ETHICAL DILEMMAS FOR

SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS IN

AN ELECTRONIC AGE
1 Eleanor Pepi Downey, MSW, PhD
Sue Martin, LICSW
Kim Marie Jordan, BSW – Graduate Assistant
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
 Understand ethical challenges created by use of
technology within school setting and practice of school
social work
 Understand risks and benefits created by use of
technology
 Apply ethical and legal standards to use of technology

 Develop strategies for addressing potential ethical

concerns in using technology

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AGENDA
 Review of ethical principles
 Current thinking about their application to technology-
NASW & ASWB Standards
 What questions and concerns does this document raise for
you?
 What are the challenges unique to your setting?

 Current literature on technology and ethics in social

work practice and school social work
 Dilemmas or issues you face as a result of technology

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DEFINITION: ETHICAL ISSUE OR
ETHICAL DILEMMA
 Ethical Issue
 Involves ethical principles
 Ethical decision making based on law and/or NASW Code of
Ethics
 Ethical Dilemma
 When there are two or more competing ethical principles
involved
 Conflict of values, rights and/or professional responsibilities
 Each possible alternative will result in an undesirable
outcome for one or more stakeholders

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DEFINITION: TECHNOLOGY
 “… any electronically mediated activity
used in the conduct of competent and
ethical delivery of services.” (NASW &
ASWB, 2005)

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ENTER TECHNOLOGY: THE
POSSIBILITIES
 Email, Fax, Voicemail, Blogging
 Skype

 Text, Twitter and Tweet

 Social Network
 Facebook & My Space
 Flickr & Friendster
 LinkedIn
 YouTube

 Electronic recordkeeping
 Shared servers
 Case management programs
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 Electronic IEPs
 NASW CODE OF ETHICS
7 References to Technology
DUTY TO INFORM
 Socialworkers who provide services via
electronic media (such as computer,
telephone, radio, and television) should
inform recipients of the limitations and
risks associated with such services.
(1.03[c])

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CONFIDENTIALITY
 Social workers should protect the
confidentiality of clients’ written and
electronic records and other sensitive
information. Social workers should take
reasonable steps to ensure that clients’
records are stored in a secure location and
that clients’ records are not available to
others who are not authorized to have
access. (1.07[l]) 9
PRIVACY
 Socialworkers should take precautions to ensure
and maintain the confidentiality of information
transmitted to other parties through the use of
computers, electronic mail, facsimile machines,
telephones and telephone answering machines,
and other electronic or computer technology.
Disclosure of identifying information should be
avoided whenever possible. (1.07[m])

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 TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIAL
WORK PRACTICE
11 National Association of Social Workers (NASW)
Association of Boards of Social Work (ASWB)
2005
STANDARDS
GOALS OF STANDARDS
 Maintain and improve quality of technology-related to
social work services
 Guide for social workers incorporating technology into
practice
 Guidelines for monitoring and evaluating technology
used in service delivery
 Inform individuals and agencies about professional
standards

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STANDARD 1: ETHICS & VALUES
 Socialworkers providing services via the
telephone or other electronic means shall
act ethically, ensure professional
competence, protect clients, and uphold
values of the profession.

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STANDARD 2: ACCESS
 Social workers shall have access to
technology and appropriate support

.
systems to ensure competent practice, and
shall take action to ensure client access to
technology.

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STANDARD 3: CULTURAL COMPETENCE
 Socialworkers shall select and develop
appropriate online methods, skills, and
techniques that are attuned to their clients’
cultural, bicultural, or marginalized
experiences in their environments.

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STANDARD 4: TECHNICAL
COMPETENCE
 Social workers shall be responsible for
becoming proficient in the technological
skills and tools required for competent and
ethical practice and for seeking
appropriate training and consultation to
stay current in emerging technologies.

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STANDARD 5: REGULATORY
COMPETENCE
 Socialworkers who use telephonic or
other electronic means to provide services
shall abide by all regulation of their
professional practice with the
understanding that their practice may be
subject to regulation in both the
jurisdiction in which the client receives
services as well as the jurisdiction in
which the social worker provides services. 17
STANDARD 7: PRIVACY, CONFIDENTIALITY,
DOCUMENTATION & SECURITY

 Socialworkers shall protect client privacy

when using technology in their practice
and document all services, taking special
safeguards to protect client information in
the electronic record.

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STANDARD 9 – PRACTICE COMPETENCE
 9-3 SocialWorkers shall keep themselves
informed about technology that will
advance quality program operations and
service delivery, invest in and maintain
such systems to ensure access, appropriate
security and privacy in agency systems.

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STANDARD 9 – PRACTICE COMPETENCE
 9-5 Social workers conducting, evaluating,
disseminating, or implementing research
using technological approaches shall do so
in the manner than ensures ethical
credibility and ensures the informed
consent of participants.

