Ethics in Social Work with a Roma Family

In the eyes of each of us, there are several variants of the word value, which may not be identical. Many experts have tried to grasp the concept of value comprehensively. For example, according to Strieženec (1996, pp. 69-70), value is a relational category on several levels and is one of the forms of expression of social relations in society. It characterizes the significance of certain phenomena for society as well as their personal meaning for the individual. Value thus expresses the relationship of things, phenomena or realities to a person, in whom the phenomenon becomes part of human life. A human being can also be viewed from the perspective of the definition of value. The aim of the present contribution is to point out some important ethical values and principles necessary for social work with a Roma family. In the first part of the contribution, I will therefore present the basic terminology and classification of values. I also consider it important to outline the basic characteristics of the Roma family. It is precisely social workers, together with other professionals in the helping professions, who could significantly contribute to bridging barriers between the minority and the majority.

Basic Terminology

Ethics is essentially practical philosophy, because it is closely related to philosophy, but unlike philosophy it gives practical advice. It deals with what is good and bad, what is right, what is desired, how a person should behave, and so on. Through its ethical reasoning, it is applied in social reality to specific areas. It belongs among certain regulators of human behavior in society, because where law ends, ethics begins. Ethics is a key component of social work. Its mission is to help people in difficult life situations. According to Beauchamp (1996, pp. 80-81), ethical principles are defined as “fundamental standards of conduct on which many other standards and judgments depend. A principle is a necessary norm in a system of thought that forms the basis for moral reasoning in that system.” General ethical principles, values and norms are also applied in the profession of social work, because social workers are confronted daily with difficult human destinies. It is natural that in the real concretization of ethics in social work, strong emphasis is placed on the final goal, with an accent on the morally obligatory direction of human activity (Oláh et al., p. 163).

Some Ethical Problems in Social Work with the Roma Family

Social work is a practical activity focused on mitigating, eliminating and solving social problems that extend beyond the personal framework of an individual, group or community. The target group consists of people who have found themselves in material or social need, including the Roma family.

Roma Family

In general, it can be said that the Roma family still represents the traditional type of multigenerational family today. This is also the most pronounced difference between the Roma family and the majority family. To understand the “otherness” of the Roma community means realizing that their tradition is far removed from the tradition of settled nations. Those who consider Roma to be parasites do not realize that they themselves have an important role in many areas. Roma culture can be understood only by understanding the “Gypsy soul.” Their cultural dispersion and the attitude of the surrounding society did not allow them to create lasting values, and therefore they did not build buildings, cities or monuments, as other communities did. They created their own world, which is a reflection of their soul. Among Roma, a strong habit and need for physical closeness dominates. “A willingness to share also belongs to the essence of Romani identity. Respect for the guest comes first and remains, even in the most underdeveloped settlements, among Roma virtues. Emotional spontaneity and lively temperament of the Roma are manifested in their cheerfulness, entertainment and dance. Emotions and love are expressed rather through the language of the body” (Radičová, 2001, p. 64).

The greatest value for Roma is life as such. Expressions of life are supported, and what prevents free life is perceived negatively. Roma also honor their ancestors, to whom they owe the status they acquired in the past within the Roma community. Roma derive their own self-confidence more from their own family than from attained education, status in the majority society, property, or professional performance. The most important thing in a Roma’s life is the large family.

After November 1989, many things changed in the lives of Roma families. This change was influenced above all by political, economic, social and cultural processes in society. On the one hand, the family tries to cope with the demands of society; on the other hand, it is resistant to many changes. A considerable part of Roma families is characterized by high unemployment, loss of social security and growing poverty. At present, they live with feelings of hopelessness and inability to solve existential problems, which makes them multiply problematic. This leads to a high increase in socio-pathological phenomena. In addition to the above, relations between Roma families and families of the majority society are also becoming increasingly tense. This causes the social exclusion of Roma and their families to the margins of society. Social exclusion negatively affects their access to employment opportunities, education and public services.

Limited communication between Roma and non-Roma, rising unemployment and increasing dependence of Roma on social benefits, and negative prejudices on both sides can lead to worsened relations between Roma on the one hand and municipal officials and providers of social services on the other hand (In Kol. aut, 2002, p. 10).

Selected Ethical Problems in Social Work with Roma and the Roma Family

As already pointed out, a Roma family living in poverty is dependent on social assistance benefits and is increasingly becoming dependent on state aid. However, it is not the state as such that stands behind the decision-making on providing information about individual social assistance benefits and on deciding who receives the benefits and under what conditions, but a concrete individual. Most competent and responsible persons come from the majority society and often, logically, struggle with a greater or lesser degree of prejudice toward the minority. This gives rise to ethical problems and dilemmas, especially in situations where it is evident how they should decide, but that decision is personally repugnant to them, or they face two or more options in which moral principles conflict. At least some deserve mention:

• Roma as “dishonest poor people” - this arises from the perspective of unwise management of finances. A Roma person knows the past and the present; the future does not exist for them. In times of abundance they feast, and later they have nothing to satisfy basic needs. For the majority society, this way of life is incomprehensible and unacceptable.
• Roma as nomads and migrants - this attitude reflects their nomadic nature; they often migrate as if toward better conditions in other countries, but they are unable to adapt to the necessary conditions, and as a result they are expelled.
• Roma as untrustworthy people - for many majority citizens, Roma are unable to follow certain rules and social norms, which often leads, for example, to a job being offered to a majority member before a Roma person.
• Roma as unadaptable people - their way of life as an excluded community on the margins of society gives them the label of being unadaptable and incapable of blending into the majority population of the given territory.
• Roma as disloyal citizens - the majority considers most Roma to be calculating, taking help and benefits for granted, but on the other hand they are unwilling to help their town or country out of their own conviction.

