Social Work Ethics and Values

1618 Words7 Pages
How do the core values of social work and the code of ethics inform our understanding of difference and diversity? What does this tell us about the distinction between equal opportunities and anti-oppressive practice? Social work values are very important when it comes to learning how to be a social worker and working as a social worker in the world of the practitioner. This essay will discuss the core values of social work, and how the code of ethics inform our understanding of difference and diversity, and what this tells us about the distinction between equal opportunity and anti-oppressive practices. Values have a rich and detailed history, and the social work profession has its roots in the Bible and religion. Values and what they mean to each person are unique for everyone. Values tend to influence attitudes and behaviour. The Elizabethan Poor Laws of 1598 and 1601 consolidated welfare legislation of the Tudor period and have their origins in the systems of relief provided to the poor by the parishes of the Church of England. The Beveridge Report of 1942 declared a ‘War on Want’ to address structural problems and an emerging class of welfare professionals developed in what we might call ‘traditional social work’. The Local Authority Social Services Act 1970, established a single social services department in each local authority, emphasizing the need for a co-ordinated and comprehensive approach to social care, supporting families, detecting need and encouraging people to seek help. (mcgraw-hill.co.uk) The main importance of social work value principles is providing individualised care, being aware of your service user’s personal beliefs and identity, supporting and promoting your service user’s right to dignity, independence, choice and safety and promoting anti discriminatory practice. Even though social workers share different beliefs and
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