CODE OF ETHICS
Australian Associaton of Social Workers
2010
Front cover illustraton: ‘Murr-roo-ma Mur-rook Boo-larng’ [To Make Good Together]
2010. Acrylic on canvas, 1000mm x 750mm
Original artwork: Elizabeth McEntyre, Worimi Naton (NSW)
Mentor: Les Elvin, Wonnarua Naton (NSW)
Kungera Art (Aberdare NSW)
Story: A traditonal Aboriginal family is sitng around a burning campfre.
Through the flames of the campfre, the smoke forms a spiralling upward pathway,
travelling through the AASW logo and linking the family with the environments of
educaton, housing and health. The goal for social work is to ethically engage and
interact with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians to promote, achieve
and maintain their overall well being. The three core values that members of the
social work profession are commited to – Respect for persons, Social justce and
Professional integrity – are symbolised as being cyclical and never ending.
The AASW Code of Ethics was presented at the Australian Associaton of
Social Workers’ Annual General Meetng, Brisbane, 12 November 2010.
Amendments to the Consttuton of the AASW at the 2010 Annual
General Meetng required a minor reprint of the Code of Ethics 2010.
These amendments affected secton 1.4 only of the Code of Ethics 2010.
Australian Associaton of Social Workers
ABN 93 008 576 010
Level 4, 33–35 Ainslie Place
Canberra ACT 2601
[Postal address: Po Box 4956, Kingston ACT 2604]
Tel: (02) 6232 3900
Fax: (02) 6230 4399
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.aasw.asn.au
ISBN: 978-0-9808661-0-0
Design and layout: Karen Silsby
Artwork: Elizabeth McEntyre
© Australian Associaton of Social Workers 2010
This publicaton is copyright. Apart from fair dealing for the purpose
of private study, research, critcism or review, as permited under the
Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced by any process without
writen permission.
TablE OF COnTEnTS
PREaMblE……………………………………………………………………………………………..5
1 COnTEXT OF SOCIal WORK ………………………………………………………………….7
1.1 Defniton of social work …………………………………………………………………. 7
1.2 Commitment and aims of social work……………………………………………….. 7
1.3 The practce of social work ……………………………………………………………… 9
1.4 Australian Associaton of Social Workers …………………………………………… 9
2 COnTEXT OF THE CODE OF ETHICS………………………………………………………. 10
2.1 Nature of the Code of Ethics ………………………………………………………….. 10
2.2 Purpose of the Code……………………………………………………………………… 10
3 SOCIal WORK ValUES ………………………………………………………………………. 12
3.1 Respect for persons………………………………………………………………………. 12
3.2 Social justce………………………………………………………………………………… 13
3.3 Professional integrity ……………………………………………………………………. 13
4 ETHICal PRaCTICE anD DECISIOn MaKInG ………………………………………….. 14
5 ETHICal PRaCTICE: RESPOnSIbIlITIES………………………………………………….. 16
5.1 General ethical responsibilites ………………………………………………………. 17
5.1.1 Respect for human dignity and worth ………………………………….. 17
5.1.2 Culturally competent, safe and sensitve practce ………………….. 17
5.1.3 Commitment to social justce and human rights ……………………. 19
5.1.4 Social work service and propriety………………………………………… 20
5.1.5 Commitment to practce competence………………………………….. 21
5.1.6 Professional boundaries and dual relatonships …………………….. 22
5.1.7 Conflicts of interest……………………………………………………………. 23
5.2 Responsibilites to clients………………………………………………………………. 25
5.2.1 Priority of clients’ interest ………………………………………………….. 25
5.2.2 Client self-determinaton ……………………………………………………. 25
5.2.3 Informed consent………………………………………………………………. 27
5.2.4 Informaton privacy/confdentality ……………………………………… 27
5.2.5 Records ……………………………………………………………………………. 29
5.2.6 Terminaton/interrupton of service …………………………………….. 31
5.3 Responsibilites to colleagues ………………………………………………………… 31
5.4 Responsibilites in the workplace……………………………………………………. 32
5.4.1 Service provision……………………………………………………………….. 32
5.4.2 Management ……………………………………………………………………. 33
5.5 Responsibilites in partcular contexts……………………………………………… 35
5.5.1 Educaton, training, supervision and evaluaton…………………….. 35
5.5.2 Research ………………………………………………………………………….. 36
5.5.2.1 General approach to research …………………………………. 36
5.5.2.2 Respect, consent, privacy and review in research……….. 36
5.5.2.3 Publicaton and distributon of research fndings ……….. 37
5.5.3 Self-employment ………………………………………………………………. 38
5.5.4 Remote service delivery……………………………………………………… 39
5.6 Responsibilites to the profession …………………………………………………… 40
GlOSSaRY OF TERMS…………………………………………………………………………….. 41
REFEREnCE lIST……………………………………………………………………………………. 47
aPPEnDICES
Appendix 1: Human rights documents……………………………………………………… 49
Appendix 2: Ethics Complaints Management Process flowchart ………………….. 51
Appendix 3: Relevant natonal guidelines on ethical research……………………… 52
aCKnOWlEDGEMEnTS………………………………………………………………………….. 53
AASW Code of Ethics [2010] :: 5
PREaMblE
• Social workers acknowledge the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples,
the First Australians, whose lands, winds and waters we all now share, and
pay respect to their unique values, and their contnuing and enduring cultures
which deepen and enrich the life of our naton and communites.
• Social workers commit to acknowledge and understand the historical and
contemporary disadvantage experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
peoples and the implicaton of this for social work practce.
• Social workers are responsible for ensuring that their practce is culturally
competent, safe and sensitve.
6 :: AASW Code of Ethics [2010]
AASW Code of Ethics [2010] :: 7
1.1 Defniton of social work
The social work profession in Australia
adheres to the defniton of social work
jointly agreed to by the Internatonal
Federaton of Social Workers and
Internatonal Associaton of Schools of
Social Work in 2001:
The social work profession
promotes social change, problem
solving in human relatonships and
the empowerment and liberaton
of people to enhance wellbeing.
Utlising theories of human
behavior and social systems,
social work intervenes at the
points where people interact with
their environments. Principles of
human rights and social justce are
fundamental to social work.
1.2 Commitment and aims
of social work
The social work profession is
commited to the pursuit and
maintenance of human wellbeing.
Social work aims to maximise the
development of human potental
and the fulfllment of human needs
through an equal commitment to:
• working with Australia’s
First Peoples
• working with and supportng
people to achieve the best
possible levels of personal and
social wellbeing
• working to address and redress
inequity and injustce affectng the
lives of clients, client groups and
socially disadvantaged
• working to achieve human rights
and social justce through social
development, social and systemic
change, advocacy and the ethical
conduct of research.
This involves:
• subscribing to the principles
and aspiratons of the United
Natons Universal Declaraton of
Human Rights, other internatonal
conventons derived from that
Declaraton, as well as other human
rights documents (see Appendix 1:
Human rights documents)
1 COnTEXT OF SOCIal WORK
8 :: AASW Code of Ethics [2010]
• working with individuals, groups
and communites, through both
advocacy and policy reform
initatves, in the pursuit and
achievement of equitable access
to social, economic, environmental
and politcal resources
• providing assistance to improve
the wellbeing of clients. Clients
are individuals, families and other
kinship arrangements, groups,
communites, organisatons and
societes, especially those who
are neglected, marginalised,
vulnerable, excluded,
disadvantaged, alienated or
have exceptonal needs
• raising awareness of structural and
systemic inequites
• promotng policies and practces
that achieve a fair allocaton of
social resources
• actng to bring about social or
systemic change to reduce social
barriers, inequality and injustce.
To accomplish its aims, the social work
profession pursues:
• the development and applicaton
of knowledge, theory and skills
regarding human behaviour, social
structures, systems or processes
• the development and distributon
of resources to meet the needs of
individuals and communites.
The Australian Associaton of Social
Workers Ltd (AASW) and its members
adhere to the Internatonal Federaton
of Social Workers’ and Internatonal
Associaton of Schools of Social Work’s
Ethics in Social Work, Statement
of Principles (2004). In developing
this Australian Code of Ethics direct
reference has been made to the
aforementoned Statement.
AASW Code of Ethics [2010] :: 9
1.3 The practce of social work
Social work operates at the interface
between people and their social,
cultural and physical environments.
Social work practce may include:
• engaging in interpersonal practce
including casework, counselling,
clinical interventon; work with
individuals, families, partnerships,
communites and groups; advocacy;
community work; and social acton
to address both personal difcultes
and systemic issues
• undertaking research, social policy
development, administraton,
management, consultancy,
educaton, training, supervision
and evaluaton to further human
wellbeing and social development.
In all contexts, social workers maintain
a dual focus on both assistng human
functoning and identfying the
system issues that create inequity
and injustce.
The social work profession also
recognises that social work takes
place in a context whereby
social systems have a mutually
interdependent relatonship with
the natural environment.
The social work profession recognises
its responsibility to contribute to
and support the local, natonal and
internatonal social work community.
