Nasw Code of Ethics Organizations and Societies

Nasw Code of Ethics

Organizations and societies at large are normally characterized with particular guidelines that control people's actions with respect to values and ethical standards that are set within those organizations or societies. Such guidelines are called codes of ethics. This paper seeks to discuss codes of ethics with respect to NASW. The paper will look into elements of the code, application of such codes as well as issues that emerge in the process of applying codes of ethics.

Aspects of NASW code of ethics and values: upholding dignity and worth of persons

The national association of social workers is an umbrella body of individuals who offer social services to the society in a directly interactive relationship with clients. Their course of duty that involve psychological care of the individual clients as well as that of the society as a whole has called for regulations in the field of study to harmonize application of the services. One of the regulatory approaches in the field has been establishment of code of ethics by the umbrella body, NASW. One of the set of ethical values that have been established by the body is principle that governs the dignity and worth of people. The code explicitly stipulates that social workers are under obligation to honor dignity and value of each and every individual that they encounter in their work. Under this principle, specification is made with respect to how the social workers should perceive and express their perceptions over people. One of the core provisions of the code is that people are supposed to be handled with uttermost care in the provision of social services. The approach that the individual clients are to be accorded is at the same time supposed to reflect accord of respect to the clients with consideration to personalities of each and every individual. This means that a level of professionalism and sensitivity must be employed by social workers to identify elements that clients can for instance consider to be disrespectful (Socialwork, 2000).

The consideration of the code of ethics as illustrated by NASW with respect to human dignity is based on the fact that people are diverse and different norms are adopted by the diversity that is realized with respect to factors such as race, national origin, social class and religion among others. The social worker is supposed to be careful to identify and protect the clients from insecurity that can be generated along the lines of these diversities. The work that is undertaken by the social workers forms the ground for application of these principles. Taking for instance the role of empowering an individual to self-determination, a social worker must be keen to identify factors that discourage the individual and at the same time avoid further discouragements. Efforts must at the same time be put to develop the motive of self-determination on the client. Sensitivity to the identification of the individual's potentials and respect weaknesses or segregator aspects that discourages the individual will thus be important towards effectiveness of social work. The elements of expressing a social worker's perception of dignity and value of the client also empowers the clients to further have the capacity to solve their problems. The capacity to handle this across identified lines of diversity is a key to enhancing the profession by eliminating the sense of discrimination along the lines of diversity (Socialwork, 2000).

Application of the ethics and values

Dignity and worth as perceived by individuals varies from one society to another. This means that its definition across diversities differ and is thus a potential of generating conflict in social services between workers and individual clients. An understanding of the diversities and a possibility of bridging the gap is the best tool to upholding the principles of dignity and worth. The best way to apply the principles will be to be flexible and sensitive to the opinions and values as held by every individual in order to create an understanding with them. This is particularly important in considerations such as religious differences and sexual orientation in which a lot of stereotyping has been realized. Crossing over to the religion of the client or the perception over sexuality as held by the client will thus be my tool winning the client's confidence and thus easing the gap due to diversity for harmonizing the principles (Wmich, 2010).