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STANDARD 9 – PRACTICE COMPETENCE
 9-6 When using or providing supervision
and consultation by technological means,
social work supervisors and supervisees
shall follow the standards that would be
applied to a face-to-face supervisory
relationship and shall be competent in the
technologies used.

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STANDARD 10-CONTINUING
EDUCATION
 Socialworkers shall adhere to the NASW
Standards for Continuing Professional
Education and follow applicable licensing
laws regarding continuing education
delivered via electronic means.

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 WHAT CAME TO MIND IN AREA
OF SCHOOL SOCIAL WORK?
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 PROFESSIONAL LITERATURE
ON TECHNOLOGY AND ETHICS
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LITERATURE: APPLICATION OF SOCIAL
WORK ETHICS
 Confidentialityof records and communication
Duty to inform
 Boundary issues and potential dual relationships

 Professional competence in using technology

 Cultural competence & vulnerable populations

 Access to resources

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EMAIL COMMUNICATIONS-PROS
Parentalcommunication
Teacher communication
Administrative communication
Outside service providers
Case management
Supervision & consultation

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EMAIL COMMUNICATION - CONS
 Ethical dilemma for school social workers
who email students
 Fail to recognize email is a written
document
 Confidentiality

Emails misdirected
Violating student trust by emailing
parents and/or teacher
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ELECTRONIC RECORDS
 Recording, storing, maintaining, using and
transmitting electronic data according to
legal and ethical requirements
 Use of appropriate procedures
 Is client informed
 Documentation of informed consent

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ON-LINE IEP SYSTEMS-PROS
 Streamline
 Uniformity
 More efficient
 Easy to update
 Easy access by other school professionals
 Case management at a glance

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ONLINE IEP SYSTEMS-CONS
 Glitchesin computer system
Loss of information
Breaches
Inability to access
 Confidentiality

Unauthorized access
Updates that are specific to an individuals and
become part of record
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INTERNET ACCESS-PROS
 Easyavailability of up-to-date research
 Connection to other school social workers

Support
Collaboration
Problem Solving
Collaboration
 Education on a variety of topics

Webinars

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INTERNET ACCESS-CONS
 Students searching without supervision
 Students surfing without appropriate
filters
 Students seeing other students’
confidential information

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SOCIAL MEDIA
 Web based and mobile technologies
 Used as interactive dialogue

 Allows creation and exchange of user generated content

 Accounts for approximately 22% of time spent on line

 Total of 234 million people age 13 and older

 Sites

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RISKS
 Boundary crossing and violations (NASW1.06)
 Intentional and unintentional self disclosure
 Friending a client
 Acquaintance in common – boundary crossing
 Breaches of confidentiality(NASW 1.07)

 No guarantee from Facebook that information will not

become publically available

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FERPA & HIPPA
 Loss of federal funds to any group that releases student
information without parental consent
 Even when services are billed out to service providers
and covered under HIPAA, records themselves protected
under FERPA
 Some states provide greater security than required by
federal law-be familiar with state laws
 Due to frequent changes in statutes and regulations these
sites need to be checked often
 Document, document, document

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WHAT ELSE GETS US IN TROUBLE
 Getting too comfortable
 Not considering unintended consequences of our
actions
 Dual relationships

 Working with other professionals and school

staff
 Not recognizing the complexity of the web

 Good intentions

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 QUESTIONS & COMMENTS
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REFERENCES
 Duncan-Daston, R., Hunger-Sloan, M., & Fuller, E. (2013). Considering the ethical implications of social media in
social work education. Ethics and Information Technology, 15(1), 35-43.
 Franklin, C.; Harris, M.B, & Allen-Meares, P. (2006). The school services sourcebook: A guide for school based
professionals. NY: Oxford University Press.
 Lipschutz, R. (2010, Nov. 1). Ethics corner: To text or not to text. Retrieved from
http://www.naswil.org/news/network/featured/ethics-corner-to-text-or-not-to-text-ceu/
 Mattison, M. (2006). Professional ethical codes: Applications to common ethical dilemmas. In Franklin et al.,
pp.921-927.
 NASW & ASWB. (2005). Technology and Social Work Practice. Washington D.C.:NASW Press
 NASW(2006). Code of Ethics of National Association of Social Workers. Washington, DC: NASW Press
 Overcamp-Martini, M. A. (2006). The law, ethical guidelines, records, assessments, and reports for school-based
practice. In Franklin et al. pp. 905-912.
 Reamer, F. G. (2013). The digital and electronic revolution in social work: Rethinking the meaning of ethical
practice. Ethics and Social Welfare, 7, 2-19.
 School Social Work Site (2010, February18). Technology and the School Social Worker. Retriieved from
http://.school socialworksite.com/2010/02/technology-and-school-social worker.html.
 Smiar, N.P.(2012,August). Technology, social media, and social work ethics. Presented at ABSW Training.
Chicago, IL.

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