ABSTRACT
Values and ethics have always been part and parcel of social work education and practice. Common ethical dilemmas in social work concern: clinical practice, program design, agency administration, and social policy and relationships among practitioners. A major goal of contemporary ethics education in the profession is to acquaint practitioners with the ways in which sound ethical judgment and management of ethical challenges can protect clients and prevent malpractice lawsuits and licensing board complaints. Based on the remarkable expansion of knowledge regarding social work ethics, essential knowledge includes five key themes are the value base of the social work profession and its relationship to practitioners’ values, ethical dilemmas, ethical decision-making, moral distress, injury, and courage and ethics risk management. Social workers should recognize that core social work values vary internationally and, at times, within nations and cultures. Social workers must be alert to emerging ethical issues and vigilant in their efforts to address them diligently.
