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Preamble - Answer: The primary mission of the social work profession is to enhance human
well-being and help meet the basic human needs of all people, with particular attention to the
needs and empowerment of people who are vulnerable, oppressed, and living in poverty. A
historic and defining feature of social work is the profession's focus on individual well-being in a
social context and the well-being of society. Fundamental to social work is attention to the
environmental forces that create, contribute to, and address problems in living.
Social workers promote social justice and social change with and on behalf of clients. "Clients" is
used inclusively to refer to individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. Social
workers are sensitive to cultural and ethnic diversity and strive to end discrimination,
oppression, poverty, and other forms of social injustice. These activities may be in the form of
direct practice, community organizing, supervision, consultation, administration, advocacy,
social and political action, policy development and implementation, education, and research
and evaluation. Social workers seek to enhance the capacity of people to address their own
needs. Social workers also seek to promote the responsiveness of organizations, communities,
and other social institutions to individuals' needs and social problems.
The mission of the social work profession is rooted in a set of core values. These core values,
embraced by social workers throughout the profession's history, are the foundation of social
work's unique purpose and perspective:
Core Values - Answer: service
social justice
dignity and worth of the person
importance of human relationships
integrity
competence.
, The NASW Code of Ethics serves six purposes: - Answer: The NASW Code of Ethics serves six
purposes:
>The Code identifies core values on which social work's mission is based.
>The Code summarizes broad ethical principles that reflect the profession's core values and
establishes a set of specific ethical standards that should be used to guide social work practice.
>The Code is designed to help social workers identify relevant considerations when professional
obligations conflict or ethical uncertainties arise.
>The Code provides ethical standards to which the general public can hold the social work
profession accountable.
>The Code socializes practitioners new to the field to social work's mission, values, ethical
principles, and ethical standards.
>The Code articulates standards that the social work profession itself can use to assess whether
social workers have engaged in unethical conduct. NASW has formal procedures to adjudicate
ethics complaints filed against its members
.* In subscribing to this Code, social workers are required to cooperate in its implementation,
participate in NASW adjudication proceedings, and abide by any NASW disciplinary rulings or
sanctions based on it.
Value: Service
Ethical Principle: Social workers' primary goal is to help people in need and to address social
problems. - Answer: Social workers elevate service to others above self-interest. Social workers
draw on their knowledge, values, and skills to help people in need and to address social
problems. Social workers are encouraged to volunteer some portion of their professional skills
with no expectation of significant financial return (pro bono service).
Value: Social Justice