PREAMBLE
In accordance with Section 10 of the
Social Workers Registration Ordinance (Chapter 505), the
Social Workers Registration Board approves and issues this
Code of Practice for Registered Social Workers "for the
purpose of providing practical guidance in respect of the
professional conduct of registered social workers
(including ethical matters relating to such conduct)".
The primary objective of the
Code of Practice is for the protection of clients(1)
and the members of society at large. To enhance public
trust and confidence in the social work profession, the
issue of a code of practice is essential.
This document serves as a guide to the
everyday conduct of social workers. Under section 11 of
Social workers Registration Ordinance, this Code of
Practice will be used as a basis for adjudication when the
conduct of a social worker is alleged to have violated the
standards specified in this document. It represents
standards of ethical behaviour for social workers in
professional relationships with clients, with colleagues,
with agency, with profession, and with society as a
whole. It is applicable to any professional conduct of
social workers.
Social workers are required to
cooperate in the implementation of this Code of Practice
and abide by any disciplinary rulings based on it. They
should also keep abreast of the laws of Hong Kong which
may be amended from time to time. Social workers should
take adequate and appropriate measures and action to
prevent, discourage, correct, or expose the unethical
conduct of other social workers. They should also take
reasonable and appropriate measures to monitor all staff
under their supervision and other persons assisting them
in delivering service not to violate the Code of Practice
or jeopardize the interest of clients(2).
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PART 1 ¡V
BASIC VALUES AND BELIEFS
1 Social workers¡¦ primary mission
is to help people in need and to strive to address social
problems.
2
Social workers respect the unique value and dignity of
every human being irrespective of one¡¦s ethnicity, colour,
family/social/national origin, nationality, culture,
birth, sex, age, language, beliefs, political and other
opinion, family/social/economic status, disability,
educational attainment, contribution to society, or sexual
orientation.
3 Social workers believe that
individuals have the potential to develop and thus accepts
a responsibility to encourage and facilitate the
self-realization of individuals with due regard to the
interest of others.
4 Social workers accept
responsibility to advance social justice and to safeguard
the cause of human rights.
5 Social workers believe that
each society, regardless of its form, should provide
maximum benefits to its members.
6 Social workers accept
responsibility to update, upgrade and devote their
professional knowledge and skills to the betterment of
individuals and society, with the aim to empower people to
act on their own behalves as far as possible.
7 Social workers recognise the
central importance of human relationships and seek to
strengthen relationships among people in a purposeful
effort to promote, maintain and enhance the well-being of
individuals, families, social groups, organizations and
communities for the prevention and relief of hardship and
suffering.
PART 2 ¡V
PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICES
Related to Clients
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Responsibility
1
Social workers have a primary responsibility to the
clients.
Cultural
Awareness
2
Social workers should recognise the ethnic and cultural
diversity of the communities being served.
3
Social workers should be acquainted with and sensitive to
the cultures of clients and appreciate the differences
among them in respect of their ethnicity, national origin,
nationality, religion and custom.
Informed Decision and
Self-determination
4 Social workers acknowledge a
responsibility to inform clients of their rights and help
them to obtain appropriate services. Clients should also
be informed of, as far as possible, obligations and
possible consequences associated with services provided to
them.
5
Social workers should clearly inform clients, who are
using services under compulsion, of their rights as well
as the limits of their rights and assist them in attaining
as much autonomy as possible.
6
Taking into account the limit of clients¡¦ rights to
self-determination, social workers should encourage
clients to participate as far as possible in
decision-making about the goals, alternatives and services
available to them.
Use of Information and Principles of
Confidentiality
7 Social workers should respect
clients¡¦ right to privacy and confidentiality of their
information. They should also, as far as possible, fully
inform clients of the limits of confidentiality in a given
situation, the purpose for which information is obtained,
and how it may be used.
8 In disclosing case materials,
social workers should make necessary and responsible
efforts to remove all identifying information and to seek
consent, as far as possible, from the client and the
relevant agency.