1.4 Australian Associaton of
Social Workers
The democratc values and principles
embraced by the AASW as stated in
the Consttuton of the AASW (2008)
(Consttuton) include:
• compliance with the Code of Ethics
• belief in the equal worth of all
human beings
• commitment to Australian plural
democratc society with equality
under law and equal opportunity
• respect for others, including
compassion, fairness, equity
and justce
• acceptance of the uniqueness of
each individual
• belief in collaboraton as the
cornerstone of effectve practce
• valuing families and communites
as social structures fundamental to
the functoning and well-being of
individuals and society
• positve change that brings about
growth and development for
human beings
• individual choice and both personal
and collectve responsibility
• high quality social work
service provision
• the right of individuals to have
their privacy respected
• valuing diversity and difference
• promotng human rights.
10 :: AASW Code of Ethics [2010]
2.1 Nature of the Code of
Ethics
This Code of Ethics (the Code) of
the AASW expresses the values and
responsibilites which are integral
to, and characterise, the social
work profession. It is intended to
assist all social workers, collectvely
and individually, to act in ethically
accountable ways in the pursuit of the
profession’s aims.
Under the Consttuton, the AASW
must maintain a Code of Ethics which
contains a set of principles agreed
to by all members. Upon becoming
members and upon annual renewal
of their membership, members of the
AASW make a commitment to, and
are required to abide by this Code.
AASW members, both practtoners
and students, are called upon to
account for their practce in the event
of complaint or investgaton regarding
unethical conduct.
The Code remains open to revision
as required and specifed in the
Consttuton of the AASW.
2.2 Purpose of the Code
The Code of Ethics is the core
document which informs and guides
the ethical practce of the social
work profession.
The purpose of the Code is to:
• identfy the values and ethics
which underpin ethical social
work practce
• provide a guide and standard for
ethical social work conduct and
accountable service delivery
• provide a focus for professional
social work identtes
• provide social workers with a
foundaton for ethical reflecton
and decision making
• guide social workers when
determining their reciprocal rights
with employers, colleagues and
the AASW
• provide clarifcaton of social
workers’ actons in the context of
industrial or legal disputes
• hold members accountable for
their ethical practce and act
as a basis for investgaton and
adjudicaton of formal complaints
about unethical conduct.
2 COnTEXT OF THE CODE OF ETHICS
AASW Code of Ethics [2010] :: 11
The values and practce responsibilites
outlined in the Code will assist the
social work profession, the social
worker, clients, employers and other
interested partes in:
• identfying the ideals and purpose
of the social work profession
• recognising the professional
obligatons of social workers
• understanding what consttutes
ethical social work behaviour.
Members must make themselves
aware of the contents of this Code
and need to be aware that the ethical
responsibilites set out in Secton 5
are not exhaustve. If a social worker’s
behaviour or acton is not outlined in
this Code, then the general intent and
principles will apply. The responsibilites
are benchmarks for the social work
profession and any behaviour or
acton by AASW members that does
not meet these responsibilites is
considered unethical. If a member fails
to comply with this Code, a complaint
may be made under the AASW Ethics
Complaints Management Process (see
Appendix 2 for further informaton
about the AASW Ethics Complaints
Management Process).
12 :: AASW Code of Ethics [2010]
In the determinaton and pursuit of
its aims, social work is commited
to three core values, which give
rise to general and specifc ethical
responsibilites. These values are:
• Respect for persons
• Social justce
• Professional integrity.
3.1 Respect for persons
The social work profession holds
that every human being has a
unique and inherent equal worth
and that each person has a right to
wellbeing, self-fulflment and
self-determinaton, consistent with
the rights and culture of others and
a sustainable environment.
The social work profession:
• respects the inherent dignity, worth
and autonomy of every person
• respects the human rights of
individuals and groups
• provides humane service, mindful
of fulflling duty of care, and duty to
avoid doing harm to others
• fosters individual wellbeing,
autonomy, justce and personal/
social responsibility, with due
consideraton for the rights
of others
• recognises and respects group
identty, interdependence,
reciprocity and the collectve needs
of partcular communites.
3 SOCIal WORK ValUES
AASW Code of Ethics [2010] :: 13
3.2 Social justce
The social work profession holds
that social justce is a core obligaton
which societes should be called
upon to uphold. Societes should
strive to afford protecton and
provide maximum beneft for all
their members.
The social work profession:
• promotes justce and social
fairness, by actng to reduce
barriers and to expand choice
and potental for all persons,
with special regard for those
who are disadvantaged,
vulnerable, oppressed or have
exceptonal needs
• advocates change to social systems
and structures that preserve
inequalites and injustce
• opposes and works to eliminate
all violatons of human rights and
afrms that civil and politcal rights
must be accompanied by economic,
social and cultural rights
• promotes the protecton of the
natural environment as inherent to
social wellbeing
• promotes community partcipaton
in societal processes and decisions
and in the development and
implementaton of social policies
and services.
3.3 Professional integrity
The social work profession values
honesty, transparency, reliability,
empathy, reflectve self-awareness,
discernment, competence
and commitment.
Members of the social
work profession:
• apply knowledge and skills in ways
that prioritse the needs of others
over personal gain
• responsibly use power and
authority in ways that
serve humanity
• make considered and ethically
accountable professional decisions
• maintain a high quality of
professional conduct and behave
with dignity and responsibility
• ensure ongoing professional
competence by partcipatng in and
contributng to their own life-long
learning, educaton, training and
supervision, and that of other social
work practtoners and students.
14 :: AASW Code of Ethics [2010]
The social work profession
acknowledges that ethical dilemmas
may arise when a social worker must
make a choice between alternatve
courses of acton, each of which is
supported by moral consideratons
and each of which may result in
an outcome that is, in some way,
undesirable. Ethical decision making
is the systematc, reflectve process by
which such dilemmas can be resolved.
Social workers are encouraged to
critcally reflect on ethical dilemmas
and to make decisions about them
while observing the values outlined
in this Code. They are also aware of
their own worldview, moral, cultural,
historical, politcal, religious, spiritual,
societal and professional values
and biases and the possible
influence of these on their
professional judgements.
When ethical values conflict, social
workers have a responsibility to decide
which will take priority. It may be
difcult to weigh up values which, in
the circumstances, appear to be of
equal importance, but it is necessary
to do so in order to achieve an
ethically justfable result.
Tensions may occasionally arise
between observing the Code and
complying with legal or organisatonal
requirements. Social workers must act
in accordance with the law and with
organisatonal directves. If the law or
organisatonal directves conflict with
perceived moral obligatons, a social
worker should seek guidance from
competent professionals, including the
AASW Ethics Consultaton Service.
All ethical decision making occurs
within the context of managing power
relatonships. Social workers also
bring their own lived experiences,
knowledge and standpoints to decision
making processes. Social workers
need an understanding of the social,
politcal and historical context in
which decisions are made, the human
relatonships, the management
decisions and the involvement of
multple interests, all of which impact
on decisions and the situatonal
context in which they are made.
Ethical decision making can be
complex. It requires tme for critcal
reflecton and should involve all those
with an interest in the outcome of
the decision. There are a number
of ethical decision-making models
that can be used in the process
of systematc critcal reflecton,
evaluaton and judgement. In all
models of ethical decision making it
is strongly recommended that social
workers consult this Code to clarify
expectatons of the social
work profession in relaton to
appropriate conduct.
4 ETHICal PRaCTICE anD DECISIOn MaKInG
AASW Code of Ethics [2010] :: 15
Social workers have a duty to
understand that there are a number
of general principles which guide
sound, rigorous and reflectve decision
making, including:
• having as full and relevant
informaton as possible on the
mater about which a decision is
being made
• identfying the key social work
values or ethical responsibilites
that have come into conflict
• identfying the range of decisions
that could be made and the
reasoning behind each in terms of
ethical theories, codes of ethics,
legal and natural justce principles,
laws, organisatonal policies and
social work best practce principles
• being open, accountable,
transparent, collaboratve
and inclusive of the relevant
stakeholders in the decisionmaking process, while observing
appropriate confdentality and
duty of care requirements
• identfying the risks and benefts
to each of the partes affected by
the decision
• ensuring observance of relevant
cultural consideratons and paying
atenton to issues of diversity
• engaging, where appropriate,
in consultaton and supervision
to facilitate critcal reflecton to
examine personal and professional
values, prejudices and preferences
• documentng the issues considered
and the decision-making process
and outcomes.
When making ethical decisions, social
workers are advised to consult with
colleagues, supervisors, the AASW
Ethics Consultaton Service and/
or other competent professionals,
including cultural consultants. Such
consultaton is essental when the
situaton is outside the social worker’s
experience or expertse.
The following secton of this
Code clearly sets out the ethical
responsibilites and professional
expectatons of those who practse
social work. This Code intentonally
does not specify what a social worker
should do in the case of an ethical
dilemma. The social work profession
acknowledges that practce is
contextual and that many factors will
influence decision-making outcomes.
Social workers are encouraged to
develop a clear knowledge and
understanding of these ethical
responsibilites so that they may
form a sound foundaton for
ethical practce.
Social workers should be able to
artculate their ethical decision
making process, demonstrate clearly
the factors considered and provide
justfcatons to make themselves
accountable for their decisions.
