Principles with Reference to the Code of Ethics of Youth Workers - Literature review Example

Ethical dimensions of the case i. Self-care: The health of youth workers should be preserved in an ethical practice (Kanter, 2007, p.289). Youth workers do no need to overwork themselves to a burn out point for them to be considered as hardworking. Often, I feel stretched to limits. My duty is unsatisfied and I lack constant supervisory support as my boss is always busy. Even though I think it is unethical, I manage the burn out by instinctively sharing these stories with people at home and friends. ii. Personal vs. professional Integrity: Youth workers must remain self-aware of their roles to avoid disrespecting the practice (AASW, 2010, p.40). At the same time, they must value and respect that there are different approaches applied by stakeholders. I feel I should have understood operative approaches of other stakeholders in youth work so as to be able to refer cases not consistent with my roles. iii. Confidentiality: Based on the presumption that when clients share their information with a professional, they expect it to be confidentially kept (AASW, 2010, p.27). I should not have discussed information shared with me by the youth. I realize that I have breached the confidentiality principle. iv. Boundaries: A professional relationship should be deliberately restricted in terms of space, time and money among others (Sercombe, 2010, p.2). Whereas circumstances may challenge specification of boundaries in youth work, the worker must clearly set boundaries of the relationship. His/her role for instance, should be clear; the worker can act as a confidant, mother or teacher to the youth. I realize by always being available to the youth was ethically wrong. v. Empathy versus sympathy: I realize that I have been over identifying with the clients (Kanter, 2007, p.289). This is illustrated in my tendency to often spend more time with three of my clients as compared to the rest. It shows an inability on my part, to set boundaries of the time that I should be with a client which amounts to ethical code breach. vi. Lack of supervision: Supervision, as a way of social support, is key in building professional identity (Harrison and Healy, 2016, p.82) and competence. I am seldom supervised as my supervisor is often very busy. Thus, I lack guidance and correction which compromises my effort to enrich and maintain my competence as a youth worker. vii. Training: Further, to increase efficiency at work, employees need training (Harrison and Healy, 2016, p.81). I have only learned to work with youth via observing my colleagues while intervening in addressing youth issues. An induction training would have helped me build more knowledge on working with the youth. viii. Duty of care: Due to lack of training, as I have only learned via observation, my capability of duty of care to the youth is not seasoned. A good youth worker must be trained, skilled and professional to evade the possibility of harming the youth further (Sercombe, 2010, p.6). I feel it is unfair to have been placed in an arduous position for which I have not been trained. Conflicting perspectives from group discussion regarding the case (which ones are meaningful, significant or challenging for me? Our group discussion revealed different perspectives, for example Deontology, virtues, Consequentialism, utilitarianism perspective for the clients): Deontological perspective’s argument is that, to act in a way that is morally upright, a person must from a duty’s angle, act (Sercombe, 2010, p.7). Focus is usually on the act by itself. Also, there is a need to understand that it is not the consequences of actions that make them wrong or right, but the motives by an individual to such actions. Lying is for instance, wrong just because it is wrong and not due to any negative results. Another member suggested that we should not feel bound by rules, rather, true observance of ethics includes not just moral principles, but also the element of virtue (Sercombe, 2010, p.8). Focus should be on the kind of person an individual wants to be rather than, a question of what should they do? This was the perspective of virtue-based ethics. The consequentialist perspective on the other hand, was discussed as the scenario where ethics is measured by the consequences of an action (Sercombe, 2010, p.2). Good consequences result from good acts whereas bad consequences indicate bad acts. Utilitarianism perspective was discussed as the lessening of pain and bringing of pleasure for the good of all (Sercombe, 2010, p.3). Conflicting viewpoints, aspect that is meaningful, significant and challenging to you the worker: I found the virtue-based perspective rather significant in defining ethics as well as competence because my desire is to be a professional worker. Thus, I feel I should focus on how I will become this ethically upright and professional worker, as is underscored in the AASW code of ethics on maintenance of competence. Utilitarianism perspective is important in that it allows for calculation of costs versus benefits in terms of what brings pleasure while reducing pain. It is constantly applied in the development of social policy as parties focus on the balance of costs and benefits. However, I find Virtue ethics perspective is significant as it incorporates virtues in determining what a professional wants to be. It is not entirely based on just set principles that are binding. It creates room for the professional to engage in actions that propel them towards achieving what they want to be. And I believe, this is what I need as a professional; to feel competent. Lastly, the perspective on consequentialism was meaningful and significant, but also challenged me. It is meaningful as it attaches the morality of actions to their consequences (Sercombe, 2010, p.2). Good consequences means good actions. Therefore, if a youth worker sees positive change in the youth they were working with, the professional’s actions are considered good. Morality may thus be seen as the production of desired overall consequences. It however challenged me as I have not realized good results in my practice. This is because my practice lacked ethics in line with this perspective. Nevertheless, I understand what I want to be, and thus will strive towards achieving it by realigning my conduct with moral principles and virtues for favourable results. Discussion of principles with reference to AASW Code of Ethics There are values highly valued in the profession of social work as discussed below: Professional competence Provision of transparent and accountable quality service necessitates for a worker to have well established their professional identity (Sercombe, 2010, p.3). In this regard, the professional must keep participating in, as well as contributing to a continuous educative and learning process, be supervised and exchange ideas with not only other practitioners in social work, but also students. Importantly, the professional should only undertake practice in areas of their competence-professional identity. Further, in the event that they are ill or face impairments