Social Worker Ethics

Ethical dilemma:

Privacy and Confidentiality

One of the most difficult situations for a social worker is when he or she must deal with confidentiality issues regarding a minor. For example, if a social worker is counseling an adolescent girl with an eating disorder in the context of a family intervention, the girl's understandably concerned parents may wish that the social worker disclose what the girl says during private therapy sessions. However, the adolescent must feel as if he or she can speak freely, to fully benefit from the sessions.

At the beginning of the session, the nature of the private counseling sessions should be defined, according to the social worker's code of ethics: "(f) When social workers provide counseling services to families, couples, or groups, social workers should seek agreement among the parties involved concerning each individual's right to confidentiality and obligation to preserve the confidentiality of...
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