Social Work Ethics for Educators

Abstract

Because teaching about values and ethics is essential in social work education, social work educators need to become knowledgeable about the 1996 NASW Code of Ethics and its application to social work practice and education. Three major new areas in the Code, confidentiality with managed care, technology, and family and group work, cultural competence, and appropriate professional relationships, are addressed. Besides teaching students about the current Code of Ethics in order to prepare them for professional practice, social work educators can increase their understanding of how the Code applies to their work with students and model professional behavior to students through ethical educational practice.

Key Words:

• Social work ethics
• NASW Code of Ethics
• social work education
• confidentiality
• dual relationships
• social work values
• social work educators
• managed care
• technology