The central topic of the presented monograph is ethical codes of social work and social workers. In the narrower and more precise sense, these are the international and national codes of the profession and discipline of social work, with particular emphasis on the new Ethical Code of the Social Worker and Social Work Assistant in the Slovak Republic. In the broader sense, the topic of the publication is social work ethics, of which professional ethics, including written ethical codes, is an integral and inseparable part.
The scientific basis of the monograph is the author's long-term research focused on the qualitative analysis of ethical codes of social work through hermeneutic methods. This research began in 2010 with the conceptual goal of revising the Ethical Code of Social Workers in the Slovak Republic from 1997, because it already did not meet current standards of the international ethical code for social workers. The output of this research was several scientific and professional papers, the publication of the monograph Ethics of Social Work (2012), but also systematic effort and practical steps toward the creation of a new ethical code of social work. Milestones on this praxisological path were, first, the work of the ethics working group under the auspices of the Association of Educators in Social Work in Slovakia (2011–2012); later the activity of an expert group composed of staff from the Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Family of the Slovak Republic and representatives of educators in social work in creating the professional law (2012–2014). Here, the idea of an ethical code was successfully incorporated into the draft professional law. Ultimately, it was the activity of the ethics working group of the preparatory committee of the chamber, where the new Slovak ethical code was successfully shaped into its final form. At the first general assembly of the Slovak Chamber of Social Workers and Social Work Assistants, on 18 September 2015, the ethical code was unanimously approved. From a scientific point of view, the research goal was set and the praxisological goal fulfilled. In that same year, however, the Research Grant Agency of the Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak Republic (Vega) approved a research project by a team led by the publication’s author, focused on identifying professional values of social work in the Slovak Republic. This gave the research in the field of analysis of ethical codes of social work a new research goal. The presented publication is fundamentally the completion of the first phase of this research grant and will form the basis for creating a research instrument for a scientifically more precise identification of professional values of social work in the conditions of the Slovak Republic. In this sense, the monograph presents the results of a repeated comparative analysis of ethical codes, including those approved in the period 2010–2015. Presented especially are the results of content analysis of ethical codes in terms of values, principles and standards of ethical conduct of social workers within areas of ethical responsibility toward clients, themselves, the workplace, colleagues, the profession and society. The results of the scientific analysis are systematically organized in the monograph and linked with professional comments by the author and other experts on professional ethics in social work.
From a methodological perspective, the research used exclusively qualitative methodology, which corresponds to the fact that every ethical code is uniquely its own and an unrepeatable document. The research sample, from a diachronic perspective, consisted of 20 ethical codes of social work or social workers, with the condition that it had to be a document of international or national significance. The research sample includes 16 current codes and 4 older documents published in eight world languages, specifically in English (8), German (4), Italian (1), Romanian (1), Swedish (1), Hebrew (1), Russian (1), Czech (1) and Slovak (2). For documents in Swedish, Hebrew and Russian, their English translations were also taken into account. Among currently valid ethical codes that constituted the primary research sample are the international ethical code (2004), the American ethical code (2008), the Canadian (2005), Australian (2010), British (2012), Portuguese (2007), Swiss (2010), German (2014), Austrian (2004), Italian (2009), Romanian (2008), Swedish (1997), Israeli (2007), Russian (2003), Czech (2006) and Slovak (2015) codes. Among older codes that formed the secondary research sample are the international ethical code (1994), British (2002), German (1997) and Slovak code (1997). The document analysis was carried out using hermeneutic methods, especially structural, language-syntactic, semantic and content analysis. Content analysis was used most extensively, which we understand as a rather broad spectrum of partial methods and procedures serving the analysis of any textual document in order to clarify its meaning, identify its stylistic and syntactic peculiarities, or determine its structure. In the comparison process, selected ethical codes were used in terms of documents, and additionally their structure, size, sources, process of origin and, in terms of content, values, ethical principles and norms distributed across individual areas of ethical responsibilities.
