Nasa Code of Ethics

The NASW Code of Ethics maybe considered the most ambitious set of ethical guidelines in social work history. Ethical issues have always been a concern of the professional social worker. As early as 1919 there were attempts to draft professional codes of ethics (Reamer, 1998). There have been several social work organizations since, that have attempted to draft ethical codes, such as the American Association for Organizing Family Social Work and several chapters of the American Association of Social Workers. In 1960 NASW adopted its first code of ethics, five years after the association was formed. The first code consisted of only 14 proclamations, with another added in 1957. In 1979 a new code was adopted, this code was far more ambitious than the first. It included nearly 80 ethical principles divided into six major sections. The 1979 code was revised twice first in 1990 and again in 1993. In 1994 a Code of Ethics Revision Committee was appointed by the president of the NASW. Formal invitations were given to all NASW members along with to members of other various social work organizations. A draft was published in January 1996 along with an open invitation to all NASW members to submit comments to the committee. The code accepted in Aug. 1996, is undeniably the most complete set of ethical standards in social work to date, and continues to guide those in the social worker fields. The Code is broken into four sections. The first Section, Preamble, summarizes the social work profession's mission which is "to enhance human well-being and help meet the basic human needs of all people, with particular attention to the needs and empowerment of people who are vulnerable, oppressed, and living in poverty." (NASW Code of Ethics) With awareness and consideration paid to the environmental forces that create, and contribute to the problems of living. The second section the Purpose of the Code gives an overview of the Code's main functions and a brief guide for dealing

References: Hull, Grafton H., & Krist-Ashman, Karen K. The Generalist Model of Human Service Practice, Brooks/Cole-Thompson Learning, Pacific Grove, CA, 2004. Mattison, Marian "Ethical Decision Making: The Person in the Process Vol. 45, Issue 3 201p. 2000. Reamer, Frederic G. "The Evolution of Social Work Ethics," Social Work Vol. 43, Issue 6 488p. 1998.