Ethics, Values, and Anti-Discriminatory Practice in Social Work

Introduction

Social workers' objectives are to protect vulnerable individuals from self-harm, neglect, and abuse and assist them in promoting their quality of life and well-being. This role is achieved through anti-discriminatory practice (ADP) (Ingram, 2021). Though these strategies are related, they differ based on focus. Ingram (2021) states that the Social Care Institute for Excellence describes ADP as a strategy that seeks to minimize, eliminate, and eradicate discrimination from social workers practice, offering crucial insights for those seeking social work dissertation help. On the other hand, discrimination is defined as identifying groups and individuals with particular traits and treating them less well than individuals with conventionally valued characteristics (Flynn & McGregor, 2017). In social work, we often work with marginalized and disadvantaged individuals, communities and families. Therefore, to succeed in ADP strategies, social workers must apply sound practice principles like knowledge of legal framework underpinning equalities (Ingram, 2021). Some of the legal structures that guide social workers include the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and 2005, the Equality Act 2010, and the Care Standards Act 2000. These legislations creates the value and awareness of personal values and impact on practice. Therefore this paper will reflect on ethics, values & anti-discriminatory practice.

Social Work Values

There were challenges from the group scenario due to different opinion, direction, level of understanding, and knowledge. The set plan did not work for everyone; there were different commitment, family issues, and patterns. However, everyone respectfully explaining their views. Integrity has been described as, demonstration of honesty and responsibility.

Social work is a value-based profession; thus, value is among the critical capabilities in all career development levels. Besides, social workers are humans, therefore, subject to the influence of the same attitudes, beliefs, and behaviours as the rest of society. In social work, the Professional Capabilities Framework (PCF), HCPC code of conduct, and SWE code of ethics set guidelines and expectations that social workers reflect and, where appropriate, challenge and address discrimination when it occurs. Moreover, anti-discriminatory practice is key to social workers and often minimizes discrimination and oppression that prevent individuals from accessing services.

From the group of eight members, professionalism is expressed. According to the Professional Capabilities Framework, an individual is expected to identify and behave as a professional social worker committed to professional growth (Gregory et al., 2021). From the group task, which includes analyzing and discussing a case study, professionalism was demonstrated through an expression of views respectfully, demonstrating integrity and honesty. According to Mukherjee et al. (2019), professionalism is indicated by the commitment to vocation interest and adherence to values that guide the group. It is demonstrated by maximum participation, being dependable, being respectful and positive. Similarly to social work codes, the group showed professionalism by taking responsibility for our conduct and practice. Again, in the group task, we promoted excellent practice, and everyone was accountable to their task regardless of challenges in time, opinion and direction. This value is absolute and has no exceptions, nor does it depend on the situation. Failure to apply professionalism leads to discrimination and poor services against social work guidelines (Beesley & Devonald, 2020).

Moreover, diversity and equality were demonstrated in the group. According to PCF codes, social work must apply anti-discriminatory practice (Ballantyne et al., 2019). In the groups, regardless of differences in opinion, direction, level of understanding, and knowledge, we respected each other and respectfully expressed our views. According to Lim and Bentley (2019), team diversity refers to the differences between individual members and exist in various ways, including background, age, functional background, among others expression. The study reveals that team members must acknowledge differences; thus, it is necessary to admit differences among people, including time management and personality. The expression of respect shows the excellent value for diversity. Similarly, PFC codes suggest that anti-discriminatory principles must be put into practice to human experience (Renouard & Ezvan, 2018). Again, the study indicates that diversity is shown by aspects like disability, economic status, race, and among other factors, gender. The issue of diversity is also provided under the Social Work England (SWE) guidelines, which require individuals to value each person, recognizing their abilities and strengths. Similarly, the policies support the group direction since it maintains continuing professional development, demonstrated in the group. Social Work England (SWE) guidelines also provide for acting safely, respectfully and with professional Integrity (Beesley & Devonald, 2020). Under these guidelines, social workers are not supposed to act in a way that neglects, abuses, discriminates, exploits, or harms anyone or condones this behaviour from anyone else. Since the groups have acknowledged diversity, these SWE guidelines have been put in place. Similarly, this value is absolute and has no exceptions, nor does it depend on the situation. Lack of diversity leads to discrimination thus poor services, which are against social work guidelines (Beesley & Devonald, 2020).

Similarly, knowledge has been demonstrated. Knowledge is described as awareness, familiarity, and understanding of something (Zagzebski, 2017). Though the level of understanding and knowledge were different, knowledge was perfectly demonstrated. Based on the PCF codes, social workers need to establish a high level of knowledge developed from research, social work practice and relevant fields. As demonstrated in the group scenarios, in social work, professional knowledge is developed throughout individual careers. Social workers are needed to build core understanding that relates to professional values, purpose, and ethics (Ballantyne et al., 2019). This knowledge in social work contributes to creating and using professional knowledge. Social Work England (SWE) guidelines require individuals to be accountable for decisions (Beesley & Devonald, 2020). This guideline is applied by applying knowledge and skills to address the social care needs of the community. Similarly, in the group, knowledge has been perfectly demonstrated. This value is relative and has open exceptions. For instance, untrained social work often exists and works best in times of pandemic to meet the community's needs (Karpetis, 2020).

Social Work Ethics

From the group scenario, two members dominated the discussion, while some others were silent. However, they were empowered to participate and share relevant research and information, making members more confident.

Social workers must respect the inherent worth and dignity of every individual. Besides, social workers must be respectful, caring and mindful of other individual differences. Ethics are critical components of social work and are significantly rooted in health and human services. Social work ethics objectives include providing core values, creating different ethical standards, guiding social workers in their professional considerations and providing ethical standards to which the social workers are held liable. Besides, ethics develop the profession's value, mission, and ethical principles.