In the interest of transparency, I consider it important to communicate openly to readers that, when discussing the Slovak ethical code, the author does not appear as a completely impartial researcher, but as a person who actively participated in all phases of its creation. At first as initiator and member of the ethics working group within the activities of the Association of Educators in Social Work in Slovakia, later as a member of the professional commission of the MPSVaR SR for preparation of the draft law on social work and on conditions for carrying out some professional activities, and finally as a member and editor of the ethics working group of the Preparatory Committee for establishing the Slovak Chamber of Social Workers and Social Work Assistants. The author therefore writes in this publication from the perspective of the principal editor of the document and a member of the professional team that prepared the ethical code. He bears shared responsibility for its updating and implementation also as a member of the professional council of the Slovak Chamber of Social Workers and Social Work Assistants.
The chapter on ethical decision-making was prepared by Zuzana Mališková, whom I consider the best Slovak expert on this topic, and her contribution enriches the publication. The publication is also enriched by colleagues and I would like to thank all my colleagues in the council of educators, social workers, social work assistants and, not least, my students, with whom I had the opportunity to discuss the further development and direction of social work ethics. Specifically, I would like to mention colleague Eva Grey, the vice-rector and head of the Institute of Social Work at VŠZaSP sv. Alžbety v Bratislave, colleague Tibor Roman, and my special thanks are due to Peter Brnula and Miroslav Tvrdoň for their willingness to review the text.
With the awareness that no ethical code and ultimately no publication can replace the inner, self-motivated responsibility of the social worker, this monograph intends to be a scientific and professional contribution for educators, social workers and students of social work toward ethically responsible practice, because the future depends on it. Either social work is ethical, or it is not at all.
Andrej Mátel
In Bratislava, 11 January 2016 ## ORDER THE BOOK
CONTENTS
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ETHICS AS AN INTEGRAL PART OF SOCIAL WORK
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ETHICAL CODES OF SOCIAL WORK 2.1 SIGNIFICANCE AND LIMITS OF ETHICAL CODES 2.2 TYPOLOGY OF ETHICAL CODES 2.3 INTERNATIONAL ETHICAL CODE 2.4 NATIONAL CODES OF SOCIAL WORK / SOCIAL WORKERS 2.5 BINDING FORCE OF ETHICAL CODES 2.6 REVISION AND UPDATING OF ETHICAL CODES
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VALUES OF SOCIAL WORK 3.1 PHILOSOPHICAL, SOCIODOLOGICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL UNDERSTANDING OF VALUE 3.2 VALUES INFLUENCING PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE 3.3 KEY VALUES OF SOCIAL WORK 3.4 INTERNALIZATION OF VALUES AND NORMS
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ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITY TOWARD CLIENTS
- ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITY TOWARD SELF
- RESPONSIBILITY TOWARD THE WORKPLACE
- ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITY TOWARD COLLEAGUES
- ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITY TOWARD THE PROFESSION
- ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITY TOWARD SOCIETY
- ETHICAL DECISION-MAKING
- ETHICAL ASPECTS OF RESEARCH IN SOCIAL WORK
Appendices INTERNATIONAL ETHICAL CODE 202 ETHICAL CODE OF THE SOCIAL WORKER AND THE SOCIAL WORK ASSISTANT IN THE SR ETHICAL CODE OF SOCIAL WORKERS OF THE CHAMBER OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC
SUMMARY
As Michael Bayles (1989, in Gluchman, 2012) stated, some people reduce professional ethics to ethical dilemmas only, while others may reduce it only to ethical codes. The aim of the monograph was certainly not such a reduction. Many times we stated in the text that an ethical code cannot replace the social worker's own inwardly motivated responsibility. It does, however, set minimum standards of ethically responsible conduct in social work practice and can support the social worker in implementing ethically sensitive practice, as well as in dealing with ethical conflicts, problems and dilemmas they may meet in their professional practice.
The first chapter is devoted to conceptual premises for understanding ethics as an integral component of social work. Aware that the ethical code itself cannot guarantee ethical behavior based on individual responsibility of social workers, its formulation has major significance for the profession and discipline of social work, for professionals working in it, service users and society at large. The second chapter deals with the theoretical premises of formulating an ethical code. It presents the importance of formulating a deontological code, its limits, distinctions and the presentation of several types of ethical codes, their binding nature and the revision process. The international ethical code and all 15 current national ethical codes of social work, which also make up the primary research sample, are presented.
