Reflecting on Professionalism in the Field of Social Work
Establishing Some Ground Rules No matter what sort of social interaction we humans engage in, be it playful, professional, familial, romantic, or other , there are “norms” associated with most standard categories of connection. The social work profession is no exception to this sense of order. Being able to follow guidelines or work within boundaries allows for a stronger sense of what the goal of the practice is, both for social workers and their clients. Clarifying not only the purpose but the role of both parties paves the way for what hopes to be a successful outcome, wherein the “success” is defined by both practitioner and client. The guiding body for social workers is the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) and so they have outlined a Code of Ethics to which both students and licensed professionals in the field should strive to uphold. Because of the “grey area” that frequently peppers a social worker’s radar, NASW takes care to note that ...