9 Social workers should take
precautions to ensure and maintain the confidentiality of
information transmitted to other parties through the use
of electronic media. Disclosure of identifying
information should be avoided whenever possible.
10 Social workers should inform
clients of the limitation and risks associated with such
services provided via electronic media.
11 Social workers should not
discuss confidential information in any setting unless
privacy can be ensured.
12 Social workers should protect
the confidentiality of clients during legal proceedings to
the extent permitted by law.
Conflicts of Interest
13
Social workers should not abuse the worker-client
relationship in pursuit of personal interests.
Sexual
Relationship
14
Social workers should under no circumstances be engaged in
any sexual activities or sexual contacts with clients,
whether such activities or contacts are consensual or
forced.
15 Social workers should not
provide clinical services to individuals with whom they
have had a prior sexual relationship.
Continuation of Service
16
If and when a fee for service is required, social workers
should ensure that clients would not be denied timely
services they need because of financial constraints.
Billing
Practice
17
Social workers should establish
and maintain billing practices that accurately reflect the
nature and extent of services provided. Those being
engaged in private or independent practice should also
enable such billing practices to identify who has provided
the service in the practice setting.
18 Social workers should clearly
inform clients of all fee rates and charges before
services are delivered.
Related to Colleagues
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Respect
19
Social workers should pay due
respect to different opinions and practices of other
social workers, other professionals and volunteers. Any
suggestion or criticism should be expressed and conflicts
resolved in a responsible manner.
Interdisciplinary Collaboration
20 Social workers should discharge
duties and treat co-workers, irrespective of which
organizations they are from, in a fair and professional
manner.
21
Social workers should collaborate as far as possible with
other social workers and colleagues from other disciplines
to enhance service effectiveness.
22
Social workers who are members
of an interdisciplinary team should participate in and
contribute to decisions that affect the well-being of
clients by drawing on the perspectives, values, and
experiences of the social work profession. They should
induce and help the interdisciplinary team as far as
possible to clearly define the professional and ethical
obligations of the team as a whole and of individual
team-members.
23 Social workers on whom a team
decision raises ethical concerns should attempt to resolve
the disagreement through appropriate channels. If the
disagreement cannot be resolved, social workers should
pursue other appropriate avenues to address their concerns
consistent with clients¡¦ well-being.
Supervision and Training
24 Social workers, who provide
supervision or professional consultation, should possess
and maintain necessary knowledge, skills and methodology
through appropriate education, training, consultation and
research to facilitate them to perform the tasks in
professional supervision and training competently. Social
workers should provide training or instructions only
within their areas of knowledge or competence.
25 Social workers who provide
supervision should recognise a supervisor¡¦s educational,
supportive, developmental and work-focused role and should
not abuse the professional relationship with supervisees
for any interests.
26 Social workers who provide
supervision should monitor their supervisees to act in
accordance with this Code of Practice.
Consultation
27 Social workers should seek the
advice and counsel from colleagues whenever such
consultation is in the best interests of clients.
28 Social workers should seek
consultation only from colleagues who have demonstrated
knowledge, expertise, and competence related to the
subject of the consultation.
29 Social workers, for the purpose
of consulting with colleagues about clients, should
provide information on clients on a need-to-know basis.
Clients¡¦
Right of Choice
30
Social workers respect clients¡¦
right of choice. With due respect to other agencies and
colleagues, they should not solicit the clients of other
social workers.
Communications between Co-workers
31 Without the explicit permission
of the author of the communications between co-workers,
social workers should not convey to clients any contents
of such communications that are beyond the scope of the
clients¡¦ personal particulars.
Sexual Relationship
32 Social workers who function as
supervisors or educators should not be engaged in any
sexual activities or sexual contacts with supervisees,
students, or trainees over whom social workers exercises
professional authority.
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Related to Agency
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33 Social workers should be
responsible to the employing agency for the efficient and
effective performance of professional duties.