16 :: AASW Code of Ethics [2010]
This secton sets out the ethical
responsibilites and behaviours to
which social workers commit in carrying
out their practce responsibilites.
In carrying out their professional
practce responsibilites, social workers
are enttled to reciprocal rights, which
include the right to:
• exercise professional discreton and
professional judgement
• redirect or refuse service on
justfable grounds, provided
clients are redirected to
appropriate support
• safety in professional practce
• freedom from discriminaton in
the workplace
• freedom from unjust
repercussions or victmisaton
for their ethical practce
• reasonable working conditons and
contnuing professional educaton
and training
• hold membership of a union and/or
obtain industrial advice
• support from the profession when
actng in an ethically obligatory or
permissible way
• a culturally safe and
respectul workplace
• hold cultural, religious or spiritual
world views and for these to be
acknowledged in the workplace
and professional contexts to the
extent that they do not impinge on
the other guidelines in this Code
• make a complaint on
justfable grounds.
The following practce responsibilites
are divided into six main categories:
General ethical responsibilites,
Responsibilites to clients,
Responsibilites to colleagues,
Responsibilites in the workplace,
Responsibilites in partcular contexts
and Responsibilites to the profession.
These responsibilites are based
on, and apply, the values outlined
in secton three of this Code. They
represent ethical dutes to be carried
out in the course of social work
practce. They can also be used as:
• a checklist for educatve and
supervisory purposes
• a benchmark for the assessment of
professional behaviour
• the basis for determinatons
regarding reported breaches of
the Code.
5 ETHICal PRaCTICE: RESPOnSIbIlITIES
AASW Code of Ethics [2010] :: 17
5.1 General ethical
responsibilites
5.1.1 Respect for human dignity
and worth
a) Social workers will demonstrate
respect for clients and seek to
preserve and promote their
dignity, individuality, rights
and responsibilites.
b) Social workers will respect others’
beliefs, religious or spiritual world
views, values, culture, goals, needs
and desires, as well as kinship
and communal bonds, within a
framework of social justce and
human rights.
c) Social workers will value the
unique cultural knowledge
and skills, different knowledge
systems, history, lived experience
and community relatonships of
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
peoples, and take these into
account in the making of decisions.
d) Social workers will ensure that
clients or their authorised
representatves have access to
the necessary informaton and
resources to partcipate in
decision-making processes.
e) Social workers will be aware of and
reflect on their personal beliefs and
history, values, views, prejudices
and preferences and refrain from
imposing these on clients.
f) Social workers will ensure they
understand the communites in
which they work, (in partcular
marginalised groups), by actvely
engaging, building relatonships
and partcipatng in actvites with
members of those communites,
where appropriate.
5.1.2 Culturally competent, safe
and sensitve practce
a) Social workers will develop
culturally sensitve practce by
acknowledging the signifcance of
culture in their practce, recognising
the impact their own ethnic and
cultural identtes, views and biases
can have on their practce and
on culturally different clients
and colleagues.
b) Social workers will obtain a working
knowledge and understanding
of clients’ racial and cultural
afliatons, identtes, values,
beliefs and customs, including
consultaton with cultural
consultants, where appropriate.
c) Social workers will recognise and
acknowledge the diversity within
and among cultures, taking into
account individual, family,
group and community needs
and differences.
18 :: AASW Code of Ethics [2010]
d) Social workers will recognise,
acknowledge and remain sensitve
to and respectul of the religious
and spiritual world views of
individuals, groups, communites
and social networks, and the
operatons and missions of faith
and spiritually-based organisatons.
e) Social workers will ascertain
and take into account the manner
in which confdentality and
self-determinaton applies
within diverse cultural and
practce contexts.
f) Social workers will endeavour
to provide accessible services
to clients in languages and/
or modalites they understand,
using an independent, qualifed
interpreter and/or translator where
feasible and appropriate.
g) When engaged in educaton,
administraton, policy development
and the like, social workers will
promote awareness of cultural and
cross-cultural issues and culturally
competent practce.
h) Social workers will partcipate in
developing and implementng
culturally competent, safe and
sensitve practce.
i) Where possible, social workers will
seek guidance regarding service
development and delivery from
community members, mentors,
advisors and recognised Elders from
culturally and linguistcally diverse
communites, Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander communites and
other cultures and communites.
j) Social workers will provide a
culturally safe service system in
which all children, families and
communites feel safe, respected
and which responds holistcally
to the context of family
and community.
k) Social workers will engage
in respectul collaboratve
relatonships with their colleagues
from different ethnic, cultural,
religious and other backgrounds
and identtes. These working
relatonships may at tmes need
to extend to cultural advisors,
mentors and/or recognised
Elders in the development and
provision of culturally safe and
appropriate services.
l) Social workers will recognise and
challenge racism and other forms
of oppression experienced by a
range of culturally and linguistcally
diverse groups, through the use
of ant-racist and ant-oppressive
practce principles.
AASW Code of Ethics [2010] :: 19
5.1.3 Commitment to social justce
and human rights
a) Social workers will promote
policies, practces and social
conditons that uphold human
rights and that seek to ensure
access, equity, partcipaton and
legal protecton for all.
b) Social workers will respect diversity
and use ant-oppressive practce
principles, seeking to prevent and
eliminate negatve discriminaton
and oppression based on grounds
such as: natonal origin, ethnicity,
culture, appearance, language,
sex or gender identty, sexual
orientaton or preference, ability,
age, place of residence, religion,
spirituality, politcal afliaton and
social, economic, health/genetc,
immigraton or relatonship status.
In circumstances where clients
are denied access to resources
necessary for their well-being,
positve discriminaton may
be justfable.
c) Social workers will aim to empower
individuals, families, groups,
communites and societes in
the pursuit and achievement
of equitable access to social,
economic, environmental and
politcal resources and in
ataining self-determinaton,
self-management and social and
emotonal wellbeing.
d) Social workers will acknowledge
the diversity within Australian
society and will promote
responsible policies, procedures
and practces that respect and are
inclusive of diversity.
e) Social workers will promote
genuine, inclusive community
partcipaton in the development,
implementaton and evaluaton of
social policies and services.
f) Social workers will provide
assistance to clients in an objectve,
transparent, equitable and just
manner, facilitatng their access
to resources, assessment and
interventon plans, rights and
opportunites that contribute to
their wellbeing.
g) Social workers will engage in
partcipatve, collaboratve, open
and empowering processes to
enable clients to further their
desires and interests as far as is
possible, taking into account the
relevant interests of others. This
includes undertaking advocacy with
and on behalf of clients.
h) Social workers will preserve the
commitment to autonomy and
social justce when engaging in
social acton and community
development with client groups
and communites.
20 :: AASW Code of Ethics [2010]
i) Social workers will recognise
individual and community rights,
dutes and cultural obligatons and
responsibilites, in partcular for
Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander peoples.
j) Social workers will meet their
responsibilites to society by
engaging in acton to promote
societal and environmental
wellbeing, advocate for equitable
distributon of resources and
effect positve social change in the
interests of social justce.
k) Social workers will reject the
abuse of power for exploitaton or
suppression and will support antoppressive policies and practces
that aim to empower people.
l) Social workers will contribute
disciplined knowledge and
skill to aid individuals, groups,
communites and societes in
their development and in the
management of conflicts and
their consequences.
m) Social workers will advocate for
and promote the protecton of the
natural environment in recogniton
of its fundamental importance to
the future of human society.
n) Social workers will analyse the
basis and nature of social needs
and social problems and will
encourage innovatve strategies
and techniques that meet both new
and existng needs.
o) Social workers will contribute
professional expertse to the
development and implementaton
of human welfare policies
and programs.
5.1.4 Social work service
and propriety
a) When making referrals, social
workers will aim to refer clients
to competent and reputable
service providers.
b) Social workers will advise clients
regarding their right to complain,
the appropriate avenues to take
and the procedures to follow in
making a complaint.
c) Social workers will promote the
ethical values and standards of
the profession when undertaking
broader types of service such
as administraton, policy
development, educaton
and research.
d) Social workers will seek input
and feedback from clients in the
development, implementaton and
evaluaton of service provision.
e) Social workers will carry out
professional dutes with integrity,
refraining from any behaviour
which contravenes professional
values and standards or which
damages the profession’s integrity
and good standing.
AASW Code of Ethics [2010] :: 21
f) Social workers will respect a
client’s right to informaton about
the social worker’s professional
qualifcatons, experience and
training, and will provide this
informaton when requested.
g) Social workers will represent
their professional qualifcatons,
competence, experience,
achievements and afliatons with
honesty and accuracy.
h) Social workers are responsible
for the standard of service that
they provide.
i) Social workers will use fnances
only for the purposes for which
they are granted and account for
their expenditure with accuracy.
j) Social workers will use and account
for organisatonal resources
honestly and only for their
intended purpose.
