Running head: THE COMMITMENT
A Social Worker’s Commitment
Mia Goodman
The University of North Carolina at Pembroke
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THE COMMITMENT
The Case
Sarah Jane, a seventeen year old high school student, was seeing a social worker at a local help crisis center about her depression. She talked very fondly of her relationship with her
2 social worker to her family and it seemed that things were looking up for Sarah Jane. After a missed appointment the social worker had concerns because this behavior was not like Sarah
Jane. Later on in the week the social worker was later contacted by Sarah Jane’s family who informed her that Sarah Jane had committed suicide. Her family thanked the social worker for all she had done and asked the social worker to speak at Sarah Jane’s funeral because that is what she would have wanted.
The Issues
The social worker was honored, however was concerned with violating Sarah Jane’s right to confidentiality versus her family’s right to self-determination. The social worker was also concerned with creating an inappropriate relationship with the family.
Relevant Ethical Issues
The social worker faces conflicting values and duties related to Sarah Jane’s privacy and the parent’s right to self-determinations. She also faces dilemmas with her commitment to Sarah
Jane’s well-being and ethical standards in the NASW code of ethics that relate directly with informed consent and dual relationships.
Levels of Importance

THE COMMITMENT
The most important principle for the social worker to consider in this situation is Sarah
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Jane’s right to privacy. The social worker made a commitment to Sarah and more than ever needs to support Sarah Jane because she unfortunately is not here to speak for herself. Next the informed consent and dual relationships ethical standard from the NASW code of ethics would follow. This is important because more than likely these are policies that are not only in the Code of Ethics but are also a part of the agency policies. Lastly, the family’s right to selfdetermination. This would be last because the family members of Sarah Jane were not the clients of the social worker.
Cost Benefit
On one hand if the social worker accepts the opportunity to speak at the funeral of her deceased client she could be the person to provide the family with closure along with providing herself with a sense of closure. On the other hand the social worker could end up conceding
Sarah Jane’s privacy and confidentiality and even making others who attend the funeral uncomfortable. Not to mention harming her professional reputation and her agency’s reputation.
Unfortunately declining this offer may hurt the family more and increase their emotional suffering.
Safeguards and Provisions
In order to find a middle ground the social worker could simply attend the funeral without speaking in order to avoid compromising Sarah Jane’s privacy and confidentiality rights.
This would also ensure the professional reputation the social worker has and the agency the social worker works for. The social worker could also decide to not attend nor speak and simply

THE COMMITMENT explain the NASW Code of Ethics that prohibit that type of behavior, which could come off unfriendly and not empathetic.
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Early Warning Signs
The social worker wants to monitor the behavior of the family to ensure there are no hard feelings with whatever decision is made. For example if the family seems angry or upset. The social worker also should document the final decision and any behavior that seems different from the parents in order to cover the agencies tracks.

THE COMMITMENT
References
Rothman, J. (2004). From the front lines . (Fourth ed.). New Jersey:
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