1. Understanding Values and Ethics
Jenell Thompson m. Ed, LCSW, PPSC

2. Value and Ethics – Training Objective
Ability to explain how professional values and ethics influence the decision making process in daily work.
Recognition that we all have a code, like the NASW Code of Ethics for social workers, that guides practice
Ability to identify tow types of ethical issues that are related to your work.
Understanding of how one’s values may influence one’s decision making process.
Ground Rules
Introduction: Name and one important belief about doing this work (my example: always something new to learn)

3. Why Values and Ethics?
It is important for every worker to be clear about these guiding principles
Establishes a clear direction with common Professional principles, values, ethics, and mission.
These also drive us personally and professionally as we make decisions
Our backgrounds and how we view the world, the things behind us (which may be unconscious)that guide what we do or say.

4. Mission Statement – Definition
A brief description of an organization overall goals, direction and purpose, offers reasons for existence and operating values.
Used to support programs effort and inform the public of their information
NASW – SW Dictionary
Activity
Create a professional mission statement 15 words or less (what is your focus? What is important to your site/staff?)
Identify BACR’s Mission Statement
Flip chart the activity…… at the end of the day is their mission still on target.
Mission Statement
The mission of the Department of Family & Children's Services is to protect children from abuse and neglect, promote their healthy development and provide services to families which preserve and strengthen their ability to care for their children. The department is responsible for prevention, intervention, advocacy, and public education related to the protection of children and their need for consistency in their care and nurturing.

5. Definitions
How do you define ‘values’? How do you define ‘ethics’?

6. Values & Ethics Values:
Beliefs and attitudes that provide direction to everyday life
Values can be positive (cleanliness, education) or negative (crime, cruelty).
Ethics:
A theory or system of moral principles or values; belief about what is right or wrong; good or bad.
What should or “ought” to be
values, Sociology. the ideals, customs, institutions, etc., of a society toward which the people of the group have an affective, emotional connection or regard. These values may be positive, as cleanliness, freedom, or education, or negative, as cruelty, crime, or blasphemy. Dictionary.com
Ethics, the discipline dealing with what is good and bad and with moral duty and obligation2 a: a set of moral principles : a theory or system of moral values

7. Practical Application
Let me tell you a story: “Alligator River”
Read the story
Values Clarification: A Practical, Action-Directed Workbook by Dr. Sidney B. Simon, Dr Leland W. Howe, and Dr. Howard Kirschenbaum 1995
The Alligator River pg 230
RANK: the 5 characters from most (1) to least (5) offensive
ASK: How many felt-----was the worst and why? (list each character)
Reflection: Not always so clear cut, hard to keep out our values

8. Historical framework Non-Judgmental Judgmental
Ethical Decision
Making
Values
Moral and
Management
Ethics in
Risk
Non-Judgmental
Judgmental
Historial framework. Code of Ethics created from social work from the church………judgemental backgroud 19th century.
20th century we establised core values to guide practice and that is when we started to make the shift to more ethical decision making guided by ethical standards. This is when the code of ethics into play (1979).
Moral/values—worthy and unworthy poor and made our decisions based upon our moral view of individuals in front of us.

9. Technology development Rights movement Increased litigation
Advances drive change
Technology development
Rights movement
Increased litigation
Media publicity
Professional Maturity
As we advance as a society then our need to formulate, define and adhere to our core values and ethics increase.
Computer, cloning, use of internet, NICU or cord blood
Civil rights, consumer rights, gay rights, parent/foster parent/child rights (very difficult for some culture can be difficult for children to have rights.
Which brings litigation – if everyone has rights there are more opportunity for legal battles.
Reality TV
Professional Maturity – we have acknowledged there are certain behaviors we can not condone, we’ve moved from the friendly visitors who were very selective in serving European immigrants, to a more rounded values of formal education and professional training. As a profession, we’ve instituted standards for learning, our case management work and how we engage with clients.

10. Why is this important? Prevent ethical mistakes
Unintentional breaches of confidentiality
Decision making
Colleague misconduct

11. Code of Ethics (Purpose)
Identifies Core Values for Social Work
Reflects Core Values and established ethical standards
Helps social workers identify relevant considerations in conflict or ethical concern
Public Accountability for Social Work Profession
Socializes new social workers to professional standards and expectations
Provides a checks and balances for professional social work.
Let me use the social work code of ethics to help us look at the issue further
A CODE outlines: values, principles, and standards of behavior; but not cookie cut rules.
Introduction to the NASW code of Ethics and the six core purposes the code serves.

