Core Values of Social Work

Core Values of Social Work

• Service: Commitment to helping others, prioritizing their needs, and improving their well-being.
• Social Justice: Pursuing fairness, equality, and human rights for all individuals and groups.
• Dignity and Worth of the Person: Respecting the inherent value and dignity of every individual, regardless of their background, beliefs, or circumstances.
• Importance of Human Relationships: Recognizing the significance of relationships in people's lives, including those between individuals, families, and communities.
• Integrity: Upholding ethical standards, being trustworthy, and maintaining confidentiality.
• Competence: Continuously developing and improving professional skills and knowledge to provide effective services.

Principles of Social Work

• Empowerment: Fostering independence, self-advocacy, and self-determination in individuals and communities.
• Client-Centered Practice: Prioritizing the needs, goals, and perspectives of clients, and involving them in the decision-making process.
• Cultural Competence: Recognizing and respecting the diversity of cultures, values, and beliefs, and adapting services to meet the unique needs of diverse populations.
• Holistic Approach: Considering the interconnectedness of physical, emotional, and social aspects of an individual's life, and addressing these factors in practice.
• Collaboration and Partnership: Building and maintaining relationships with clients, colleagues, and other professionals to achieve common goals and improve outcomes.
• Evidence-Informed Practice: Using research-based knowledge and evidence to inform practice decisions and improve service delivery.

Key Principles in Practice

• Anti-Oppressive Practice: Challenging and addressing systemic and structural barriers that perpetuate inequality and oppression.
• Strengths-Based Approach: Focusing on the strengths, capacities, and resilience of individuals and communities, rather than solely on their deficits or problems.
• Person-in-Environment Perspective: Considering the interplay between individuals and their environment, including the impact of social, economic, and political factors on well-being.

Core Values of Social Work

• Commitment to helping others and prioritizing their needs is essential in social work, with a focus on improving well-being.
• Social work pursues fairness, equality, and human rights for all individuals and groups, promoting social justice.
• Recognizing the inherent value and dignity of every individual, regardless of background, beliefs, or circumstances, is a core value in social work.
• The significance of relationships between individuals, families, and communities is acknowledged in social work.
• Upholding ethical standards, being trustworthy, and maintaining confidentiality are essential aspects of integrity in social work.
• Continuously developing and improving professional skills and knowledge is crucial in providing effective services.

Principles of Social Work

Principles in Practice

• Empowerment involves fostering independence, self-advocacy, and self-determination in individuals and communities.
• Client-centered practice prioritizes the needs, goals, and perspectives of clients, involving them in decision-making.
• Cultural competence requires recognizing and respecting diversity, adapting services to meet unique needs of diverse populations.
• A holistic approach considers the interconnectedness of physical, emotional, and social aspects of an individual's life.
• Collaboration and partnership are essential in building relationships with clients, colleagues, and professionals to achieve common goals.
• Evidence-informed practice uses research-based knowledge to inform practice decisions and improve service delivery.

Additional Key Principles

• Anti-oppressive practice challenges and addresses systemic and structural barriers that perpetuate inequality and oppression.
• A strengths-based approach focuses on the strengths, capacities, and resilience of individuals and communities.
• The person-in-environment perspective considers the interplay between individuals and their environment, including social, economic, and political factors affecting well-being.

Definition and Purpose

• Social work aims to improve the well-being of individuals, families, groups, and communities
• Addresses social problems and promotes positive change

Core Values

• Respect for the inherent dignity and worth of all people
• Commitment to social justice and human rights
• Importance of human relationships and empathy
• Focus on individual and collective well-being

Fields of Practice

• Child and Family Welfare: promotes healthy development and well-being for children, youth, and families
• Mental Health: provides counseling, therapy, and support for individuals with mental health concerns
• Healthcare: supports patients and families in hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare settings
• Community Development: addresses social and economic inequality in communities
• School Social Work: supports students, teachers, and families in educational settings

Social Work Interventions

• Counseling: includes individual, group, and family therapy
• Case Management: coordinates services and support for individuals and families
• Advocacy: promotes social justice and human rights
• Education and Training: provides education and skills training for individuals and groups

Theories and Models

• Ecological Theory: understands individuals within their social and environmental contexts
• Systems Theory: analyzes complex systems and relationships
• Strengths-Based Approach: focuses on individual and community strengths and resilience
• Empowerment Theory: promotes individual and collective empowerment and self-advocacy