5.1.5 Commitment to
practce competence
a) Social workers will act to maintain
and expand their levels of current
knowledge, theory and skill in
order to provide quality service
and accountable and
transparent practce.
b) Social workers will undertake
practce only within their areas of
competence or where training/
supervision pertnent to their work
role is available or accessible.
c) Throughout their professional
lifetme, social workers will utlise
available supervision as well as
other specialist consultaton such
as mentoring, coaching and cultural
supervision, where appropriate,
or take actve steps to ensure
that they receive appropriate
supervision, as a means of
maintaining and extending
practce competence.
d) Social workers will take appropriate
acton if ill-health, impairment or
any other factor is likely to interfere
with their professional judgement
or performance of duty. They will
seek to ensure that their clients,
colleagues and employers are not
disadvantaged and will take steps
towards ensuring their contnuing
wellbeing both in their own
interests and in the interests of
competent service.
e) Social workers will take appropriate
acton, if permited by law, if
they believe that a colleague’s
impairment is interfering with
their professional judgement or
performance of duty, and that the
colleague has not taken or is unable
to take adequate steps to address
the impairment. Where possible,
in the frst instance, social workers
will discuss their concerns directly
with the colleague concerned.
22 :: AASW Code of Ethics [2010]
f) When engaged in social work
interventons that are influenced
by their spiritual or religious world
views, social workers will ensure
that they do so in a competent,
transparent and accountable
manner, in accordance with the
ethical standards outlined in
this Code.
5.1.6 Professional boundaries and
dual relatonships
a) Social workers will not engage in
any form of sexualised conduct
with a person with whom
they are directly involved in a
professional relatonship, including
current clients, clients’ relatves
or signifcant others, students,
supervisees, research partcipants
or others directly involved in a
professional relatonship which
invites trust and confdence in the
practtoner’s role and/or involves
an unequal distributon of power
or authority in the social
worker’s favour.
b) Social workers will not engage
in any sexualised conduct, or
enter into an intmate or sexual
relatonship with a person
with whom they were formerly
directly involved in a professional
relatonship, including former
clients, clients’ relatves or
signifcant others. In circumstances
where any such relatonship is
considered, it is essental that
the social worker undertakes
professional consultaton and
supervision, in order to explore
issues relatng to power, and the
potental of exploitaton or harm to
the former client.
c) Social workers, not their clients
or former clients, are responsible
for setng and maintaining clear
and appropriate professional
boundaries in all forms of
communicaton, including
face to face contact, writen
communicaton, telephone and
online communicatons (including
social networking, email, blogging
and instant messaging).
d) Social workers will not provide
clinical services to individuals with
whom they have had a prior sexual
relatonship, as there is potental
for the individual to be harmed
and it is unlikely appropriate
professional boundaries will
be maintained.1
1 Adapted from Natonal Associaton of
Social Workers (Washington DC, USA),
see Acknowledgements.
AASW Code of Ethics [2010] :: 23
e) Social workers will avoid any form
of physical contact which may
violate professional boundaries,
result in unintentonal psychological
harm or damage the professional
relatonship. Social workers will
remain sensitve to the variety of
ways in which clients and others
may interpret physical contact, with
partcular reference to cultural and
gender differences.
f) Social workers will use selfdisclosure with circumspecton,
and only when it is reasonably
believed that it will beneft the
client. If unsure, social workers
will seek professional consultaton
or supervision to review their
intenton to use self-disclosure.
g) Social workers’ private conduct will
not compromise the fulflment of
professional responsibilites.
h) Social workers will clarify whether
they are actng as private
individuals, or as representatves
of the social work profession, an
organisaton, community or group
when making public statements or
performing public actons. When
representng the profession or
an organisaton, social workers
will correctly reflect policies,
procedures and services and
distnguish between personal and
ofcial views or positons.
i) Social workers will ensure that
professional relatonships are not
exploited to gain personal, material
or fnancial advantage.
j) Where dual or multple
relatonships with clients, former
clients, research partcipants,
students, supervisees or colleagues
exist, or are unavoidable, social
workers will set and enforce
explicit, appropriate professional
boundaries to minimise the risk of
conflict of interest, exploitaton
or harm.
5.1.7 Conflicts of interest
a) Social workers will remain aware
of the potental for conflicts of
interest which may affect their
ability to exercise professional
discreton and unbiased judgment.
These interests may derive from
personal, emotonal, conscientous,
sexual, familial, social, cultural,
religious, spiritual, fnancial,
business, politcal, professional or
organisatonal factors.
b) Social workers will be mindful that
conflicts of interest can also arise
in relaton to involuntary clients,
multple clients and confdentality
issues. At all tmes, clients’ interests
remain a priority, with due
consideraton for the respectve
interests of others.
24 :: AASW Code of Ethics [2010]
c) Where such a situaton is
foreseeable or occurs, social
workers will declare their interest
to the relevant partes and seek
to negotate a soluton.
If already involved in a
professional relatonship when
the conflict of interest arises,
social workers will declare it and
take appropriate acton, such as
consultng with a senior person
and, where relevant, the client or
clients. Members may also contact
the AASW Ethics Consultaton
Service. This may result in
renegotatng the professional
relatonship, or terminatng it and
referring appropriately.
d) Social workers will consider ethical
issues surrounding the giving and
acceptng of gifs in a professional
context. When deciding whether
or not to give, accept and declare
gifs, social workers will consider
the professional relatonship, any
relevant organisatonal policies, the
value of the gif, any cultural issues
and the motvaton for giving,
receiving or declining the gif.
e) Social workers will not give or
accept gifs which may impair
professional judgement, effect
the integrity or efcacy of the
professional relatonship or which
are of substantal value.
f) Social workers will refuse to accept,
or will refer, cases where it is not
possible to manage conflicts
of interest.
g) Social workers who practse in
rural or small communites, or
with specifc cultural groups,
will be aware of the increased
potental for conflicts of interest,
and will declare such interests to
an appropriate person, and where
possible, negotate a soluton.
However, it may be necessary for
the social worker and the client/s
to acknowledge and work with such
conflicts within the situaton. If no
supervisor or professional colleague
is available for consultaton,
members could contact the AASW
Ethics Consultaton Service.
h) Social workers who provide services
to two or more people who have a
relatonship with each other (e.g.
couples or family members), will
clarify with all partes the nature
of professional obligatons to those
who are receiving services. Social
workers who antcipate a conflict of
interest among the clients receiving
services, or who antcipate having
to perform in potentally conflictng
roles (e.g. testfying in court
proceedings), will clarify their role
with the partes involved and take
appropriate acton to minimise any
conflict of interest.2
2 Adapted from Natonal Associaton of
Social Workers (Washington DC, USA),
see Acknowledgements.
AASW Code of Ethics [2010] :: 25
5.2 Responsibilites to
clients
5.2.1 Priority of clients’ interest
a) Social workers will maintain the
best interests of clients as a priority,
with due regard to the respectve
interests of others.
b) In exceptonal circumstances, the
priority of clients’ interests may
be outweighed by the interests of
others, or by legal requirements
and conditons. In such situatons
clients will be made aware that
their interests, or those of others,
may be jeopardised.
c) Social workers will seek to
safeguard the rights, interests and
safety of clients who have limited
or impaired decision-making
capacity when actng on their
behalf, or when another person,
whether legally authorised or not,
is actng for the client.
d) Social workers will collaborate with
other professionals and service
providers in the interests of clients,
maintaining their privacy, and with
clients’ knowledge and consent
whenever possible. Social workers
will recognise the right of client
self-determinaton in this regard
and, where feasible, include clients
in such consultatons.
5.2.2 Client self-determinaton
a) Social workers will promote the
self-determinaton and autonomy
of clients, actvely seeking to enable
them to make informed decisions
on their own behalf.
b) Social workers will discuss
with clients their rights and
responsibilites and provide them
with honest and accurate available
informaton regarding:
• the nature of the social work
service being offered
• the recording of informaton
and who will have access to
such informaton
• the purpose, nature, extent
and known implicatons of the
optons open to them
• the foreseeable potental
risks and benefts of proposed
courses of acton
• their right to obtain a second
opinion or to refuse or cease
service (where clients are
voluntary clients)
• their rights of access to records
and to avenues of complaint.
c) Social workers will act to reduce
barriers to self-determinaton for
those who are unable to act for
themselves, because of factors
such as vulnerability, disability, age,
dependence, language, religion
and/or culture.
26 :: AASW Code of Ethics [2010]
d) Social workers will endeavour
to minimise the use of legal or
other compulsion. Any acton
which violates or diminishes the
civil or legal rights of clients must
be ethically, professionally and
legally justfable. Acton of this
kind will be taken only afer careful
evaluaton of the situaton and,
if possible, in collaboraton with
clients and other professionals.
e) Social workers will identfy and
promote the legitmate interests
of involuntary clients, taking into
account any conditons that apply
to their situaton.
f) Social workers will recognise that in
some cases their ability to promote
self-determinaton is limited
because clients may be involuntary
clients or because clients’ actons
pose a serious threat to themselves
or others.
g) Social workers will assist clients
to negotate and atain as much
autonomy as possible in all cases
where the clients’ right to selfdeterminaton is limited by the
social work role, duty of care, the
law or by other service providers
or partes. In partcular, involuntary
clients will be made aware of any
limitatons that apply to their
right to refuse services and will
be advised how, and in what
circumstances, informaton will be
shared with other partes.
h) Social workers will encourage
involuntary clients to partcipate
in decisions about the goals,
alternatves and services available
to them. Clients will be notfed
regarding decisions taken about
them, except where there is
evidence that this informaton may
bring about, or exacerbate, serious
harm to individuals or the public.
