Right To Privacy In Social Work

I remember the day that I was working as a Developmental Specialist II with a child that I had on my caseload for a little over nine months. Just a brief background, this child was in and out of foster care and had been reunited with his. He received early intervention services from our program due to development delay in communication, social, and cognitive skills. It took a few months in order for me to gain his trust and, he did not follow the structure of the learning center he was at and often yelled at or hit the instructors. Because of his speech and communication delay, it was difficult to know his needs and wants and he tended to isolate himself from other children all of the time. He would not participate in activities and it was
Social workers should not solicit private information from clients unless it is essential to providing services or conducting social work evaluation or research. Once private information is shared, standards of confidentiality apply” (NASW, 2016). This is one of the areas that I am in agreement with but is also been one that I have struggled with. Confidentiality and privacy is important to clients regardless of any situation. I have been in dilemmas amongst friends or family members who have heard certain things or know of certain things and have asked me about particular information. Their reactions when I tell them I can’t disclose or discuss any work-related information with you is surprising to them. They feel because they know me personally or that they “promise” not tell anybody anything is good enough for me to give out information. I have lost the respect of individuals who push me to give them information even family members when they get upset with me but regardless of it is or how long I have known them I will not give out any information because it is the ethical and legal thing to do. I know there will be many other dilemmas such as hearing false information about something or somebody, you want to correct them or stick up for your client but you simply cannot do so. These are the three areas that I have struggled with but still agree with the ethical standards, but I will now be able to use the NASW code as a way to guide me for even more complex situations that may arise and hope others do the