I chose the second example about the social worker conductin an online search for information about the clients without their knowledge or consent. I chose this example because this is a scenario that is very close to home for me in my current job and even in my personal life. As an investigation, it’s second nature for me to Goggle or do a general search on a person or an incident that has occurred. In my work, as long as I am not using the systems that are used to conduct my investigation for the job, it’s not a conflict of interest. Reamer outlines the emotional and dependency needs of social workers and how personal issues and past incidents can blur the lines. It’s possible that a social worker can disclose personal information and experience without intentionally doing so. Social media and personal relationships exposed on some of these social media platforms can blur the line of providing information. In the example, the social worker maybe seacrhing for information missed during the encounters with the clients and also find the inconsistencies in the information provided. This can be a situation of domestic violence, stalking, or other possible dangerous situations that the client is possinly omitting information and not providing details in fear of the husband getting into trouble. According to NASW 1.07 Privacy and Confidentiality: (q) Social workers should avoid searching or gathering client information electronically unless there are compelling professional reasons, and when appropriate, with the client’s informed consent. The social worker can search in good faith in order to gather additional information about the client and her estranged husband. The remedy for the situation and similar ones would be to refer to NASW and other office, company, and agency procedures. A client has the ability to search a social worker’s salary, possible social media platforms, and there are still websites that list addresses and telephone numbers. There’s so many ways to find information about people without their consent or knowledge. My question: How can we truly commit to the job of being a social worker, compassionate and empathic human, professionalism, ethical, and not cross those lines?
https://www.socialworkers.org/About/Ethics/Code-of-Ethics/Code-of-Ethics-English/Social-Workers-Ethical-Responsibilities-to-Clients#:~:text=(c)%20Social%20workers%20should%20not,can%20occur%20simultaneously%20or%20consecutively.)
Hi Kim! I think you made a great point about how blurred lines can happen so easily. The key is really knowing what those boundaries are from the beginning and sticking to them. I also agree with you that informed consent is a big part of this and without it, we risk crossing professional lines even if our intentions are good. I can see how your background would make it feel natural to want to investigate further and I agree that if we follow the ethical guidelines, then it can still be done with informed consent and prove a helpful solution if needed, and in this way, we can still support the client while staying professional. The NASW Code of Ethics is such a helpful guide, and pairing that with agency policies, supervision, and colleague input makes navigating those gray areas a lot easier.
@allisonganz Thank you for understanding how my background shapes my thoughts and decision. Just like I am learning to shift gears from law enforcement and criminal justice to social work and humanities. I thank you for reminding me of the NASW Code of Ethics and will continue to study and read this guide throughout my Master’s journey and starting my new career in Social Work.