When a decision is made
to withhold informaton from a
client, the social worker will seek
specifc supervision and advice
about that decision and will
document appropriately.
i) Social workers engaged in
statutory practce will acknowledge
the nature and responsibility of
any legally mandated authority
they carry and ensure that the
principles of natural justce are
applied in all cases. Social workers
will advise clients about such
authority and its scope and will
ensure that any specifc limitatons
are made explicit
within the working relatonship.
Social workers will always remain
aware of the potental impact of
informal or coercive power on
involuntary clients and facilitate
access to advocacy services
where appropriate.
AASW Code of Ethics [2010] :: 27
5.2.3 Informed consent
a) Social workers will ensure, as far as
possible, that clients understand
the principle of informed consent
and the circumstances in which it
may be required.
b) Where clients have limited capacity
to comprehend or grant informed
consent, social workers will provide
informaton in accordance with the
clients’ level of understanding and
restrict their freedom of decision
and acton as litle as possible.
c) When informed consent is required
and the client cannot grant
informed consent, social workers
will, with the client’s permission
if applicable, obtain informed
consent from a party empowered
in accordance with relevant State
legislaton to provide consent on
the client’s behalf.
d) Social workers who are providing
services to children and/or young
people will identfy any relevant
legislatve requirements in relaton
to informed consent.
e) Social workers who are providing
services to children and/or young
people will assess their ability to
give informed consent to enter
into a therapeutc relatonship. In
order for a child or young person
to give informed consent they must
demonstrate their understanding of
the risks, benefts and alternatves
to clinical services.
f) A child or young person who is able
to give informed consent will be
considered enttled to access social
work services without informing
their parents or guardians.
However, where appropriate, the
issue of the child or young person
informing their parent or guardian
will be discussed.
g) Social workers will provide children
and/or young people who are able
to give informed consent with the
same rights of confdentality as
adult clients including the right to
refuse social work services.
h) Social workers will obtain consent
from the child or young person’s
parent or guardian if they are
deemed unable to give
informed consent.
5.2.4 Informaton privacy/
confdentality
a) Social workers will respect the
rights of clients to a relatonship of
trust, to privacy and confdentality
of their informaton and to
responsible use of informaton
obtained in the course of
professional service. This includes:
• taking care not to intrude
unnecessarily on clients’ privacy
when seeking informaton
• obtaining informed consent
from clients or their authorised
representatves to use this
informaton, even if the
informaton is legally required
28 :: AASW Code of Ethics [2010]
• determining to whom clients
wish such informaton to be
given or not to be given, in what
detail and in what circumstances
• determining from whom
informaton about clients may
be requested
• treatng informaton obtained
from relatves or others about
clients in the same confdental
manner as clients’ informaton.
b) Social workers will inform clients,
or their authorised representatves,
at the commencement of a
professional relatonship of:
• the limits of confdentality
in any given situaton, by
explaining agency or legal
requirements regarding the
recording, computerising or
sharing of informaton
• the purposes for which
informaton is obtained
• to whom the informaton may
be made available
• how the informaton may
be used
• the right to view or review
their records.
c) Social workers must inform clients
before commencing interviews if
the informaton obtained will be
used for assessment or any other
purpose and will be provided
to third partes for legal or
other reasons.
d) Social workers will use confdental
informaton only for the purpose
for which it was acquired; or, with
the writen consent of the client,
for a directly related purpose;
or with lawful excuse
(e.g. court subpoena or
statutory requirement).
e) Social workers will only reveal
confdental informaton in the
circumstances outlined above or in
any one or more of the following
situatons, provided it is permited
by law:
• if seeking advice from
or conferring with other
professionals or colleagues, or
if in a supervisory or training
capacity, then in all cases the
social worker must maintain
the client’s confdentality
and privacy and obtain prior
writen informed consent
from the client to release
the informaton; in which
case all third partes must
agree to protect the client’s
confdentality and privacy
• if by revealing informaton to
relevant third partes an actual,
identfable risk of harm to a
specifc person or persons can
be prevented.
AASW Code of Ethics [2010] :: 29
f) Before taking acton to disclose
clients’ confdences without
consent, the level of perceived
risk will be carefully assessed,
preferably in consultaton with
other professionals, including
referring professionals and with
reference to relevant policy and
law. Clients will be notfed when
disclosure without consent is
intended or has occurred, unless
this is contraindicated by issues
of potental harm or by
legal provisions.
g) Social workers will obtain informed
consent of clients or their
authorised representatves before
clients’ actvites are mechanically
or electronically recorded or
observed by a third party.
h) Social workers will clarify the
nature of confdentality with
partcipants in situatons where
two or more people are involved.
They will seek a commitment from
members of groups to respect the
privacy of shared informaton, and
will clarify that social workers can
not guarantee that all partcipants
will honour this agreement.3
i) Social workers will ensure clients’
anonymity and remove identfying
details when permited to use
confdental informaton for
purposes such as case presentaton,
consultaton, teaching, research
or educaton.
3 Adapted from Natonal Associaton of
Social Workers (Washington DC, USA),
see Acknowledgements.
j) Social workers will protect the
confdentality of deceased clients
consistent with the relevant
provisions of this Code.4
5.2.5 Records
a) Social workers will record
informaton impartally and
accurately, taking care to:
• report only essental and
relevant details
• refrain from using emotve or
derogatory language
• acknowledge the basis of
subjectve opinions
• protect clients’ privacy and
that of others involved in
the situaton.
Where records are shared
across professions or agencies,
informaton will be recorded only
to the degree that it addresses
clients’ needs and meets the
essental requirements of those
to be notfed. When conveying
confdental informaton, verbally,
through the post and electronically,
partcular atenton will be given to
protecton of privacy.
4 Adapted from Natonal Associaton of
Social Workers (Washington DC, USA),
see Acknowledgements.
30 :: AASW Code of Ethics [2010]
b) Before using clients’ records for
any purpose that is not specifcally
authorised, social workers will
obtain the informed consent of
clients or their representatves and
will remove or omit identfying
informaton, if possible. Where it is
not possible to remove or disguise
clients’ identtes, their knowledge
and consent are necessary. In some
circumstances, access to client
records may be ofcially authorised
or required by statute. Before
releasing informaton, the authority
of the person requestng access
and the nature of that access will
be checked to ensure that only
relevant material is released.
Where consent of clients has not
been obtained, atempts will be
made to notfy them that such
access has been granted.
c) Social workers will ensure all
prepared reports, whether for legal
purposes or any other purpose,
include separaton of fact and
opinion, that no relevant facts are
deliberately omited and that the
conclusions reached are based on
fact and research evidence. Reports
will provide a professional opinion
and are not to be a submission to
emphasise one partcular interest
over another.
d) Social workers will ensure that
clients have reasonable access
to ofcial social work records
concerning them. However, if there
are compelling professional, ethical
or legal reasons for refusing access,
social workers will advise clients of
their right to request a review of
the decision through organisatonal
or legal channels.
e) Social workers will take due care to
protect the confdences of others
when providing clients access
to records.
f) Social workers will advise clients
of available complaints procedures
if they are not satsfed with their
records or treatment.
g) Social workers will protect clients’
records, store them securely and,
where applicable, retain them for
any required statutory period.
h) When disposing of confdental
records, paper fles will be
shredded or burned and electronic
records will be cleared, in
accordance with any relevant
organisaton or legal guidelines.
AASW Code of Ethics [2010] :: 31
5.2.6 Terminaton/interrupton
of service
a) Social workers will renegotate
or terminate professional
relatonships and services when
these relatonships and services no
longer serve the interests or needs
of clients. Whether the decision to
renegotate or terminate is that of
clients or social workers, the reason
for the decision will be considered
and discussed. Social workers
will also discuss with clients their
needs, optons and preferences
before contnuing or discontnuing
services or offering to seek transfer
or referral.
b) Social workers will respect the right
of voluntary clients to discontnue
service, engage another
practtoner or seek a second
opinion. Social workers will discuss
the issues involved with clients, and
if terminaton is an opton, offer
assistance with the process.
c) When obliged to interrupt
or terminate a professional
relatonship for personal or
professional reasons, social workers
will seek to advise clients regarding
the discontnuaton of service and
if possible, ensure their referral to
another professional person.
d) Social workers will notfy relevant
family members or carers of clients
that have limited or no capacity,
if the current services are to be
discontnued. Social workers
will provide referrals or advice
regarding ongoing services.
5.3 Responsibilites to
colleagues
a) Social workers will take into
consideraton and respect the
diverse life experiences, different
values and cultural expertse
of Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander colleagues and those from
backgrounds other than their own.
b) Social workers will relate to
both social work colleagues and
colleagues from other disciplines
with respect, integrity and courtesy,
seeking to understand differences
in viewpoints and practce.
c) Social workers will utlise the
expertse of other team members
and disciplines for the beneft
of their clients when working
in teams.
d) Social workers will cooperate and
collaborate with other disciplines
to promote and expand ideas,
knowledge, theory and skills,
experience and opportunites that
improve professional expertse and
service provision.
e) Social workers will ensure, before
acceptng as clients those who
have been receiving services
from colleagues or outside
agencies, that the clients’
writen consent to communicate
appropriately with those colleagues
or agencies is obtained, if this is
considered necessary.