One of the ethics followed in the group is empowering some members to participate and share relevant research and information, which made members more confident. This ethics is also provided under the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (2018) and the British Association of Social Workers ethical guidelines. According to the ethical guidelines, social workers should help an individual who lacks the decision-making capacity to decide. Social workers are empowered to decide on behalf of clients who cannot make informed decisions. Also, these social workers should safeguard the rights and interests of those individuals (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, 2018). Also, the study reveals that social workers should ensure that service user must have maximum participation in decisions concerning their lives when impairment needs the social worker to act on their behalf (Shah et al., 2021). Also, the study reveals that any action taken by social workers must act ethically, professionally and legally when making a decision. Similarly, this ethics is based on the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005, which applies to all individuals involved in the treatment, care, and support of people who cannot make decisions. The MCA protect and restore power to those vulnerable people who do not have the capacity (Ryan et al., 2021). Moreover, based on the legislation, social workers have a role in complying with the Code of Practice and empowering people who cannot decide for themselves. Furthermore, the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005 also assumes that all individuals can decide themselves unless it's proved otherwise. Also, the law believes that, wherever possible, it helps people to make their own decisions. Additionally, the law provides that social workers should not treat an individual as lacking the capacity to decide just because their judgment is unwise (Wilkinson, 2020).

From the group scenario, only two members were able to express their idea while the other remained silent. This issue was related to little research on the subject due to busy schedules thus little time spends on research. However, the group members empowered them to participate by encouraging them to share the little information and research they had conducted on the subject, thus making them active. Similarly, though being encouraged to express their idea, they could gain the courage to participate throughout the remaining part of the discussion. From the perspective of the theory, I learned that people do not entirely lack a decision and that making them aware of themselves can help them gain courage and make a critical decision. Therefore, I have learned that making people aware of themselves and developing courage is sufficient empowerment to enable them to make decisions. Similarly, this experience can create awareness in other professionals, thus teaching other people to apply it in their profession.

Enabling people to make a decision and participate is informed by the social work empowerment theory. The empowerment theory aims to reduce powerlessness which is created by labelling the vulnerable and oppressed. The approach is applicable across various settings. However, in practice, social workers enable people to develop critical consciousness and a deep understanding of their surroundings' complex economic, social, and political realities. This knowledge would allow people to break barriers and tackle the systemic oppression that prevents them from reaching their full potential. Besides, it creates awareness for various marginalized people (Wallengren, 2018). From this theory, I have learned that making people aware of their surroundings can empower them to break barriers limiting them, thus enabling them to decide. In the future, I will apply this theory to help patients who cannot make decisions and participate in decision-making concerning their lives.

Anti-Discriminatory Practice

The group was made of individual from various cultural, racial and ethnic backgrounds. However, in the discussion, we engaged in conversations revolving around some of our personal lives, background, culture, and diversities, which is characterised mainly by our communication styles.

Anti-discriminatory practise is described as working with families while promoting self-esteem, diversity, self-esteem and realization of one’s potential and differences. According to Ingram (2021), social workers aim to promote social inclusion. Similarly, in our group, we were able to apply Anti-discriminatory practice. Our group was made of people of various background, and we were able to engage freely in conversations revolving around some of our personal lives, background, culture and diversities. Through the engagement, we were able to connect better and develop more sensitivity, empathy and awareness among ourselves.

Anti-discriminatory practise is ethical practice in social work. Though this practice is absolute, the degree of moral can only be estimated through responsibility, moral duty, and commitment (Caviola et al., 2020). Kantianism suggests that duty, goodwill, and moral worth are critical determinants of an action's morality. The theory suggests that human should use their reasoning ability when making ethical decisions. For example, while determining whether action is discriminatory, goodwill and critical thinking application is crucial. For instance, in the group, we could possibly discriminate against people based on background, but moral duty guided us to practice Anti-discriminatory practice.

Utilitarianism is another theory that guides social workers and the discussion in our group. According to utilitarianism, a decision is made based on ethical good and its moral goodness to generate greater happiness and pleasure in the majority (Savulescu et al., 2020). From the group discussion, applying the Anti-discriminatory practice created greater happiness for most people from various backgrounds.

Also, Virtue ethics, which Aristotle developed and other ancient Greeks, formed a greater part of our discussion and general social work. The notion assumes that an individual acquires virtue through practice (Tsoukas, 2018). Therefore, our ability to maintain respect and acknowledge diversity is an indication that we have developed Anti-discriminatory behaviour through practice and awareness. Another critical notion in the discussion is the ethics of care which is a model that holds that moral action centres on interpersonal relationships (Nicholson & Kurucz, 2019). Also, it creates the importance of responsibility and concern over others. Through the application of this theory, we were able to develop more sensitivity, empathy and awareness.

For instance, one group member was an African in the group, and another individual was disabled students. Through the ADP theory, they were empowered to talk and their decision highly considered in the discussion. This strategy enabled them to feel confident. From this practice, I realized that Anti-discriminatory practice was critical in minimizing discrimination and oppression and empowering people to decide.

Conclusion

Social workers protect the vulnerable individual from neglect, discrimination and abuse. This role is enhanced via anti-discriminatory practice (ADP) and the application of ethics. ADP minimize and undermine all kind of discrimination in social work. Discrimination is defined as treating people with certain traits to feel less due to their traits. To succeed with ADP, individual need to apply good practice principles like knowledge of legal framework underpinning equalities and ethics. From the discussion, I have learned to empower the individual to enable them to make decisions. Also, I have learned that moral decision generates greater happiness and pleasure in the majority, thus critical in all people. Therefore, in future, I will apply empowerment theory to promote awareness and courage among people.

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