Social Work Values and the NASW Code of Ethics: Problems of Function and Possibilities for Change

Abstract

The NASW Code of Ethics describes a set of values and ethical principles, and functions as a structure in U.S. social work, creating and reinforcing norms in the field. This paper critically examines the NASW Code’s underlying assumptions, its development toward a risk-management perspective and implications for practice and contrasts it with three other social work ethics documents. The work explores social workers’ experiences with the NASW code, and its impact on ethical thought and justice-oriented practice. The limitations of the code’s structural function in U.S. social work are discussed and options for shifting its role considered.

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