32 :: AASW Code of Ethics [2010]
f) Social workers will consider
carefully the potental for
professional conflicts of interest
where close personal relatonships,
social, business or sexual
relatonships with colleagues are
contemplated or existng.
g) Social workers will remain open to
respectul constructve comment
on their practce or behaviour.
h) Any critcism of colleagues’ practce
or behaviour must be defensible
and should be dealt with in a
professional manner. Social workers
will not make trivial and vexatous
complaints about colleagues.
i) Social workers will proactvely and
respectully seek to resolve conflict
with colleagues.
j) Social workers will address
suspected or confrmed professional
misconduct, incompetence,
unethical behaviour or negligence
by a colleague through the
appropriate organisatonal,
professional or legal channels.
Social workers will familiarise
themselves with the complaints
processes of their workplace and
with the AASW procedures for
complaints against members.
k) Social workers will recognise
and acknowledge the religious,
spiritual and secular world views of
colleagues, within a framework of
social justce and human rights.
5.4 Responsibilites in the
workplace
5.4.1 Service provision
a) Social workers will acknowledge
and strive to carry out the stated
aims and objectves of their
employing organisaton, agency or
service contractor, consistent with
the requirements of this Code.
b) Social workers will work towards
the best possible standards of
service provision and will be
accountable for their practce.
c) Social workers will appropriately
challenge, and/or report, and/
or work to improve, policies,
procedures, practces and service
provisions which:
• are not in the best interests
of clients
• are inequitable or unsafe
• are in any way oppressive,
disempowering or
culturally inappropriate
• are not in the best interests
of social workers or
other colleagues
• demonstrate unfair
discriminaton
• demonstrate known or
suspected incidents of improper
or corrupt conduct. Social
workers are advised to ascertain
what, if any, whistleblower
protecton optons are provided
in their state or territory.
AASW Code of Ethics [2010] :: 33
d) Social workers will endeavour to
effect change through consultaton,
using appropriate organisatonal
channels, when policies or
procedures of employing bodies
contravene professional standards.
e) Social workers will take all
reasonable steps to ensure that
employers are aware of this Code
and will advocate for conditons
and policies that reflect its
ethical positon.
f) Social workers will uphold the
ethical values and responsibilites
of this Code, even though
employers’ policies or ofcial
orders may not be compatble with
its provisions. Atempts to resolve
conflicts between ethical values
and organisatonal policies and
practces will remain consistent
with the values and responsibilites
outlined in this Code.
g) Social workers engaging in acton
to improve services or working
conditons will be guided by the
ethics of the profession.
h) Social workers who refuse to
engage in work that offends against
deeply held personal/moral/
spiritual/cultural convictons must
have justfable grounds for refusing
service. Conscientous objecton
must be based on reasoning that
is consistent with the profession’s
aims, and the values outlined
in this Code and that includes a
clear understanding of the social
worker’s role and duty.
i) Social workers will not use the
‘conscientous objecton’ provision
to avoid examining personal
values, stereotypes or biases;
avoid fulflling work obligatons;
to discriminate against people or
groups; or to deny service.
j) Social workers who foresee a
possible conflict between such
convictons and work dutes will
inform their current or prospectve
employers. In the event of such
conflicts, they should notfy
colleagues or employers. This
may mean redirectng clients to
other practtoners or services
to ensure that clients fnd
appropriate support.
5.4.2 Management
In additon to the general provisions
of the Code, social workers in
management will undertake specifc
ethical responsibilites.
a) Social workers will encourage
employers to implement policies
and procedures which enable and
support social workers to practse
ethically, as defned by this Code,
and to not put at risk their ability to
uphold such ethical standards.
b) Social workers will encourage
non-discriminatory policies
and practces and advocate for
resources to meet clients’ needs.
c) Social workers will not engage in,
nor accept other staff engaging in,
any form of discriminaton, abuse,
bullying or harassment.
34 :: AASW Code of Ethics [2010]
d) Social workers will promote
effectve teamwork and
communicaton and an efcient and
accountable social work service.
e) Social workers will seek to obtain/
maintain adequate staff levels and
acceptable working conditons
for staff.
f) Social workers will arrange for
professional supervision for social
work staff, including cultural
supervision, where appropriate.
g) Social workers will provide and/
or advocate for staff to have a
physical working environment
which supports effectve practce,
including appropriate arrangements
for confdental interviewing and
storage of confdental records.
h) Social workers will ensure that
staff under their directon receive
ongoing training and professional
educaton and advocate for
adequate resources to meet staff
development needs.
i) Social workers will ensure that staff
are ft to practse, hold appropriate
qualifcatons, provide references
(including evidence that they are
not a risk to service users) and
that they understand their roles
and responsibilites, including their
ethical dutes.
j) Social workers will provide or
arrange debriefng, crisis and/or
ongoing support for staff, especially
when they experience difcult or
traumatc circumstances.
k) Social workers will evaluate
the performance of staff and
supervisees fairly and responsibly,
ensuring that tmely feedback is
provided and that those evaluated
are included in the process.
AASW Code of Ethics [2010] :: 35
5.5 Responsibilites in
partcular contexts
5.5.1 Educaton, training,
supervision and evaluaton
In additon to the general provisions
of the Code, social workers engaged
in educaton, training, supervision
or evaluaton will undertake specifc
ethical responsibilites.
a) Social workers will possess and
maintain the necessary knowledge,
skills and methodology to perform
these tasks competently.
b) Social workers will seek to ensure
that their professional relatonships
in these areas are constructve and
non-exploitatve.
c) Social workers will include the
social work profession’s ethical
values and responsibilites as a
component of their instructons.
d) Social workers will ensure
honesty and integrity by fully
acknowledging and accurately
referencing other people’s work.
e) Social workers will foster in social
work students and supervisees a
knowledge and understanding of
both the social work profession
and this Code, emphasising the
relatonship of these to their
practce, teaching and research.
f) Social workers will inform students
of their ethical responsibilites to
agencies, supervisors, research
partcipants and clients.
g) Social workers will seek to
ensure that students are
effectvely supervised when
on feld placement.
h) Social workers will provide
appropriate training, supervision,
mentoring, guidance and support
for students and trainees.
i) Social workers will take all
reasonable steps to ensure that
social work students and social
workers under their supervision
act in accordance with the values
of this Code.
j) Social workers will adhere to
the principles of privacy and
confdentality in the supervisory
relatonship, acknowledging any
limitatons that may apply in
partcular circumstances.
k) Social workers will recognise that
the supervisor’s role is intended
to be educatonal, supportve,
developmental and work-focused.
In the event that supervisees
request or require therapy, they
will be referred to another
competent practtoner.
l) Social workers will evaluate the
performance of students and
supervisees fairly and responsibly,
ensuring that tmely feedback is
provided and that those evaluated
are included in the process.
36 :: AASW Code of Ethics [2010]
m) Social workers will ensure that
supervision and training are
culturally safe places for social
workers with diverse ethnic and
cultural backgrounds, religions,
sexual orientatons, gender
identtes, disabilites and
other identtes.
5.5.2 Research
In additon to the general provisions
of the Code, social workers engaged
in research will undertake specifc
ethical responsibilites and observe
the conventons of ethical scholarly
enquiry. (See Appendix 3: Relevant
natonal guidelines on
ethical research.)
5.5.2.1 General approach to research
a) Social workers will honour
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
knowledge and ensure that
research conducted with Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander peoples
and communites is based on
established Indigenous
research protocols.
b) Social workers will promote
appropriate individual and
community partcipaton
in research.
c) Social workers will ensure that the
research has merit and integrity by
demonstratng its potental beneft,
utlising appropriate methods
(artculated in a rigorous research
proposal) and by basing it on a
thorough review of the literature.
d) Social workers will ensure
that research is conducted,
either independently or under
supervision, by people who
have the appropriate levels of
competence, experience
and qualifcatons.
5.5.2.2 Respect, consent, privacy and
review in research
a) Social workers will place the
interests of research partcipants
above the social worker’s personal
interests or the interests of the
research project.
b) Social workers will consider
carefully the possible consequences
for individuals and society before
partcipatng in, or engaging in,
proposed research or evaluaton.
c) Social workers will ascertain that
due care has been taken to protect
the privacy and dignity of
research partcipants.
d) Social workers will ensure that
informed consent to partcipaton
has been obtained from either
the potental partcipants or
persons with lawful authority to
make decisions on behalf of the
prospectve partcipants. Children
and others whose ability to
provide consent is compromised
for any reason, will be offered the
opportunity to express their assent
or objecton to research procedures
and their views will be given due
regard. Informed consent involves
two elements:
AASW Code of Ethics [2010] :: 37
• all prospectve partcipants
will have the purpose of
the research, their role as
partcipants and any risks
explained to them in a way that
they can understand
• all prospectve partcipants
make a voluntary decision
to partcipate.
e) Social workers will consider
carefully the process of voluntary
consent in situatons where the
research partcipant may be a child
or adolescent; a person with an
intellectual or mental impairment;
a person highly dependent on
medical care; or a person in a
dependent or unequal relatonship
with the social work researcher.
f) Social workers will ensure that
consent is given voluntarily, without
coercion or inferred disadvantage
for refusal to cooperate.