This opens space for the application of ethical principles and norms in the practical field of social work and for their strict observance. In the Slovak Republic, these norms are defined by the social worker’s code of ethics.

Code of Ethics of the Social Worker

The code of ethics can be considered a professional standard of social work that contains general provisions of ethical behavior toward every client without distinction. Its basis is respect for the rights of others, but, as already mentioned, in practice this is easily forgotten (Oláh et al., 2009, p. 167). Every social worker knows the code of ethics, but its effect is manifested only when the worker identifies with it and systematically applies and uses it in practice.

The International Federation of Social Workers formulated the International Ethical Code of Professional Social Workers (1994) into a summary containing the following norms (Oláh et al., 2009, pp. 167-169):

1. Standards for the conduct and behavior of the social worker
2. Ethical responsibility of the social worker toward clients
3. Ethical responsibility of the social worker toward colleagues
4. Ethical responsibility of the social worker toward employers and employer organizations
5. Ethical responsibility of the social worker toward their profession
6. Ethical responsibility of the social worker toward society

The code of ethics reflects the basic human rights and freedoms from which the following principles are derived.

1. The principle of dignity and uniqueness of every human personality - this principle obliges the social worker to treat every client with dignity, including the Roma family, to accept its uniqueness, and to be willing to accept that certain offered solutions are not a solution for the Roma family in terms of its uniqueness, and that by not accepting them they do not express their inability to adapt, but point to the uniqueness and difference of their culture and values.
2. The principle of autonomy and self-determination - this principle again obliges the social worker to respect the client’s free decision when choosing among several options, i.e. if the Roma family decides on a certain option, the social worker must respect this decision, however disadvantageous it may be, and may not force them by legal means to choose differently.
3. The principle of beneficence - this principle is based on the principle of social justice; in practice this means that even the Roma family as a client must benefit maximally from the social worker’s actions while respecting valid legislative norms, just like a family from the majority society.
4. The principle of responsibility - even when working with a Roma family, the social worker must choose a responsible approach and provide them with adequate and appropriate services in the required scope, quality and within a reasonable time.
5. The principle of solidarity - practical activity in social work must advocate for socially excluded persons and must be active in favor of socially disadvantaged groups, and this also applies to Roma families.
6. The principle of subsidiarity - within the provision of practical help, it is necessary to show ways of solving their problems, but not to solve them for the clients. The Roma family as a client must first identify with the solution and then implement it, which means a significant inner change for them. Compared with the majority, this may be a more lengthy process; if we solve it for the Roma family, they actually receive no help.
7. The principle of justice - when working with the Roma family as a client of the social worker, both legal justice and structural justice (equality of chances and opportunities) must be applied.
8. The principle of confidentiality - social workers must also keep in mind the principles of privacy, confidentiality and responsible use of the information provided when working with Roma families. Information about the client may not be disclosed except with the client’s consent, unless the court or law provides otherwise.

In conclusion, it can be said that it is necessary to respect the status and needs of every individual, regardless of the degree of quality and factor of usefulness, because every person is worthy of respect, has the right to their own development, and has the right, within their values and ideas, to lead a satisfied, meaningful and fulfilling life.

Author: PhDr. Ladislav Fízik, PhD. Institute of Romani European Studies, St. Elizabeth University of Health and Social Work in Bratislava

List of Bibliographic References

1. BEAUCHAMP, T. L. 1996. The Role of principles in Practical Ethics. Toronto : University of Toronto Press, 1996.
2. Kol. aut. 2002. Chudoba Rómov a sociálna starostlivosť o nich v Slovenskej republike. Bratislava : Nadácia S:P:A:C:E:, 2002.
3. OLÁH, M. a kol.: Sociálna práca – vybrané kapitoly z dejín, teórie a metód sociálnej práce. Bratislava: Vysoká škola zdravotníctva a sociálnej práce sv. Alžbety, Katedra sociálnej práce, 2009, s.163
4. RADIČOVÁ, I. 2001. Hic Sunt Romales. Bratislava: Nadácia S:P:A:C:E:, 2001.
5. STRIEŽENEC, Š. 1996. Slovník sociálneho pracovníka. Trnava: AD, 1996
6. http://www.prohuman.sk/rodina-ako-pilier-kultury-u-romov, 9.10.2010, 10:30

The lecture was delivered at the international scientific conference Applied Ethics in Social Work and Other Helping Professions, which took place on 20-21 October 2010 in Piešťany and was published in the proceedings of this conference: MÁTEL, A. – SCHAVEL, M. – MÜHLPACHR, P. – ROMAN, T. 2010. Aplikovaná etika v sociálne práci a ďalších pomáhajúcich profesiách. Zborník z medzinárodnej vedeckej konferencie. Bratislava : VŠZaSP sv. Alžbety. 413 s. ISBN 978-80-89271-89-4.