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NASW CODE OF ETHICS VS. PERSONAL BELIEFS OF SOCIAL WORKERS
The NASW Code of Ethics vs. Personal Beliefs of Social Workers
Brooke M. Pasker
Loras College
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NASW CODE OF ETHICS VS. PERSONAL BELIEFS OF SOCIAL WORKERS
Abstract
Social workers engage in diverse populations in a variety of settings where ethical dilemmas may
arise. Within these ethical dilemmas, it can occur that the National Association of Social
Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics and the personal beliefs and values of social workers do not
align. This paper aims to examine why a social worker should probably follow the NASW Code
of Ethics all of the time, even when it conflicts with their personal morals or beliefs. I use
published articles consisting of a survey of a sample group, and interviews with social work and
education professionals. I also use the NASW’s Code of Ethics. Wendt, Tuckey and Prosser
(2011) state “Two social workers…identified their Christian values and beliefs as helping them
thrive in difficult fields of practice.” I find that personal morals and values can aid social workers
in solving ethical dilemmas rather than making them more challenging to overcome.
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NASW CODE OF ETHICS VS. PERSONAL BELIEFS OF SOCIAL WORKERS
Social work is a field of serving diverse populations in a plethora of unpredictable
settings. Social workers correspond daily with people that other professions do not. They often
encounter people they normally wouldn’t outside of work. Because social workers may come
from different backgrounds than the clientele they serve “…social workers are apt to encounter a
seemingly endless host of ethical dilemmas and conflicts” (Chechak, 2011, p. 3). The proper
responses are not clear in ethical dilemmas, but the National Association of Social Workers has
provided a Code of Ethics for social workers to consult when these dilemmas arise. But because
social workers also come from a variety of backgrounds, their personal values may not always
coordinate with the Code of Ethics. This paper explores why social workers should probably
follow the NASW Code of Ethics all of the time, even when it conflicts with their personal
morals or beliefs.
For many social workers, their Christian faith is what motivates them to be a social
worker as well as help them with difficult cases. In a study completed by Wendt, Tuckey and
Prosser (2011), “two social workers…identified their Christian values and beliefs as helping
them thrive in difficult fields of practice” (p. 322). While religious or spiritual values and beliefs
can assist in troubling situations, they can also bring ethical dilemmas to rise when they do not
align with the NASW’s Code of Ethics. This situation may be made especially challenging if the
social worker is employed by a secular agency. For example, if a social worker’s client is a
pregnant young woman considering her options, the social worker must tell the woman that her
options include carrying the baby to term and being a single mother, offering the child up for
adoption, or having an abortion. The social worker is a devout Christian whose religion believes
that abortion disrespects human life. The social worker is now in an ethical dilemma because her
spiritual and religious beliefs are different from the NASW’s Code of Ethics. Both the social
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NASW CODE OF ETHICS VS. PERSONAL BELIEFS OF SOCIAL WORKERS
worker and the agency want the best for the client but they have different methods of reaching
the best outcome for the client.
Social workers also should be aware of the impact on ethical decision making of their
clients’ and their own personal values and cultural and religious beliefs and practices.
They should be aware of any conflicts between personal and professional values and deal
with them responsibly. For additional guidance social workers should consult the relevant
literature on professional ethics and ethical decision making and seek appropriate
consultation when faced with ethical dilemmas. This may involve consultation with an
agency-based or social work organization’s ethics committee, a regulatory body,
knowledgeable colleagues, supervisors, or legal counsel. (NASW Code of Ethics,
“Purpose of the NASW Code of Ethics”)
The Code of Ethics does not make the final decision for social workers; rather it guides
them to consider the possible opposition of their personal beliefs with the Code of Ethics early in
their career. If they do encounter an ethical dilemma, they should examine their options and
speak with coworkers or another knowledgeable party that could have valuable input. In the end,
the decision is left to the social worker whether they will follow their personal values or the
Code of Ethics.
Another example of personal values and social work practice misaligning is when clients
participate in activities that the social workers themselves would not choose to participate in. An
example of this would be a client’s misuse of drugs or alcohol. A social worker may choose for
him or herself not to use drugs because of the physical damage it does not one’s body. If the
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NASW CODE OF ETHICS VS. PERSONAL BELIEFS OF SOCIAL WORKERS
social worker feels so strongly about their client’s substance abuse, the social worker may decide
to refer the client to another social worker.
Social workers should be alert to and avoid conflicts of interest that interfere with the
exercise of professional discretion and impartial judgment. Social workers should inform
clients when a real or potential conflict of interest arises and take reasonable steps to
resolve the issue in a manner that makes the clients’ interests primary and protects
clients’ interests to the greatest extent possible. In some cases, protecting clients’ interests
may require termination of the professional relationship with proper referral of the client.
(Code of Ethics, Section 1.06)
In a situation like this where there is a conflict of interest between the social worker and
client, the Code of Ethics grants permission to social workers to choose whether to terminate the
case with the client and refer them to a coworker, however the referral must be made with the
best interest of the client in mind.
The National Association of Social Workers has provided social workers with a guide of
what to do when ethical dilemmas occur. But in the unpredictable field of social work it happens
that a social worker’s personal beliefs and values come into conflict with this Code of Ethics.
Instances of this include when a social worker’s spiritual beliefs hold high priority in their life or
when there is a conflict of interests between the social worker and the client. These cases
demonstrate that social workers should follow the NASW Code of Ethics most, but not all, of the
time.
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NASW CODE OF ETHICS VS. PERSONAL BELIEFS OF SOCIAL WORKERS
References
Chachek, Derek. June 2011. Social Work as a Value-Based Profession: Value Conflicts and
Implications for Practitioners’ Self-Concepts. Retrieved from
http://www.academia.edu/1613336/Social_Work_as_a_ValueBased_Profession_Value_Conflicts_and_Implications_for_Practitioners_Self-Concepts
National Association of Social Workers. (1999). Code of ethics of the National Association of
Social Workers. Washington, DC. NASW Press.
Wendt, S., Tuckey, M. R., & Prosser, B. (2011). Thriving, not just surviving, in emotionally
demanding fields of practice. Health & Social Care In The Community, 19(3), 317-325.
doi:10.1111/j.1365-2524.2010.00983.x