Partcipants will be informed that
in general they may withdraw
from a program at any tme, taking
into account stated conditons of
entry and closure, and without
compromising any treatment
being received from a service.
Researchers may sometmes need
to apply to waive consent (such
as the use of de-identfed data in
large scale epidemiological studies;
observaton of individuals in
public places; or use of
anonymous surveys).
g) Social workers will assess, minimise
and actvely manage risk for harm
(including physical, psychological
and social harm), discomfort
and inconvenience.
h) Social workers will seek to
ensure the anonymity and/
or confdentality of research
partcipants and data and discuss
them only in limited circumstances
for professional purposes. Any
identfying informaton obtained
from or about partcipants during
the research process will be treated
as confdental.
i) Social workers will submit research
proposals to an appropriate ethics
or review body where applicable.
Research projects involving humans
must be reviewed by an accredited
Human Research Ethics Commitee.
Quality improvement projects
for which the results are used to
inform service provision and are
kept internal within an agency
do not generally require
ethics approval.
j) Social workers will retain, store and
manage research material for the
required period taking into account
professional, insttutonal and
legal requirements.
5.5.2.3 Publicaton and distributon of
research fndings
a) Social workers will accurately and
fully disseminate research fndings.
38 :: AASW Code of Ethics [2010]
b) Social workers will inform
research partcipants or their
representatves, where possible, of
research results that are relevant
to them.
c) Social workers will bring research
results that indicate or demonstrate
social inequalites or injustces
to the atenton of the
relevant bodies.
d) Social workers will acknowledge
and atribute fully the work of all
authors/contributors.
e) Social workers will adhere to
general policies on authorship. In
research and scholarly endeavours,
credit will be taken only for work
actually performed.
f) Social workers will disclose any
fnancial or other support for
the research accurately and
acknowledge potental conflicts
of interest.
g) Social workers will ensure that
publicaton and disseminaton is
conducted responsibly, taking into
account the risks and possible
consequences to individuals
and communites.
h) Social workers will ensure that peer
review is conducted responsibly,
in partcular that it is fair, tmely,
respects confdentality and
declares potental conflicts
of interest.
5.5.3 Self-employment
In additon to the general provisions
of the Code, social workers who are
self-employed will undertake specifc
ethical responsibilites.
a) Social workers will advise clients
regarding fee schedules and
any costs before commencing
professional service and charge
only for hours and services
contracted with them.
b) Social workers will provide clients
with secure payment methods and
will issue receipts promptly.
c) Social workers will arrange
appropriate temporary or
substtute service for clients
when unavailable or unable to
contnue practce.
d) Social workers will inform
clients and offer suitable referral
when clients’ needs fall outside
the practtoner’s area of
expertse or ability to provide
services/resources.
e) Social workers will not solicit the
clients of either their colleagues
or their place of employment for
private practce.
f) Social workers will maintain
practce records in accordance
with this Code and with all other
relevant legal requirements.
g) Social workers will maintain
adequate professional indemnity
and public liability insurance
coverage as a protecton for clients.
AASW Code of Ethics [2010] :: 39
h) Social workers will ensure that
when providing services funded
by third partes, social workers
have a primary responsibility for
the welfare of their clients. In
negotatons to provide services
to clients on behalf of an agency
or funding source, social workers
will ensure that the services
they provide are ethically and
professionally appropriate.
i) Social workers will discuss the
nature and duraton of their
contact with clients, so that
interactons can proceed with
informed consent. Prior to
commencing professional service,
social workers will inform clients
of their role, the nature of their
services, any agency requirements
(if services are funded by a third
party), any statutory obligatons
and the expected outcome/s of
their contact with the client.
j) Social workers will ensure their
practce venue offers privacy,
confdentality, suitable access
and is safe and secure for clients
and staff.
k) Social workers will not solicit
or receive a fee or other
consideratons to or from a third
party for the referral of a client.
l) Social workers will ensure that
client confdentality is protected
in the event of the social
worker’s terminaton of practce,
incapacitaton or death.
5.5.4 Remote service delivery
a) Social workers will explain, at
the outset of the professional
relatonship, the limitatons of
remote service delivery, the
potental impact of this, and obtain
the partcipant’s informed consent
to proceed with the service.
b) Social workers will maintain up to
date ant-virus, ant-spyware and
frewall programs.
c) Social workers will ensure that they
regularly back-up their computer
and securely store a copy of all
client documents off-site.
d) Social workers will ensure that
all computers that they use for
the provision of remote services
are password protected, and that
passwords are stored securely.
e) Social workers will recommend
that clients accessing remote social
work services also have access to
face to face support, if assessed
that this may be required.
40 :: AASW Code of Ethics [2010]
5.6 Responsibilites to the
profession
a) Social workers will uphold the
dignity and integrity of the
profession and will inform their
practce from a recognised social
work knowledge base.
b) Social workers will strive for
and promote excellence in the
social work profession. They
will engage in discussion about,
and constructve critcism of the
profession, its theories, methods
and practces.
c) Social workers will promote the
profession of social work, its
processes and outcomes and will
defend the profession against
unjust critcism.
d) Social workers will take acton
where a breach of this Code occurs,
if permited by law.
e) Social workers will cooperate
with both AASW investgatons
into maters of complaint against
themselves or other social workers
and the requirements of any
associated disciplinary hearings.
f) Social workers will report to
the AASW and/or relevant
organisatonal body, persons who
misrepresent their qualifcatons as
a social worker, or their eligibility
for, or membership of, the AASW, if
permited by law.
AASW Code of Ethics [2010] :: 41
GlOSSaRY OF TERMS
Terms used in this Code of Ethics that are defned in the Glossary have the meaning
given in the Glossary.
Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander Peoples
“An Aboriginal person is ofen defned legally as
a person who is a descendant of an Indigenous
inhabitant of Australia, sees himself or herself as an
Aboriginal person and is recognised as Aboriginal
by members of the community in which her or she
lives. Torres Strait Islanders have cultural origins in
nearby Melanesia. Traditonally they lived in the Torres
Strait, which separates the north of Queensland from
New Guinea, though today many have migrated and
now live on the mainland” (Australian Insttute of
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies 2008).
Advocacy “Advocacy is a term with roots in legal practce. It
refers to the actvites associated with negotatng
or representng on behalf of a person” (Burke &
Dalrymple 2009, p. 265).
Ant-oppressive
practce
“A form of social work practce which addresses social
divisions and structural inequalites … to provide more
appropriate and sensitve services by responding
to people’s needs regardless of their social status.
Ant-oppressive practce embodies a person-centred
philosophy, an egalitarian value system concerned
with reducing the deleterious effects of structural
inequalites upon people’s lives; a methodology
focusing on both process and outcome; and a way of
structuring relatonships between individuals that aim
to empower users by reducing the negatve effects of
hierarchy in … the work they do together” (Dominelli,
cited in Dominelli 2009, p. 53).
Ant-racist “Ant-racist practce calls for the development of
theories and practces which privilege understandings
of the complex and partcular operatons of race
power together with relevant cultural knowledge”
(Quinn 2009, p. 98).
42 :: AASW Code of Ethics [2010]
Autonomy “The power of a person to act (1) freely and
intentonally; (2) with substantal understanding; and
(3) without controlling powers forcing them to choose
to act in one way rather than another. The term ‘selfdeterminaton’ has a similar meaning” (Clifford & Burke
2009, p. 64).
Client Clients are individuals, families and other kinship
arrangements, groups, communites, organisatons
and societes, especially those who are neglected,
vulnerable, disadvantaged, alienated or have
exceptonal needs.
Code of Ethics “Codes of ethics are documents that aim to identfy
the broad values, principles and standards of ethical
conduct on which a partcular profession is based”
(Bowles, Collingridge, Curry & Valentne 2006,
pp. 75, 76).
Competence “This is about care-giving, the actual work of care
that needs to be done – one’s ability to do something
about another’s needs. The term ‘competence’
is being used here in an holistc sense relatng to
professionals’ abilites and capacites, rather than a set
of discrete technical skills (competencies)” (Banks &
Gallagher 2009, p. 104).
Confdentality “Respectng private and personal informaton, unless
there are overriding ethical reasons for not doing”
(Clifford & Burke 2009, p. 68).
Culturally competent
practce
“Cultural competence can be achieved through a
commitment to achieving culturally appropriate
service delivery and a culturally appropriate workplace
environment. This commitment would require a
focus on systemic, organisatonal, professional and
individual levels” (Farrelly & Lumby 2009, p.17).
AASW Code of Ethics [2010] :: 43
Cultural safety “An environment that is spiritually, socially and
emotonally safe, as well as physically safe for people;
where there is no assault challenge or denial of
their identty, of who they are and what they need.
