Question

This assignment is intended to help you develop a deeper understanding of the social work code of ethics.

There are six ethical principles:

1. Service

an explanation of the Principle using your own words.

Why is this principle important to the social work profession?

Provide an example of a situation (hypothetical or real) where it might be difficult for you to uphold this principle.

What is an example that you have seen this principle demonstrated?

Answer 1

One of the ethical principles of social work is Service. This principle signifies that the social workers should have the primary objective of helping the people in need with the service that they can provide. The service that they provide should be selfless and intended to benefit the ones in need of it, in the most efficient way without any self interest/benefit from it. The social worker should do his best to provide the best service in the interest of the service seeker.

This principle is very important because when it comes to social work, service is of the utmost importance. Services like teaching, providing medical services, etc. hold lot of importance in the social working field. Services are the main source of providing help to the ones who need social service. This is the reason why service is very important as an ethical principle.

Sometimes, upholding the principle of service becomes very difficult for people and they have to choose between two very different options. For example, a teacher is providing his service to a group of people as his social work, for which he is not getting paid. At the same time he gets a call from a well reputed school for the job of a teacher. In such a case, it becomes very difficult for him to choose between being a social service provider or a well paid teacher.

Children from poor families, who can not afford education, are taught in the Non profit Organizations without any charges or anything in return. Teachers who are ready to provide their service without anything in return are hired for a day or two in a week and they provide their service of teaching to these children.