EVERYDAY ETHICS Living Our Values in Demanding Workplaces Session - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

EVERYDAY ETHICS

Living Our Values in Demanding Workplaces

• Review major ethical concepts
• Practice ethical decision making skills with

case examples

• Develop strategies to sustain actions which

are consistent with professional values

Session Objectives

And, why should ethics matter to Social Workers?

What do we mean by ETHICS?

Ethical Theories

 Competing visions of the kind of world we ought to

live in

 Based on different “facts” in a situation being

ethically relevant and important

 Provide different ways of explaining and justifying

what we do or omit doing

Theoretical Approaches to Ethics

Absolutism



Stresses the overriding importance of fixed moral rules/principles (Deontologists)



Holds that an action is inherently right or wrong, apart from any resulting consequences



Ethical rules can be formulated and should hold under all circumstances

Relativism

 Rejects fixed moral rules as the

primary consideration. Focuses

• n context or consequences

(Teleologists)

 An option is chosen because it

leads to desired results, such as achieving something which is inherently valued

 Focuses on the amount of good

produced, or the balance of good over evil, or minimizing harm.

Facts Emotions Values

Keys to Understanding…

Types of Ethical Problems

Factually Problematic



We don’t know (or can’t know) certain relevant information.

Conceptually Problematic



We are unsure what we ought to mean when acting on particular values or principles, for example “acting responsibly”

Ethics Conflict



Individuals involved assign different weight to a value/principle



There are barriers to taking ethical actions

Ethical Dilemma



We have to choose between equally unwelcome alternatives



No matter what is done, it will cause harm.

(Robison & Reeser, 2000)

What is Ethical Decision-Making?

Decision-making involves making a choice among several options. Ethical decision-making is a process of selecting among alternatives emerging from;

 values (personal & professional)  ethical principles  ethical responsibilities of a social worker

(Maliskova, 2013)

How Does a Decision-Making Tool Help?

 Provides a systematic framework for considering what

is important and weighing out options

 Can be used for deciding how to approach individual

cases or systemic issues

 Challenges us to think through matters we may have

taken for granted

• 1. Identify the key question
• 2. Identify the facts
• 3. Identify the guiding values
• 4. Prioritize the values
• 5. Brainstorm the options
• 6. Analyze options
• 7. Make a decision
• 8. Reflect and learn from your choices

(Jiwani, 2013)

Ethics Framework

Identify the Key Question

When determining the problem to be solved….

 Separate practice considerations and ethical components  If we get an answer to this question, will it provide sufficient

direction for us to deal with the issue?

Possible questions might be: How should I respond to (person or situation)? Or: What should the goals of intervention be for this client/family?

Get the Facts Straight

a) What do we know for sure? b) What don't we know that we can find out? c) What information can't we know?

Identify What Matters

 Respect for the Inherent Dignity and Worth of Persons  Pursuit of Social Justice  Service to Humanity  Integrity in Professional Practice  Confidentiality in Professional Practice  Competence in Professional Practice

(CASW, 2005)

Prioritize - What Should Matter Most?

Ethical Principles Screen

(Loewenberg, Dolgoff, & Harrington, 2000)

Brainstorm Possible Choices

Analyze Options Which options best live up to what should matter most?

Make a Decision & Put it into Action

Value has small worth, except as it is moved,

• r is moveable, from believing into doing,

from verbal affirmation into action.

Helen Harris Perlman

The idea is that we should aspire to use critical thinking skills to do the best we can when making decisions, even if we may later come to believe that we should have made a different decision.

(Jiwani, 2013)

Reflect and Learn from your Choices

CASE STUDY

 You have known Joy in a Social Work capacity for a number of years. Joy

is a mother of two young sons. Over the years, she has faced some

• struggles. Her previous partner was abusive. One of her boys developed

significant behavioural problems, and was having a lot of trouble managing at school. Joy struggled with depression, and was so desperate that she attempted suicide on one occasion.

 Joy is receiving income assistance benefits (PWD). She comes to you on this

• ccasion because she needs you to complete some paperwork so that her

benefits can continue. As you speak with Joy, you can see that she is happy and hopeful. She tells you how well her children are doing in their new school and describes the great house and neighbourhood they are living in. She shares that she is able to pick up some shifts at a local market, where she met her current partner, Pat. She notes how wonderful it is to have some help with the boys and the monthly bills. At the same time, the relationship is new and she wonders whether Pat will really want to take on all this responsibility.