Social Work Ethics: Politics, Principles and Practice

ISBN-13: 9780333719343 / Angielski / Miękka / 1999 / 227 str.

Chris Clark

Opis

This book offers a critical introduction to professional ethics for social workers. It recognises that social work is largely a state sponsored activity and therefore poses issues in political theory. The traditional values and rules of practice ethics are explained using plentiful examples. The critique is followed by an innovative concept of social work and its relationship to the state. A new approach to practice ethics is developed based on four cardinal principles of respect, justice, citizenship and discipline.

Spis treści

Introduction.- Ethical Issues in Practice.- Social Workers and Values.- The Rules of Social Work Ethics.- Founding Social Work Ethics: the Critique of Theory.- Law, Legitimacy and Professional Accountability.- Welfare, Politics and Social Work.- Four Stocks of Ethical Practice.- Issues and Applications.- Appendix.- References.

O autorze

CHRIS CLARK is Senior Lecturer in Social Work at the University of Edinburgh, having previously worked in social development and community work. His previous books include Social Work and Social Philosophy (with R. Asquith) and Theory and Practice in Voluntary Social Action.

Blurb

Social workers and others in the social care field hold positions of responsibility and trust for the welfare of vulnerable and disempowered people; they also apply support and control to individuals who act in self-damaging or socially unacceptable ways. Whether in the state or independent sectors, professionals carry responsibilities on behalf of society as a whole. Professional ethics therefore have a political, as well as a moral, basis.

This book develops an innovatory exploration and critique of standard social work ethics. It begins by reviewing the established body of literature and practice wisdom on social work values, focusing particularly on eight key rules of social work ethics. It then goes on to explore the complex relationship between social work practice, public policy, professional legitimacy and the law, drawing on salient debates from ethical and political theory. Clark argues that the purpose of social work is to promote the realisation of ordinary life and he links this to the idea of welfare citizenship. He concludes by identifying four cardinal principles of ethical practice - respect, justice, citizenship and discipline - which he applies to a range of topics in professional practice. Key theories in moral and political philosophy are given boxed summaries for ease of reference and the book contains frequent practice examples throughout, including a number of in-depth case studies.

This will be a central text for social work students and professionals alike at a time when new systems of regulation are being developed to correct past failures of accountability.