34 Social workers should act
constructively and responsibly to influence and to improve
policies, procedures, and practice of their employing
agencies in order to continuously improve the quality of
service and to prevent social workers from violating this
Code of Practice when enforcing agency policies.
35 Social workers should make
clear in any public statements or when undertaking public
activities whether they are acting in a personal capacity
or on behalf of a group or an organization.
36 Social workers should not use
institutional affiliation to recruit clients for private
practice without the consent of the institution.
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Related to Profession
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Professional Responsibilities
37 Social workers should maintain
honesty, integrity and responsibility in professional
practice.
38 Social workers should uphold the
values and ethics, and advance the knowledge of the
profession.
39
Social workers should bring to the attention of
appropriate bodies any violation of this Code of Practice
that may put the interests
of clients at risk, and should be ready to defend other
social workers against unjust accusations.
Competence
40 Social workers should provide
services and represent themselves as competent only within
the boundaries of their education, training, license,
certification, professional consultation, supervised
experience, or other relevant professional experience.
41 Social workers should provide
services in substantive areas or use intervention
techniques or approaches that are new to them only after
being engaged in appropriate studies, training,
professional consultation, and supervision by people who
are competent in those interventions or techniques.
42 When generally recognised
standards do not exist with respect to an emerging area of
practice, social workers should exercise careful judgment
and take responsible steps, including appropriate
education, research, training, professional consultation,
and supervision, to ensure the competence in their work
and to protect clients from harm.
Respect
43 In criticizing the profession,
social workers should do so in a responsible and
constructive manner.
Representation
44 Social workers should make no
misrepresentation or false claim as to personal
particulars, professional qualifications, credentials,
education, competence, nature of service, and method of
service or results to be achieved.
Independent Practice
45 Social workers who are engaged
in private or independent practice should practise only
within their areas of competence and offer suitable
referrals when clients¡¦ needs go beyond their areas of
competence. Any publicity on their practice should be
made based on the actual qualifications, experience and
expertise.
Professional Development
46 Social workers should accept
responsibility for upgrading their professional skills and
knowledge.
47 Social workers should take
responsibility to help those who are entering the
profession to establish, strengthen and develop their
ethics, values, skills and knowledge.
Call to Duty
48 Social workers should respond
to calls to duty(3)
when an explicit request is made and when a call is made
specifically for social workers on the spot to render
certain service under specific circumstances.
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Related to Society
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49 Social workers recognise the
need to bring to the attention of policy makers or the
general public any policies, procedures or activities of
governments, societies or agencies which create,
contribute to, or militate against the relief of hardship
and suffering.
50 Social workers recognise the
need to advocate changes in the formulation of policies
and legislation to improve social conditions, to promote
social justice and general welfare of the society. Social
workers also recognise the need to contribute to the
implementation of policies for human welfare and should
not allow one¡¦s knowledge, skills or experience to be used
to further unjust policies or inhuman practices.
51 Social workers recognise the
need to prevent and eliminate discrimination, and the need
to strive for a more reasonable distribution of resources
and to ensure that all persons should have equal
opportunity to access to the necessary resources and
services.
52 Social workers recognise the
need to promote conditions that encourage respect for
diversity of cultures in the society.
53 Social workers recognise the
need to encourage informed participation by the public in
formulating and developing social policies and
institutions.
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Notes
(1) ¡§Clients¡¨ refers to direct
service recipients currently receiving individual, group
services or programme activities provided by social
workers.
(2) ¡§Interest of clients¡¨ ¡V Social
workers should make professional judgement after
considering and striking a balance among the interests of
clients and those of other related bodies (including
family members, agency, community and society, etc.).
(3) ¡§Call to duty¡¨ in this context
is not applicable to calls made through mass media to
social workers at large.
(Remark: Chinese version prevails over
English version if there is any discrepancy.)
First gazetted on 16 October 1998
Amended on 15 January 2010
