SWRK 2001H Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Backstitch, Respect Diversity, Critical Thinking
28 Jun 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
SWRK2001H: Foundations of Social Work I
Wednesday, September 13th, 2017
Lecture One – Ethics and Reflective Practice
Foundations 1
-"introduces students to foundational social work theory, knowledge, and skill and expands conceptual
understandings about social work practice, its mission and values, and the profession"
-informed by SW Ethics and Anti-Oppressive Practice
-how do we work on change with individuals, families, groups and the community?
-Developing the following skills
Self-reflection
Critical thinking
Sensitivity to social location/identity/privilege
Awareness of oppression/injustice
Embracing diversity
Essay
-Due week 5 (October 11th)
-Worth 20%
-Chapters one to three
-Maximum 6 pages of content, not including title page and references
Midterm
-October 18th
-45 multiple choice questions on chapters 1-4
Group Assignment
-groups of four
-develop an assessment and intervention plan from a case study
-maximum 8 pages
-due week 11, November 29
Exam
-75 multiple choice questions on chapter 5-9
Ethical Practice
-What are "ethics"?
-Social work has several codes of ethics:
IFSW
CASW
OCSWSSW
-Healy outlines theoretical perspectives that have their own ethical principles:
Critical Social Work: we work with disadvantaged and oppressed populations and we need to
work compassionately with our clients – but also work towards social change
Ecosystem/Systems Theory: SW role is to understand the interations between clients and
systems, we help the individual, connect them to useful systems and try to change systems for
the better
Strengths Perspective: our work should build upon the strengths of our clients, rather than
focusing on "fixing the problem", clients should be able to have say over the service they receive
(they know what they need)
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Global Definition of Social Work
-"social work is a practice-based profession and an academic discipline that promotes social change and
development, social cohesion, and he empowerment and liberation of people. Principles of social justice,
human rights, collective responsibility and respect for diversities are central to social work. Underpinned
by theories of social work, social sciences, humanities and indigenous knowledge, social work engages
people and structures to address life challenges and enhance wellbeing."
CASW Code of Ethics Core Values
-the Canadian Association of Social Workers (CASW) code of ethics sets forth values and principles to
guide social workers' professional conduct:
1. respect for inherent dignity and worth of persons
2. pursuit of social justice
3. service to humanity
4. integrity of professional practice
5. confidentiality in professional practice
6. competence in professional practice
OCSWSSW Code of Ethics
-a social worker or social service worker shall maintain the best interest of the client as the primary
professional obligation
-a social worker or social service worker shall respect the intrinsic worth of the persons she or he serves
in her or his professional duties and obligations with integrity and objectivity
-a social worker or social service worker shall carry out her or his professional duties and obligations
with integrity and objectivity
-a social worker or social worker shall have and maintain competence in the provision of social work or
social service work service to a client
-a social worker or social service worker shall not exploit the relationship with a client for personal
benefit, gain, or gratification
-a social worker or social service worker shall protect the confidentiality of all professionally acquired
information. He or she shall disclose such information only when required or allowed by law to do so, or
when clients have consented to disclosure
-a social worker or social service worker who engages in another profession, occupation, affiliation or
calling shall not allow these outside interests to affect the social work or social service work relationship
with the client
-A social worker or social service worker shall not provide social work or social service work services in
a manner that discredits the profession of social work or social service work or diminishes the public’s
trust in either profession
-A social worker or social service worker shall advocate for workplace conditions and policies that are
consistent with this Code of Ethics and the Standards of Practice of the Ontario College of Social
Workers and Social Service Workers
-A social worker or social service worker shall promote excellence in his or her respective profession
-A social worker or social service worker shall advocate change in the best interest of the client, and for
the overall benefit of society, the environment and the global community
What is Reflection?
-Reflection is the continual re-evaluation of personal beliefs, assumptions, and ideas in the light of
experience and data and the generation of alternative interpretations of those experiences and data
-Dewey argues that we only use reflection when there is a problem to be solved
-Like a "backstitch" in sewing, continuously going over your practice as a social worker to better
understand yourself and others
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Maximum 6 pages of content, not including title page and references. Group assignment groups of four develop an assessment and intervention plan from a case study. Maximum 8 pages due week 11, november 29. Healy outlines theoretical perspectives that have their own ethical principles: Critical social work: we work with disadvantaged and oppressed populations and we need to work compassionately with our clients but also work towards social change. Ecosystem/systems theory: sw role is to understand the interations between clients and systems, we help the individual, connect them to useful systems and try to change systems for the better. Strengths perspective: our work should build upon the strengths of our clients, rather than focusing on "fixing the problem", clients should be able to have say over the service they receive (they know what they need) "social work is a practice-based profession and an academic discipline that promotes social change and development, social cohesion, and he empowerment and liberation of people.
