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Analysis of an Ethical Dilemma in Social Work Practice
Part One: Identifying and Defining the Ethical Dilemma
Definition of an Ethical Dilemma
An ethical dilemma happens when a social worker faces a situation where there is no
perfect answer. According to Banks (2020), refers ethical dilemma as being stuck between a rock
and a hard place, where following one good principle means going against another good
principle. When this happens, it is hard to know which path is the "right" one to take. The
Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) Code of Ethics says ethical dilemmas occur
when social workers have to choose between different professional duties or values that conflict
with each other (Long et al., 2025). These situations often happen when we are under pressure or
when things are unclear, making the decision even harder.
Description of the Dilemma
During my placement at Wellness Connect, a mental health program, I worked with
many clients dealing with various challenges. One particular experience is vivid as an ethical
dilemma. I was working with one client who also had mental and physical issues the doctor had
already diagnosed. One day, the client asked the clinician where they could get cheaper alcohol.
Currently, the client is on a strict budget, but they want to drink on a regular basis. From their
file and our earlier conversations, I knew that they were likely making themselves worse by
drinking alcohol.
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This situation placed me in a dilemma as it’s important, of course, to build rapport and
trust with clients for a successful social work practice. This involves responding to their query
directly, which will help in our relationship, as well as in keeping communications flowing.
Nevertheless, aiding them in getting cheaper liquor might facilitate behavior that would hurt their
health, which would be the very opposite of what I should be encouraging in order to enhance
their health. They had clearly had enough trust in me to jump to this challenge. But I realised a
potential conflict about being professional, making healthy recommendations, and still being
respectful of their choices.
Why This Was an Ethical Dilemma
This was an ethical dilemma because it was a conflict between important social work
values. This was the value of client autonomy, the client's right to make their own decisions
about their life, even if those were not always the best decisions. Adults have the right to make
decisions health choice, including drinking alcohol if they want to. Against this stood my duty of
care as a social worker. I am under a duty to promote client well-being and not to harm where it
is within my power to do so. Advising on cheaper alcohol might cause behavior that would
worsen the client's health issues. The dilemma was in trying to decide: Should I respect the
client's autonomy and answer their question directly? Or should I have put duty first and
therefore not facilitated possibly unhealthy behavior? Either choice meant setting one important
ethical value aside in relation to the other.
AASW Code of Ethics Relevance
Analysis of an Ethical Dilemma in Social Work Practice
Part One: Identifying and Defining the Ethical Dilemma
Definition of an Ethical Dilemma
An ethical dilemma happens when a social worker faces a situation where there is no
perfect answer. According to Banks (2020), refers ethical dilemma as being stuck between a rock
and a hard place, where following one good principle means going against another good
principle. When this happens, it is hard to know which path is the "right" one to take. The
Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) Code of Ethics says ethical dilemmas occur
when social workers have to choose between different professional duties or values that conflict
with each other (Long et al., 2025). These situations often happen when we are under pressure or
when things are unclear, making the decision even harder.
Description of the Dilemma
During my placement at Wellness Connect, a mental health program, I worked with
many clients dealing with various challenges. One particular experience is vivid as an ethical
dilemma. I was working with one client who also had mental and physical issues the doctor had
already diagnosed. One day, the client asked the clinician where they could get cheaper alcohol.
Currently, the client is on a strict budget, but they want to drink on a regular basis. From their
file and our earlier conversations, I knew that they were likely making themselves worse by
drinking alcohol.
, 2
This situation placed me in a dilemma as it’s important, of course, to build rapport and
trust with clients for a successful social work practice. This involves responding to their query
directly, which will help in our relationship, as well as in keeping communications flowing.
Nevertheless, aiding them in getting cheaper liquor might facilitate behavior that would hurt their
health, which would be the very opposite of what I should be encouraging in order to enhance
their health. They had clearly had enough trust in me to jump to this challenge. But I realised a
potential conflict about being professional, making healthy recommendations, and still being
respectful of their choices.
Why This Was an Ethical Dilemma
This was an ethical dilemma because it was a conflict between important social work
values. This was the value of client autonomy, the client's right to make their own decisions
about their life, even if those were not always the best decisions. Adults have the right to make
decisions health choice, including drinking alcohol if they want to. Against this stood my duty of
care as a social worker. I am under a duty to promote client well-being and not to harm where it
is within my power to do so. Advising on cheaper alcohol might cause behavior that would
worsen the client's health issues. The dilemma was in trying to decide: Should I respect the
client's autonomy and answer their question directly? Or should I have put duty first and
therefore not facilitated possibly unhealthy behavior? Either choice meant setting one important
ethical value aside in relation to the other.
AASW Code of Ethics Relevance
