‘Risk is King and Needs to take a Backseat!’ Can social workers’ experiences of moral injury strengthen practice?

Abstract

This paper considers the idea that moral injury may result from social workers being exposed to sustained ethical stress – the stress experienced when workers cannot base their practice on their values. It is suggested that a particularly salient feature of agency working which might contribute to the experience of ethical stress is risk aversion. This paper is based on a study of one hundred criminal justice social workers in Scotland, who were questioned on their experiences of ethical stress and risk aversion. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected and analysed using standard multiple regression and inductive thematic analysis, respectively. Findings demonstrated that how risk-averse an agency was contributed in a unique and significant way to the worker’s experience of ethical stress. Qualitative comments illustrated why this relationship might exist, but also demonstrated that a variety of views were held by social workers and that ethical stress was not experienced by all. The findings are discussed in terms of moral injury and its links with risk aversion, bureaucracy, neoliberal hegemony, notions of ‘underclass’, personal moral codes and professional integrity. Explicitly exploring these related concepts in social work education might impact on the new generation of social workers and strengthen the profession.

Keywords:

• moral injury
• ethical stress
• risk aversion

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jane Fenton

Jane Fenton is a senior lecturer and Head of Taught Postgraduate Studies. Her research interests include the disconnect between social work values and practice and social justice. Address: School of Education & Social Work, University of Dundee.

Timothy B. Kelly

Timothy B. Kellyis a Professor of social work and Dean of the School. His research interests include groupwork, the health and social care needs of older people and their carers, and social work ethics. Address: School of Education & Social Work, University of Dundee. [email: [email protected]]