12. Code of Ethics (Values)
Service
Social Justice
Dignity and Worth of the Person
Importance of Human Relationships
Integrity
Competence
Can you find these values in your professional practice??

13. Table Talk Activity
What are your top three values or guiding principles by which you conduct your practice or make everyday life decisions?
How does it look in your interactions with your staff? The children and parents?
Reflections on what we have shared thus far. What are you top three values?
Have each share their top and why they have chosen them.

14. Additional Considerations:
Impact of culture
Interactions
Conflicts of interests
Professional Integrity
Boundaries

15. Typical Western Values Typical Eastern Values
Impact of Culture
Typical Western Values
Independence
Individualism
Competition
Typical Eastern Values
Interdependence
Cooperation
Collective responsibility
Conformity
While these principles appear fairly universal, there is, of course, considerable cultural diversity in the way in which these appear in values and behaviors

16. Cultural Difference Affect Values
While these principles appear fairly universal, there is, of course, considerable cultural diversity in the way in which these appear in values and behaviors

17. Interactions Engagement Motivation Worker Bias
Our professional obligation is to establish a working professional relationship with each family member we are serving. Regardless of how they may approach us or see us. Engagement—show empathy; provide accurate assessment of situation; choosing goals or predicting outcomes. Motivation—belief in potential; balance responsibility (co-dependence/dependence; supports clients self concept; all lead to patient development for change. Bias—it is critical to know that we all approach this work with our own biases, some are known and some are unknown. Ask and be open to feedback from your superviosr or colleagues you trust.

18. Conflicts of Interest Your Responsibilities:
Unfair advantage of any professional relationship to exploit others to further their personal, political or business interest
Your Responsibilities:
Inform clients and/or supervisor when a real or potential conflict of interest arises
Take reasonable steps to resolve the issue in a manner that makes the client’s interest primary.
When dual relationships are unavoidable, take steps to protect clients and set clear, appropriate and sensitive boundaries
Dual relationships – providing services to a friend or relative; using your position to obtain information for a friend or relative; attending social events with clients

19. Boundaries Physical Contact Taking Children Home (Your Home)
Be Careful of Collateral Social Contact
Take Reasonable steps to Safeguard the interests and rights of impaired clients
Self-Awareness/Impairment
Identify with Parents or Children
Use Childhood to Assess Family
Fear of Mistakes
Personal Problems
Unconscious Sensual Response
Derogatory Language

20. Professional Integrity
Professional integrity includes being honest, sincere and ethical in work and interactions
Being professionally
responsible, committed to
completing tasks, services
and assignments in a timely
and satisfactory manner
The common example:gifts

21. Ethical Dilemmas
An ethical dilemma presents a choice that must be made between two mutually exclusive courses of action. These may be two goods, or benefits, or values, or principles or the avoidance of two harms. The choices facing the individual or organization are relatively
evenly balanced and of
relatively equal worth.
Which choice is the most right? Will it break a law? State mandate? Agency policy or procedure? Will is set a precedent I (we) can live with?

22. Ethical Decision Making
The process of evaluating ethically relevant considerations in choosing a course of action.
Resolving Ethical Dilemmas
Process is Systematic and impartial
Identify Problem or dilemma and check facts
Identify intended and unintended outcomes (Brainstorm with colleagues and/or Supervisor)
Relevant laws/ethical principles
Test your thoughts!!!!
Can’t be a cookie cutter, b/c you can have the same scenario with very different outcomes as the family is different.
Systematic and impartial
Identify the problem or dilemma and check facts
Identify potential Issues involved and consider possible and probable courses of action and their relative outcomes and alternative (both intended and unintended)….Brainstorming with colleagues or Supervisors. Don’t work in isolation.
Do a cost-benefit analysis
Relevant ethical principles
Harm/benefit to all involved
Relevant laws
Relevant arguing parties
Relevant rights and matching responsibility
What would Stone Phillips say? – Testing, publicity, peers, professional, organization.

23. Activity - Scenarios Consider a course of action
What values act as good principles guiding the action?
How does your course of action match earlier list of values and mission?

24. Summary Ethical decision making is a process.
There are many instances in social work where simple answers are not available to resolve complex ethical issues.
Whenever there is a question as to how an ethical issues should not be resolved – seek supervisory assistance/consult.
Social work is just that – social – a collaborative effort.