Values in Contemporary Social Work Essay -- British Social Workers

Shared values are essential in the creating a successful relationship between the customer and social formulateer. Social workers operate within society, not only to assist the individual but to create a more cohesive society. Values and morals permeate the whole of social work practice and the society within which it practices (Shardlow 1989). Values are afforded a high position within social work, this is highlighted in Social work is a professional activity. Implicit in its practice are ethical principles which prescribe the professional responsibility of the social worker (British connection of Social call oners (BASW) Code of Ethics). However, there is a danger that any list of values will become something which is quoted as opposed to a useful turncock for practice. Values can be helpful as they enable the social worker to analyse their practice in relation to the expectations of the law and the needs of the lot they work with.What are values? Is there a place for them in contemporary social work? Is it even possible to define what constitutes values in contemporary social work? Biestek created a list of seven principles with the intention of showing social workers how clients ought to behave. These principles whitethorn have been well meaning but they simply reflect everything that is going on in contemporary society. The very existence of a list of morals can be damaging to social work as it creates a feeling of security based on the presumption that the list itself incorporates everything required for successful practice. Values determine what a person thinks they should do, which may not exactly be the same as what they want to do. Personal values allow us to evaluate the actions of others in relation to our own... ...) Ethical Issues in Social Work, RoutledgeNational Association of Social Workers (1980) Code of Ethics of the National Association of Social Workers, NASW Silver Spring, MarylandPayne, M (1997) Modern Social Wor k Theory. Second edition. MacMillanPlant, R. (1970) Social and Moral Theory in Casework, London, Routledge and Kegan PaulRepper, J. & Perkins, R. Social Inclusion and Recovery a Model for Mental Health Practice, Bailliere TindalShardlow, S.M. (1989), The Values of alteration in Social Work, Routledge LondonTaylor-Gooby. P (1981) Social Theory and social welfare, Edward Arnold. LondonThompson, N. (1997) Anti-discriminatory Practice (2nd Ed), London MacmillanThompson, N. (2000) Theory and Practice in Human Services, Buckingham, Oxford University Press.Wilson, K. et al (2008) Social Work An Introduction to Contemporary Practice. Pearson, London