‘Who Do I Tell?’

Abstract

• Summary: Social workers cannot avoid ethical dilemmas. This qualitative research investigated the question ‘who do I tell?’, exploring who the people are that social workers approach for advice when a course of action is ethically uncertain. Thirty Australian social workers discussed how they managed a serious ethical dilemma, whether they sought support, and reasons for not seeking support. • Findings: All respondents had access to supervision, and regarded supervision as critical. However, less than half discussed the incident in organizational supervision, and supervision was more likely to be used if external to the organization. In many cases, ethical dilemmas were discussed with colleagues, and to a lesser extent with friends or family. Respondents referred to ethical, practical, organizational, and relationship reasons for not using potential sources of support. Typical issues were: availability; the perceived ethical priorities of the supervisor; the benefits and costs of seeking or not seeking support; behaviour of colleagues, managers or supervisors as the problem at issue; the ethics of discussing work with family and friends. • Applications: The study provides empirical data about support for social workers facing an ethical dilemma. Organizational supervision, ostensibly functioning to ensure standards and ethical practice, appeared the least satisfactory in doing so in critical situations. If relationships are not prioritized, no amount of monitoring of service outputs will create effective practice.

Dinamika Penerapan Prinsip-Prinsip Pekerjaan Sosial Dalam Upaya Menanggulangi Gelandangan Dan Pengemis

“…Karena para praktisi pekerjaan sosial sering bergulat dengan dilema etis dalam praktiknya, penting dan informatif untuk mengeksplorasi bagaimana mereka mengatasinya, terutama konteks budaya yang berbeda. Menurut (Mcauliffe & Sudbery, 2005) Sudah kita ketahui bahwa pekerja sosial tidak dapat menghindari adanya dilema etis. Dimana dilema terkadang diciptakan oleh keanehan sistem hukum bagi seorang pekerja sosial kesehatan mental, bertindak secara bertanggung jawab dengan mendukung tanggung jawab hukum klien.…”

Social workers’ experiences with whistleblowing: To speak or not to speak?

“…Reporting their concerns may, at the time, be their main focus and the idea they need support may come later, given the evidence in the literature that retaliation is a consistent consequence of speaking out (De Maria, 1996;Hedin & Mansson, 2011;Hunt, 1998;Jackson et al, 2010;Lennane, 1993;Mansbach & Kaufman, 2009;McAuliffe & Sudbery, 2005;Moore & McAuliffe, 2010 Both the everyday and professional conduct and integrity of members must be beyond reproach. Where a situation is too serious to be resolved in discussion with the colleague concerned, instances of professional misconduct or unethical behaviour by that colleague (particularly where this involves actions that are harmful to clients) must be brought to the attention of the appropriate bodies.…”

“…In an Australian study, which explored who social workers talked to when faced with an ethical dilemma, McAuliffe and Sudbery (2005) state that conflicts between responsibilities to individual clients and responsibilities to colleagues were commonplace. In one such situation, reported by McAuliffe and Sudbery, a…”

Being the University: Liaison Persons' Reflections on Placements with Off-Site Supervision

“…Both the field and social work educators experience pressures that may make it difficult to support students in their journey to professional social work practice. Thus, there are limited placements with social workers available (Cleak & Smith, 2012) and there are questions about the supervisors' ability to support and guide students in social work placements (McAucliffe & Sudbery, 2005). This paper explores the liaison persons' experience in field education with off-site supervision, as they fulfil the social work education's mandate to support students in their practice learning.…”