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HELP! Developing an Ethics Consultation Service for Social Workers

HELP! Developing an Ethics Consultation Service for Social Workers. Assoc. Professor Donna McAuliffe – Convenor AASW National Ethics Group/Griffith University Kym Daly – Senior Manager Ethics & Standards – AASW Sue Rouch/Fran Hardcastle – National Ethics & Practice Standards Officer - AASW.

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HELP! Developing an Ethics Consultation Service for Social Workers

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  1. HELP! Developing an Ethics Consultation Service for Social Workers Assoc. Professor Donna McAuliffe – Convenor AASW National Ethics Group/Griffith University Kym Daly – Senior Manager Ethics & Standards – AASW Sue Rouch/Fran Hardcastle – National Ethics & Practice Standards Officer - AASW

  2. History of the Australian Association of Social Workers Ethics Consultation Service • Social Work not (yet) a registered profession in Australia • Social work self-regulated by AASW • National Ethics Framework developed 2007 (complaint management; education/training/policy/law reform) • Revised AASW Code of Ethics 2010 • Need for service to assist with queries about ethics and interpretation of the Code • Ethics Consultation Service developed in response to this need – paid staff position (Ethics & Practice Standards Officer)

  3. ECS description • The Ethics Consultation Service is a free service for members and relevant others (such as employers of AASW members) to discuss and process ethical dilemmas and ethical practice issues. Our ethics staff can provide both verbal and written information in relation to ethical issues and assist in linking ethics decision making to the Code of Ethics and broader ethical theory.

  4. ECS Statistics 2008-2012 Total number: 1196

  5. Who calls the ECS? • Social work practitioners who are members of AASW • Social workers who are not members (will be referred after initial advice) • Employers of social workers • Colleagues of social workers • Social work students and University staff with queries relating to students • People who want to discuss making a complaint about a social worker (will be referred to AASW Ethics Complaint Management Process) or to external complaint body

  6. Common queries • Information privacy/confidentiality • Professional boundaries and dual relationships • Priority of client interests • Records • Informed consent • Actions: • Telephone consultation • Email response • Consult with other members of ethics team (complex cases) • Referral to other service • Referral within AASW • Send COE • Send complaint information

  7. Ethical Guidelines • Mandatory Reporting • Writing Court Reports • Consent and Working With Children • Case Note Recording • 'You've Been Served' - Responding to a Subpoena • International ethics - Australian Social Workers Overseas • Supporting Ethical Practice in the Workplace • Professional Boundaries and Dual Relationships • Information Management • Conflicts of Interest • Social media, Information and Communication Technologies ( 3 parts) • Under Construction: Using client information for research and educative purposes; ‘Looking after yourself – preventing complaints and self-care’.

  8. Examples • Q: I am a member of the AASW and am planning to spend some time working or studying as a Social Worker overseas. Which Code of Ethics will apply to my practice when I am not in Australia? • Q: As a Social Worker, do I have a legal obligation to report suspected child abuse? • Q: Up to what age do I need to attain parental consent when working with young clients? • Q: Do I need to get the clients consent to share subpoenaed information? • Q: A client has developed feelings for me and I’m unsure how to manage this. What should I do?

  9. Q: A former client has invited me to be friends on a social networking site. Is it breaching professional boundaries if I accept? Q: I have been working with a particular client for a long time and we have never had any physical contact. Today our professional relationship ended and he asked if he could give me a hug to say thank-you. Is this okay? Q: I have been promoted to team leader within an organisation where my sister also works. There has recently been a team re-structure and my sister is now in the team that I am to supervise. Is this ok?

  10. Q3: I am a social work researcher and educator and have an online social media page, where I post interesting articles, new research and advertise CPD activities in my area of practice. This is a public site and people can comment on things I post. Recently, an ex-client (I used to work for a counselling service many years ago) found the site and posted a comment asking me how I was and referred to our past therapeutic relationship. How do I respond? Q2: I am a social worker and I urgently need to call my client to cancel an appointment we have scheduled. My client has not answered. Can I send a text message with the information?

  11. Contacts • If you would like more information on any of these topics, please do not hesitate to contact the Ethics Consultation Service on +61 3 9642 2307 or at ethicsconsult@aasw.asn.au • www.aasw.asn.au/whatwedo/ethics-consultation-resources

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