SOWO 30813 Professional Communication in
Social Work
Values Clarification Paper
Social work is a
profession based on values. Social
work’s core values are:
·
Service
·
Social justice
·
Dignity and worth
of person
·
Importance of
human relationship
·
Integrity
·
Competence
Beyond the “core
values,” we also have a Code of Ethics, a set of broad ethical principles and
specific ethical standards to guide social work practice. The NASW Code of Ethics can be found athttp://www.socialworkers.org/pubs/code/default.asp. In addition,
we have Social Work Speaks, which
contains policy statements on social issues and problems. Social
Work Speaks is established by NASW to reflect the core values of the profession
and articulate social work’s position on over 60 topics we often confront in
practice; for example, affirmative action, child abuse and neglect, family
planning and reproductive choice, school violence and many more.
You can find the
abstracts of Social Work Speaks at: http://www.socialworkers.org/resources/abstracts/default.asp but if you want the entire document, you must
purchase the book or find it in the library.
And finally, we have state laws that specifically address social workers
and all aspects of their practice. Texas
laws can be found athttp://www.dshs.state.tx.us/SocialWork/and I’ve also posted them in Doc Sharing on ecollege.
It is our
professional responsibility to know and understand the values, ethics and laws
to which we are accountable. Rarely if
ever does a person have a perfect fit with the social work values or agree with
everything stated in the Code of Ethics.
We are, however, required to follow the laws of the state in which we
practice social work. Some standards in
the Code seem to contradict each other, pointing us in different
directions. Some agencies have policies
that contradict the Code. Value
conflicts are abundant in social work.
We use the process of ethical decision making when we are confronted
with these dilemmas.
The purpose of
this assignment is (1) to help you learn about the values, ethics and laws
regulating our profession and (2) to explore how your personal values fit with
those of the profession. Begin this
assignment by exploring the Code of Ethics, Social Work Speaks and Texas Laws
for social workers. As you read through
these documents, what do you notice?
What fits well with what you think and believe? What seems out of sync with your own ideas
and beliefs? What do you discover that
you didn’t know about social work? What
topics and areas seem most familiar to you based on what you have studied so
far in social work? What topics have you
not given much thought to?
The Values
Clarification Paper will be a “work in progress” as you move through your
social work career. You will find it
especially helpful as you begin to work in agencies and with clients because
this is where the rubber hits the road.
What seems perfectly clear in the classroom can become muddy and messy
in the real world. Use this assignment
to begin the process of self awareness with regard to your value fit with the
profession and to plan for when conflicts arise.
Values Clarification Paper – Your paper will be three to four pages,
double-spaced, plus title page and references; you will use APA format for the
paper. I expect a minimum of five professional
sources for your paper.
You will begin
with a (1) discussion of your personal values – What are values? What do you value? Why?
Where do your values come from?
Where are the areas in which you aren’t sure about what you value? How do you express your values? What do you do when you have a value
conflict with another person? A value
conflict with yourself?
Next, (2)
summarize what you have learned about the values, guidelines and rules/laws of
the profession from the sources listed above (Code of Ethics, Social Work Speaks
and Texas Laws) and (3) discuss how your personal values fit, and don’t fit,
with social work . Finally, (4) discuss
how you will deal with your value conflicts with the profession.
You will review papers in class with peers for feedback. Due
dates are on the syllabus. You may also submit a draft to the instructor
for feedback before the final paper is submitted. Be sure to allow sufficient time for
feedback. Final paper is due as assigned
at the beginning of class – submit to eCollege.
