Importance of Professional Values in Social Work Practice

PROFESSIONAL VALUES: SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE
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Professional Values: Social Work Practice
Professional values are important for social work practice because they are central to social workers in England, positively impacting people’s lives, families, and communities. Adhering to required professional values is critical to promoting the rights, welfare, and strengths of people, families, and communities; developing and sustaining the trust and confidence of people; safeguarding accountability in the quality of services and decisions made; supporting continuing professional development; acting safely, respectfully and with professional integrity; enhancing ethical practice as well as ensuring early reporting of emerging concerns (BASW, 2019). Social workers can’t practice effectively, legally, and ethically within their scope of practice if they lack the professional values required in social work practice.
The professional value of service to others involves the social worker acknowledging the individual strengths, values, and abilities of each person, family, or community they are interacting with. It forms the basis for balancing rights and risks in social work practice by fostering respect for human rights and needs. In order to work in partnership with individuals, families, and communities to enable access to advocacy and services, social workers must first understand that people are experts in their own lives (BASW, 2006; Local Government Association, 2022). It is also crucial for social workers to recognize the diversity across individuals, families, and communities if they are to harness the assets of family and community systems to challenge existing discrimination against people (Randstad, 2018). The professional value of service to people, families, and communities is central to advancing social justice on behalf of vulnerable and oppressed groups as well as confronting issues of inclusion in an appropriate and necessary manner (Reamer and Shardlow, 2009). Social workers must also demonstrate a professional demeanor in their behavior, communication, and appearance.
Identifying as a social worker requires committing to personal reflection and self-correction as well as attending to professional roles and boundaries. This way, the individuals, families, and communities being served to recognize the importance of the social worker in their lives (Ivanauskienė and Varžinskienė, 2007). In addition to social workers conducting themselves accordingly, they must also practice illustrating authority, empathy, perseverance, and professional capability to facilitate full involvement in decision-making (General Social Care Council, 2011; Social Work Reform Board, 2010). Social workers must possess active listening skills and know-how to handle all cases with the sensitivity and confidentiality required if they are to build meaningful relationships with people. Respecting people’s dignity and privacy is also key to building sustainable relationships with individuals, families, and communities: all interventions must be the least intrusive and necessary (Dickens, 2008; Sowers and Dulmus, 2008). Furthermore, they must continually evaluate all conflicts of interest early enough and immediately inform those they serve to allow concerted discussions on the best course of action.
Accountability is another critical professional value in the social work practice. Social workers must possess the professional standards of transparency, reliability, fairness, and openness if they are to develop and sustain the trust and confidence of people (BASW, 2014). They must be capable of operating within legal and ethical structures using their professional judgment and authority correctly. Accountability for the quality of decisions entails basing professional decisions on a wide variety of information sources to analyze risks as well as inform assessments (University of Washington, 2017). Social workers must refrain from any biases and use evidence to inform their decisions: drawing on one’s skills and knowledge and working in collaboration with other professions is essential to addressing ethical dilemmas and issues relating to conflicting information (Social Work Strategy, 2020). Maintaining accountability to the quality of service provided is essential to ensuring that social workers fully assess the social care needs of individuals, families, and communities, including physical and mental health, community resources, and quality of life indicators to enhance the quality of life and well-being.
When social workers are accountable for the quality of their practice, they are more cognizant of all factors, including risk indicators along with their impact on the people they are serving. This way, they can respond promptly and more effectively to emerging issues and dangerous situations. Besides, accountability for the quality of service provided is essen...