Self-Care an Ethical Requirement
by Peggy Reed-Lohemeyer, MSW, LCSW
For those who attended the ethics training on the Thursday evening before the Spring Symposium began, this will be a review.
At the last Delegate Assembly, changes were made to the Code of Ethics regarding cultural competence and self-care. Last year, cultural competence was focused on in the Spring Symposium’s ethics training.This year, the self-care additions were highlighted.
Language about self-care was added to two sections of the Code: the Purpose & the Ethical Principles. Specifically, in the Purpose, the fifth purpose now reads:
The Code socializes practitioners new to the field to social work’s mission, values, ethical principles, & ethical standards, & encourages all social workers to engage in self-care, ongoing education, & other activities to ensure their commitment to those same core features of the profession (NASW, n.d.).
**Please note the bold and italicized font is what was added & is included here to highlight the addition.
Another paragraph was also added at the end of the Purpose section regarding self-care.This entire paragraph is new:
Professional self-care is paramount for competent and ethical social work practice. Professional demands, challenging workplace climates, and exposure to trauma warrant that social workers maintain personal and professional health, safety, and integrity. Social work organizations, agencies, and educational institutions are encouraged to promote organizational policies, practices, and materials to support social workers’ self-care (NASW, n.d.).
The second section of the Code that had language added related to self-care is under the Ethical Principle of Integrity. The entire paragraph regarding Integrity is included below, with the additional language again being in red font, to highlight it.
Social workers are continually aware of the profession’s mission, values, ethical principles, and ethical standards and practice in a manner consistent with them. Social workers should take measures to care for themselves professionally and personally. Social workers act honestly and responsibly and promote ethical practices on the part of the organizations with which they are affiliated (NASW, n.d.).
At the Symposium, our panelists were asked questions about self-care, both personally & professionally, including how they foster it in those they supervise & how it can be supported & promoted in agencies and organizations. Please make sure that you are practicing self-care, both personally & professionally. Also, if your place of employment could be more supportive of it’s employees practicing self-care, consider how you could help make positive changes happen in that regard.
If you are interested in learning more about the NASW-Missouri Chapter Ethics Committee or potentially serving on the committee, please email the committee’s chair at Peggy.Reed-Lohmeyer.MSW.LCSW@hotmail.com.