Class Ethics and Deontology in Social Work

Studying and deepening Ethics is important both in social life and in everyday professional life, particularly in professions that work directly with individual or collective subjects. Social Workers conduct social diagnoses, make technical judgments, and carry out social interventions at different levels, putting into action theoretical-methodological and technical-operational competencies supported by ethical principles that need to be internalized and experienced during training. Human rights, social justice, and the ethical sense of the subject constitute the cornerstone of these principles and values. Understanding the deontological principles of the profession and the legal principles of the legal framework becomes an indispensable step in building the profession, especially when ethical dilemmas are frequently encountered in its exercise.

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I.Introduction to Ethics 1.1. Concept of Ethics 1.2. Ethics and its Relationship with Morality 1.3. Ethics – Values and Principles II.Philosophical Foundations of Ethics Applied to Social Work 2.1. The Importance of Ethics in Social Work 2.2. The Different Ethical Approaches in Social Work 2.3. Social Justice and Human Rights as the Ethical Basis of the Profession III.Ethics and Professional Deontology in Social Work 3.1. Professional Deontology – Conceptual Exploration 3.2. The Code of Ethics for Social Workers in Portugal 3.3. Ethical Requirements – Protection and Social Intervention 3.4. Ethical Dilemmas and Decision-Making in Social Work 3.5. Ethical Issues in Relationships with Service Users and Professionals IV.Contemporary Ethical Challenges 4.1. Ethics in a Changing Context 4.2. Ethics – Social Work – Modernity and Globalization 4.3. Influencing Factors in Ethical Action in Social Work  

All those considered relevant and appropriate at a given moment/situation and that contribute to improving student learning.

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