7916 version 4
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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF
SOCIAL SERVICE WORKERS
Demonstrate knowledge of social
service ethics
level:
4
credit:
3
planned review date:
June 2006
sub-field:
Social Services
purpose:
This is a theory unit standard for beginning social service
workers. People credited with this unit standard are able to:
outline a code of ethics for social service work; describe the
application of a code of ethics to a field of social services;
and outline avenues of redress to deal with ethical disputes
and grievances in a field of social services.
entry information:
Open.
accreditation option:
Evaluation of documentation and visit by NZQA and industry.
moderation option:
A centrally established and directed national moderation
system has been set up by Community Support Services ITO
Limited (Careerforce).
special notes:
1
People awarded credit in this unit standard are able to
outline the meaning of the articles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi
and the relevance of Te Tiriti o Waitangi to social
service work, and are able to apply this competence to
the context of assessment for this unit standard (for
further clarification, please refer to Unit 19408, Outline
the meaning and relevance of Te Tiriti o Waitangi in
social service work).
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
7916 version 4
28-Jun-16
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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF
SOCIAL SERVICE WORKERS
Demonstrate knowledge of social
service ethics
2
Glossary
Codes of ethics that have been published in Aotearoa
New Zealand, and are recognised within the social
services industry, include but are not limited to the
codes of ethics of the: Aotearoa New Zealand
Association of Social Workers, Canterbury Youth
Workers Collective, New Zealand Association of
Counsellors, New Zealand Association of Probation
Officers. Other codes of ethics may be notified to
accredited providers and registered assessors by
Community Support Services ITO Limited (Careerforce)
as they are published and become recognised by the
industry.
Parties to social service relationships include but are
not limited to – service users, community, service
providers, colleagues, self.
Service users is used as a generic term to denote
people from user groups of the social services. They
may be referred to by various descriptive terms in the
range of social service settings.
Social service work includes but is not limited to:
community work, counselling, Iwi/Māori social services,
Pacific Island social services, social work, youth work.
Social service workers include but are not limited to:
community workers, counsellors, kaiāwhina, social
workers, kaitautoko, Pacific Island social service
workers, youth workers, and others who deliver social
services, whether paid or unpaid.
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
7916 version 4
28-Jun-16
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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF
SOCIAL SERVICE WORKERS
Demonstrate knowledge of social
service ethics
Elements and Performance Criteria
element 1
Outline a code of ethics for social service work.
Range:
evidence is required in relation to one code of ethics for social service work.
performance criteria
1.1
Ethical principles and their underlying values are outlined in terms of the code of
ethics for social service work.
Range:
1.2
evidence is required of four ethical principles and the values
underlying those principles.
All parties to social service relationships are identified, and the ethical
responsibilities of the social service worker to those parties are outlined
according to the code of ethics for social service work.
element 2
Describe the application of a code of ethics to a field of social services.
Range:
field of social services - one field from community work, counselling, Iwi/Māori
social services, Pacific Island social services, social work, youth work.
performance criteria
2.1
The application of the code of ethics is outlined in terms of ethical
responsibilities towards parties to social service relationships within the field of
social services.
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
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28-Jun-16
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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF
SOCIAL SERVICE WORKERS
Demonstrate knowledge of social
service ethics
2.2
The application of the code of ethics is outlined in terms of ethical dilemmas and
issues within the field of social services.
Range:
ethical dilemmas and issues may include but are not limited to –
conflicts between ethics of confidentiality and recording of
personal information on service users; sexual relationships
between social service workers and service users; self
determination of service users and social control functions of
some social service workers; cultural and gender issues; informed
consent of service users to the provision of services; informed
consent of service users to research; conflicting responsibilities
towards parties to social service relationships.
Evidence is required of application of the code of ethics to two
ethical dilemmas and issues.
element 3
Outline avenues of redress to deal with ethical disputes and grievances in a field of social
services.
Range:
field of social services - one field from community work, counselling, Iwi/Māori
social services, Pacific Island social services, social work, youth work.
Evidence is required in relation to one field of social services.
performance criteria
3.1
The avenues of redress set up by a professional association in the social
services to deal with ethical disputes and grievances under its code of ethics
are outlined.
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF
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Demonstrate knowledge of social
service ethics
3.2
The avenues of redress that are set up by other bodies for dealing with ethical
disputes and grievances are outlined.
Range:
other bodies may include but are not limited to - Human Rights
Commission, Race Relations Conciliator, Privacy Commissioner,
trade unions, mediation services, employers of social service
workers, tribunals.
Evidence is required in relation to two avenues of redress from
other bodies.
Comments to:
Careerforce
PO Box 2637
Wellington 6140
Please Note:
Providers must be accredited by the Qualifications Authority
before they can offer programmes of education and training
assessed against unit standards.
Accredited providers assessing against unit standards must
engage with the moderation system that applies to those unit
standards. [Please refer to relevant Plan ref: 0222]
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016