A List of Ethical Dilemmas Facing Social Work

Social workers take on a variety of responsibilities that should ultimately serve their clients' best interests. They try to abide by the code of ethics from professional organizations like the National Association of Social Workers or the International Federation of Social Workers as a way to guide their actions. As in any human services profession, social workers may face a number of ethical dilemmas in their practice. An ethical dilemma involves a conflict between two or more ethical principles.

Right to Self-Determination

One of the guiding principles of social work is respect for the client's right to self-determination. This principle means that the client is ultimately in charge of making his own decisions and finding solutions to problems, regardless of whether a social worker agrees with his course of action. A social worker may provide guidance and help clients explore their options, but she may not allow her own opinions and personal biases to influence the client. This is a difficult dilemma that is created by the social worker's desire to act in the client's best interest and the need to respect his right to act in a way that he feels is best.

Confidentiality

Another common ethical dilemma encountered by both novice and experienced social workers is the right to confidentiality versus the right to self-determination, especially in cases of suicidal clients. Social workers must respect a client's right to privacy and confidentiality, and they may not disclose information about a client without his prior, written consent. Social workers must also respect a client's right to self-determination, that is, his right to choose his preferred course of action. But in cases of suicidality or the threat of harm to another person, a social worker is obligated to break confidentiality to protect her client and the public.

Differences of Morals and Values

All social workers have their own internal value system and set of morals. Despite their best efforts to keep their feelings in check and to respect differences, social workers are often confronted with situations in which their values and morals conflict with those of their clients. For example, a social worker who holds certain religious or moral values about abortion may face an ethical dilemma when trying to assist a teen client who becomes pregnant and wishes to have an abortion.

Dual Relationships

Engaging in dual relationships - meaning having a friendship or romantic relationship with a client - is forbidden by the social work code of ethics. And once a social worker terminates contact with a client, the relationship technically is over. A social worker may find herself in the same social situation or, for example, in the grocery store with a former client and his family. The social worker cannot simply ignore the client, yet at the same time, she may not know how far to take their interaction. These are examples of common ethical dilemmas many social workers face that are difficult to resolve and require professionalism, courtesy and good judgment.

Administrative Dilemmas

Not all ethical dilemmas in social work involve direct client contact. According to social work professor Frederic G. Reamer in an article for "Social Work Today," social workers employed in administrative roles may also come up against a number of challenging ethical dilemmas. For example, directors of human services agencies may need to make difficult decisions regarding the allocation of funds or agency resources. The decision to provide funds to one program and to cut funding from another is just one example of a stressful and trying ethical dilemma social work administrators face.