that may sway them from offering professional judgement, the professional must appropriately act for instance, by referring the client to another professional or postponing the appointment to a later date when they are able to perform the duty competently (AASW, 2010, p.21). This is for the best interest of the client. Further, the affected professional should act in consideration of their client’s, colleagues’, and employers’ goodwill ensuring that none will be negatively affected. Occasionally, social workers may face situations where interventions may be swayed by their religious or spiritual inclinations. To uphold professional competence, they must ensure to abide by ethical standards as stipulated in the AASW and provide interventions that are not only competent, but also impartial, transparent and liable (AASW, 2010, p.22). It is the duty of a social work professional to take measures towards sustaining and expanding their competence. Confidentiality Social workers must accord clients their right to a relationship characterized by privacy and trust (AASW, 2010, p.27). In this regard, clients must be assured that information they produce in the course of service will not only be responsibly used, but also confidentially kept. A worker’s commitment to confidentiality is based on duty, virtue and consequence (Sercombe, 2010, p.9). Thus, the professional is cautious not to unreasonably infringe the client’s privacy in information seeking. The professional must get an informed consent from the client or their representative if they need to use the information provided by the client. Notably, it is crucial to determine what people may/may not be provided with the information, and in what aspect and context (Sercombe, 2010, p.4). Sometimes disclosure will not only be justified but also essential ethically. It is also crucial to discuss with a client, from whom information about them may be obtained. Lastly, to promote confidentiality, any information received either from client’s relatives or elsewhere, must equally be treated with privacy as that which has been obtained from the client themselves. Professional integrity The values under this principle include the professional’s capacity to empathize, be honest, reliable, discerned, committed and transparent. In this regard, a professional is expected to ably rank over their individual gain, the needs of others by applying knowledge and skills. Additionally, while serving people, the professional should utilize power and authority in a responsible manner. Similarly, any professional decisions made must thoroughly have been considered and accountably ethical. In observance of professional integrity, the professional has to maintain a professional conduct while responsibly behaving in a dignified manner (AASW, 2010, p.12). Action plan in response to the case using Ethical Decision Making Model McAuliffe has expressed ethical reasoning as a critical reflection, judgment and evaluation process that enables a practitioner to decide on issues and dilemmas (McAuliffe, 2014, p.100-102). Whereas ethical reasoning provides us with a structure for making our practice’s decisions and a justification platform, it resents the challenge that it cannot not substitute moral reasoning and assurance that decisions line up with both personal and professional values. Discussed below is the plan I would apply to solve an ethical dilemma in my practice. I will begin by determining if I got an ethical dilemma. Additionally, I will establish if it emanates from me due to something I am doing or not or if, it is from the clients (youth) or their significant other regarding something they have done or not. I will also find out if it is a problem emanating from my organization’s procedures or policies (lack of supervision, training, duty to care). The key purpose is accountability as beginning practitioners often feel inclined to take responsibility of issues not of their concern. Further, I will also establish if I can manage the ethical dilemma or hand it over to a higher authority. Guided by AASW problem solutions after identifying my problem and with the understanding of Kantian, Virtues ethics and consequential perspectives, I will establish stakeholders who will participate in the decision making process and those that will not be involved. Observance of cultural values will be key in this stage to build on knowledge base. Thirdly, I will then identify the principles that I have not been observing and check for negative consequences to establish which actions were wrong for correction. Subsequently, I will review available professional literature on the identified principle(s) to reach an up-to-date thinking, while still comparing with the perspectives of virtues ethics, Kantian and consequentialist. Further, I will consult with seasoned professionals as well as my supervisor for identification of features of dilemma I may have left out, whilst accumulating cultural knowledge. With facets of my dilemma already established, I will come up with various action courses with the help of a work colleague and guided by AASW ethics code and knowledge of Kantian, consequentialist and virtues ethics perspectives. I shall also point out the pros and cons (consequentialist) for each of the courses of action for purposes of accountability and reflection. This will enable me to only pick actions that will sustainably resolve my ethical dilemma. Lastly, in the critical analysis and evaluation stage, I will review if the chosen courses of action have the potential of fetching new ethical concerns for efficiency and appropriateness reasons. Supervision will be important for purposes of reconciling any remaining doubts. To test the plan’s universality, I will assess to ascertain if it is a course of action I would recommend others to follow if they faced a similar scenario as mine. Additionally, to test my fairness, I will define if I would similarly treat others in an alike situation. Also I will establish if I would like my behaviour recounted in the press for publicity. Bibliography Australian Association of Social Workers, 2010. Code of ethics. Australian Association of Social Workers. Harrison, G. and Healy, K., 2016. Forging an identity as a newly qualified worker in the non-government community services sector. Australian Social Work, 69(1), pp.80-91. Kanter, J. 2007. ‘Compassion Fatigue and Secondary Traumatization: A Second Look’. Clinical Social Work Journal, New York: Springer. 35, 4, 289–293. McAuliffe, D., 2014. Interprofessional ethics: Collaboration in the social, health and human services. New York. Cambridge University Press. Pages 96-103. Sercombe, H. 2010. Youth Work Ethics. Working Ethically Across Differences. London: Sage Publication. pp.2-6 Sercombe, H. 2010. Youth Work Ethics. Professional Bounderies and Dual Relationships. London: Sage Publication. pp.2-10 Sercombe, H. 2010. Youth Work Ethics. Confidentiality. London: Sage Publication. pp.2-8 Sercombe, H. 2010. Youth Work Ethics. Ethical Theory. London: Sage Publication. pp.2-11 Sercombe, H. 2010. Youth Work Ethics. Thinking Ethically. London: Sage Publication. pp.2-8 Read More