In recognising the importance of accountability it is necessary to investigate the role that a code of ethics has in providing guidelines by which social work professionals can be called to account. Ethics refers to the professional obligations which act as rules of conduct by which social workers should practice. A written code of ethics enables social workers to judge their practice against an ethical standard. Just as importantly, a code of ethics enables service users to understand what they should expect from a social worker in terms of their conduct. By definition then, social workers’ actions can be judged as ethical or otherwise by reference to a code of practice. As student social workers, you will be required to adhere to the General Social Care Council’s Code of Practice (www.gssc.org.uk/) which acts as an ethical framework. But there are other codes which you may adhere to. The British Association of Social Workers (BASW) also operates a code of practice and as such, if you become a member of the association, you will be required to uphold its code. However, this code is chosen voluntarily. With the GSCC Code of Practice you have no choice and you are duty bound to uphold it.
The code of practice for social care workers was launched in September 2002. The code is intended to provide a guide for all those who work in social care, setting out the stan- dards of practice and conduct workers should meet. The code is a crucial element in regulating the behaviour of social workers and social care workers. Section 62 of the Care Standards Act 2000 requires that the GSCC keep the code under review so that they meet with the contemporary requirements of social workers and service users. The importance of the code is clear when social workers are considered in breach: they can be removed from the social care register and cannot practice.
Enforcing the codes of practice
The codes mean that, for the first time, the social care sector will have similar regulation to doctors and nurses. Registered social care workers who breach the codes could be removed from the Social Care Register.
G Over time, it is expected that employers will introduce code compliance as a contractual requirement for all their staff. If an employer feels an issue brings a worker's registra- tion into question, a registered social care worker can be referred to the GSCC, which will investigate and consider whether their case should be heard at a conduct hearing. G The Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) takes the Code of Practice for Social
Care Employers into account when enforcing care standards.
(www.gscc.org.uk/)
As research by Banks and Williams (2005) has shown, codes of ethics and codes of practice comprise a range of pronouncements containing rules, principles and general statements, for example rules of professional practice which workers must comply with. They may also include ethical rules, such as maintaining confidentiality. The list below highlights this further. G General statements
– These may include statements which outline the general mission of a profession as in social work which may include the enhancement of human well-being.
– Such statements outline the attributes of a professional social worker, such as profes- sional social workers should be honest and trustworthy.
G General principles
– These describe the general ethical attributes of practice which social workers should adhere to, such as respect for the autonomy of service users or the promotion of their general well-being.
– These are the principles of professional practice which describe the means by which social workers can meet the needs of service users, such as collaboration with col- leagues, maintenance of accurate case notes.
G Specific rules
– These are rules of professional practice such as not accepting gifts from service users. – These are ethical rules such as protecting the confidentiality of service users.
Comment
You should have been able to identify quite a number of answers to fit the specific cate- gories above. To test your answers I have provided a brief and therefore not exhaustive list below.
G General statements about the nature and purpose of social work:
– As a social care worker, you must uphold public trust and confidence in social care services.
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To understand the importance of the code of practice look at the GSCC code of practice for social care workers on the website (www.gscc.org.uk/). Using the general list adapted from Banks and Williams above make a list of those statements which contain:
G general statements about the nature and purpose of social work; G general principles which social workers should adhere to; G specific rules which social workers must adhere to.
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G General principles which social workers should adhere to:
– Respecting and maintaining the dignity and privacy of service users. G Specific rules which social workers must adhere to:
– Adhering to policies and procedures about accepting gifts and money from service users and carers.
– Promoting equal opportunities for service users and carers. – Respecting diversity and different cultures and values.
Note I have deliberately not identified from which of the six areas these statements have come. If you have not recognised any of these elements go back and check where my selection has come from to reinforce your learning.
It is important to recognise that the code of practice, because of its prescriptive nature, tends to focus upon more specific rules and principles rather than making more gener- alised statements about the nature, and purpose of social work. It is interesting to note that references to the ethical aspects of the recognition of difference as part of an anti- oppressive practice does not figure as a specific principle, but becomes part of points I and 5, identified in the GSCC codes of practice as referred to in Activity 4.4.
For reference go back to these parts of the code and identify those aspects of AOP which are referred to here.
This is instructive of the way in which AOP has been given less prominence by the code. Despite this, its importance is fundamental to ethical practice, as we argued in Chapter 3.