 2016). This has been influential in social work. Thompson suggests
that individuals are affected by what he calls ‘personal, cultural and structural influences’
which come together to impact on how we fit into the social world. Individual ‘personal’
factors include our experiences of being parented, and our beliefs and values. Then, what
Thompson calls ‘cultural’ influences encompass broader shared approaches – such as what is
seen as acceptable behaviour. Finally, ‘structural’ issues refer to the ‘bigger picture’ of how
society is organised and include aspects such as government policy and the shape of the
welfare state. Thompson’s PCS model for analysis is about action as well as thought. Social
workers, Thompson argues, need to do more than understand how individuals are affected by
social and other factors. They need to act on this understanding to challenge disadvantage and
prejudice. The PCS analysis is set out in a diagrammatic form below, showing how the
individual or personal experience is surrounded by cultural and structural influences.
Figure 3 The PCS analysis
Long description

Value relates to core beliefs. Ethics are concerned with conduct.

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