The third chapter is devoted to values. From a semantic perspective, terminological and content distinctions between values and principles and behavioral norms (standards, principles) are emphasized. At the core of the chapter is analysis of identified key values in those codes where they are explicitly formulated. These are supplemented by theoretical understanding of values in selected disciplines and presentation of categories of values that influence professional activity. The new Slovak ethical code emphasizes that social work is a profession that is continuously developing, based on values such as social justice, human dignity and the importance of interpersonal relationships.
The ethical codes regarding responsibility toward clients cover multiple ethical principles and principles of professional practice, which the fourth chapter addresses in detail. These include respect for human dignity, respect for human rights, primacy of the client's interest, striving for the best interests of the client, respect for professional boundaries, equal treatment, anti-discrimination, respect for diversity, user self-determination and autonomy, participation, empowerment of service users and emphasis on their strengths, individualized approach to the client, respect for privacy and confidentiality of information, a holistic approach, proper communication, and appropriate interruption and termination of services.
Attention of professional ethics is increasingly also directed toward the rights of the worker themselves, which is one of its legitimate newer trends. The fifth chapter addresses the ethical responsibility of the social worker toward oneself. It focuses especially on professional and personal growth of social workers, responsible use of power, and the need to support social workers experiencing severe difficulties.
The sixth chapter is devoted to responsibility toward the workplace. Emphasis is placed on reciprocity of ethical requirements in this area because ethical responsibility is borne not only by employees but also by employers. The seventh chapter closely follows and addresses ethical responsibility toward colleagues, whether within the field of social work or toward colleagues from other professions. It is presented in a spirit of cooperation, consultation, and also avoiding negative criticism and breaches of collegiality.
A social worker represents not only themselves but at the same time their profession. People assume responsibilities of the profession when they decide to become social workers. Others can then legitimately expect them to fulfill these responsibilities. The eighth chapter discusses ethical responsibility toward the profession, especially with regard to professional conduct, boundaries of competence, protection of social work, non-corrupt behavior, and ethical requirements toward schools of social work. The ninth chapter deals with responsibility toward society. Attention is directed especially to the principle of respecting social justice. It is also important that society knows about social work and is properly informed.
Social workers' work places them day by day in situations where they must make ethical decisions, and thus often influence people's lives. The tenth chapter is dedicated to the process of ethical decision-making in problematic and dilemma situations, not only from the standpoint of ethical codes but also from theoretical premises and selected models of decision-making. The eleventh chapter turns attention to ethical sensitivity in social work in scientific, and above all, research work.
Within the monograph, increased attention is devoted to the new Ethical Code of the Social Worker and Social Work Assistant in the Slovak Republic, which represents a significant milestone in the professional ethics of this profession, but at the same time has its limits. In itself it is an open document that will require regular updating. It is limited by its nature, since it does not cover social work in all of its scope. We therefore lean toward the idea that social workers, educators and researchers in social work should formulate a broader conceptualization of an ethical code of social work, where all its aspects are reflected from the perspective of ethics—not only as a profession but also as an academic and scientific discipline.
In view of the Vega research grant, the presented publication is fundamentally the completion of the first phase of research focused on more scientifically precise identification of professional values of social work in the conditions of the Slovak Republic.
Title of the work: Ethical Codes of Social Work
Authors: doc. PhDr. ThDr. Andrej Mátel, PhD., mim. prof. (chapters 1–9, 11) Mgr. Zuzana Mališková, PhD. (chapter 10)
Reviewers: doc. PhDr. Peter Brnula, PhD. Univerzita Jana Evangelisty Purkyně v Ústí nad Labem doc. PaedDr. Miroslav Tvrdoň, PhD. Univerzita Konštantína Filozofa v Nitre
Publisher: Spoločnosť pre rozvoj sociálnej práce, 2016
Edition: First Number of pages: 226 Printing: Art AIR Center s. r. o., Dolný Kubín Print run: 200 copies ISBN 978-80-971445-8-6