It is about shared respect, shared meaning, shared
knowledge and experience of learning together”
(Williams, cited in Bin-Sallik 2003, p. 21).
Culturally sensitve
practce
“Culturally sensitve social work practce builds on
the general principles and ethical standards of social
work. The core of the model is to recognise and
respect clients’ ethnic, cultural and race-based values,
characteristcs, traditons and behaviour, and to
integrate these characteristcs successfully into social
work practce. Culturally sensitve social work practce
requires that social workers are aware of their cultural
values and perceptons and how these impact upon
their work with clients” (Soydan 2010, p. 144).
Culture “The distnctve ways of life and shared values, beliefs
and meanings common to groups of people” (Quinn
2009, p. 266).
Discriminaton “Negatve discriminaton is the prejudging and
unfavourable treatment of people on the basis
of perceived difference. Positve discriminaton
refers to policies, programs or actons that favour
disadvantaged persons or groups” (Chenoweth &
McAuliffe 2008, p. 267).
Dual or multple
relatonships
“Dual or multple relatonships between social workers
and clients can assume many forms. Issues can arise
in relaton to having social contact, exchanging gifs,
sharing meals, maintaining friendships, sharing
personal details with clients, having business dealings
with clients, and becoming involved with clients
sexually” (Reamer 2006, p. 109).
44 :: AASW Code of Ethics [2010]
Ethical decision
making
“Ethical decision-making is the process by which social
workers engage in an exploraton of values – that
may be evident in the personal, professional, social
and organisatonal spheres – in order to establish
where an ethical dilemma might lie according to what
competng principles, and what factors take priority in
the weighing up of alternatves” (McAuliffe 2010, p.
41).
Ethics “Ethics is a branch of philosophy which addresses
questons about morality, such as what is the
fundamental nature of morality and the way in which
moral values are determined” (Gray & Webb 2010, p.
1).
Human rights “Human rights refer to the basic rights and freedoms
to which all humans are enttled. They are socially
sanctoned enttlements to the goods and services
that are necessary to develop human potental and
well-being” (Ife 2010, p. 148).
Informed consent “In general, for consent to be considered valid six
standards must be met: (1) coercion and undue
influence must not have played a role in the client’s
decision; (2) clients must be mentally capable of
providing consent; (3) clients must consent to specifc
procedures or actons; (4) the consent forms and
procedures must be valid; (5) clients must have the
right to refuse or withdraw consent; and (6) clients’
decisions must be based on adequate informaton”
(Reamer 2006, pp. 167, 168).
Involuntary clients “Involuntary Clients: people who have not chosen to
receive services, or who may be actvely opposed to
receiving services, which are ofen court-ordered or
provided under threat of some other legal sancton”
(Troter 2006, p. 2).
AASW Code of Ethics [2010] :: 45
Natural justce (also
procedural fairness)
“Open and clear processes of decision-making, which
explicitly identfy the evidence, the reasoning and
the authority used to reach a decision, and provide
a clear and succinct statement that sets out these
elements and can be challenged. Procedural fairness
also demands that those affected by a decision have
the opportunity to know the detail of the case against
them, to challenge the basis of that case, to mount
an alternatve argument, and to know the avenues for
further appeal, if any” (Swain & Bigby 2009, p. 339).
Oppression “Oppression designates the disadvantage,
marginalizaton and injustce some groups of people
experience as part of their everyday life. It involves the
devaluaton of people’s atributes and contributons to
society on the grounds of who they are as members
of a group socially confgured as inferior” (Dominelli
2010, p. 160).
Remote service
delivery
Remote service delivery refers to the electronic
delivery of the full range of services (including
counselling, supervision, teaching, research and so
on) provided by social workers. This includes but
is not limited to services provided via: telephones
and mobile phones (including verbally and via
sms), computers (including internet and online
environments and email), Skype, social networking
sites etc.
Sexualised conduct Includes all conduct of a sexual nature including:
physical contact and verbal, non-verbal, writen and
electronic (i.e. via sms, email, social networking sites
etc.) expressions. It also includes the creaton of a
sexualised atmosphere (e.g. “discussion of what a
sexual or romantc relatonship might be like between
the professional and the client, a voyeuristc interest
by the professional in the client’s sex life”, sexual
suggeston or innuendo) (Disch 2001, p. 206).
46 :: AASW Code of Ethics [2010]
Social justce “Social justce refers to the concept of a society in
which justce is achieved in every aspect of society,
rather than merely through the administraton of
law. It is generally considered as a social world which
affords individuals and groups fair treatment, equality
and an impartal share of the benefts of membership
of society” (Ife 2010, p. 148).
Spirituality “Spirituality is a search for meaning, and purpose
and connecton with self, others, the encompassing
universe and ultmate reality” (Gilligan 2010, p. 60).
Values “Professional values are a partcular grouping and
ordering of values within a professional context.
In social work such values tend to focus on human
functoning, capabilites and development” (Congress
2010, p. 19).
AASW Code of Ethics [2010] :: 47
REFEREnCE lIST
Adams, R, Dominelli, L & Payne, M (eds) 2009, Social work: themes, issues and
critcal debates, 3rd edn, Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke (UK).
Allan, J, Briskman, L & Pease, B (eds) 2009, Critcal social work: theories and
practces for a socially just world, 2nd edn, Allen & Unwin, Crows Nest (NSW).
Australian Insttute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies 2008 Litle yellow
red black site, Canberra, viewed 17 September 2010, htp://lryb.aiatsis.gov.au/
Banks, S & Gallagher, A 2009, Ethics in professional life: virtues for health and
social care, Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke (UK).
Bin-Sallik, M 2003, ‘Cultural safety: let’s name it!’, The Australian Journal of
Indigenous Educaton, vol. 32, pp. 21–28.
Bowles, W, Collingridge, M, Curry, S & Valentne, B 2006, Ethical practce in
social work: an applied approach, Allen & Unwin, Crows Nest (NSW).
Burke, B & Dalrymple, J 2009, ‘Critcal interventon and empowerment’, in
R Adams, L Dominelli & M Payne (eds), Social work: themes, issues and critcal
debates, 3rd edn, Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke (UK), pp. 261–270.
Chenoweth, L & McAuliffe, D 2008, The road to social work & human service
practce, 2nd edn, Cengage Learning, South Melbourne (VIC).
Clifford, D & Burke, B 2009, Ant-oppressive ethics and values in social work,
Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke (UK).
Congress, E 2010, ‘Code of ethics’, in M Gray & S Webb (eds), Ethics and value
perspectves in social work, Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke (UK), pp. 19–30.
Disch, E. 2001, ‘Sex in the Consultng Room, the Examining Room, and the Sacristy:
Survivors of Sexual Abuse by Professionals’, American Journal of Orthopsychiatry,
vol. 71, no. 2, pp. 204–217.
Dominelli, L 2010, ‘Ant-oppressive practce, in M Gray & S Webb (eds), Ethics
and value perspectves in social work, Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke (UK),
pp. 160–172.
Dominelli, L 2009, ‘Ant-oppressive practce: the challenges of the twenty-frst
century’, in R Adams, L Dominelli & M Payne (eds) Social work: themes, issues
and critcal debates, 3rd edn, Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke (UK).
Farrelly, T & Lumby, B 2009, ‘A best practce approach to cultural competence
training’, Aboriginal & Islander Health Worker Journal, vol. 33, no. 5, pp. 14–22.
48 :: AASW Code of Ethics [2010]
Gilligan, P 2010, ‘Faith-based approaches’, in M Gray & S Webb (eds), Ethics and
value perspectves in social work, Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke (UK), pp. 60–70.
Gray, M & Webb, S (eds) 2010, Ethics and value perspectves in social work,
Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke (UK).
Gray, M & Webb, S 2010, ‘Introducton: ethics and value perspectves in social
work’, in M Gray & S Webb (eds), Ethics and value perspectves in social work,
Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke (UK), pp. 1–16.
Ife, J 2010, ‘Human rights and social justce’, in M Gray & S Webb (eds), Ethics
and value perspectves in social work, Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke (UK),
pp. 148–159
McAuliffe, D 2010, ‘Ethical decision-making’, in M Gray & S Webb (eds), Ethics and
value perspectves in social work, Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke (UK), pp. 41–50.
Quinn, M 2009, ‘Towards ant-racist and culturally afrming practces’, in J Allan,
L Briskman & B Pease (eds), Critcal social work: theories and practces for a socially
just world, 2nd edn, Allen & Unwin, Crows Nest (NSW), pp. 91–104.
Reamer, F 2006, Social work values and ethics, 3rd edn, Colombia University Press,
New York.
Soydan, H 2010, ‘Ant-racist practce’, in M Gray & S Webb (eds) Ethics and value
perspectves in social work, Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke (UK), pp. 135–147.
Swain, P & Bigby, C 2009, ‘Social security and welfare rights’, in P Swain & S Rice
(eds), In the shadow of the law: the legal context of social work practce, 3rd edn,
The Federaton Press, Annandale (NSW), pp. 339–359.
Swain, P. & Rice, S (eds) 2009, In the shadow of the law: the legal context of social
work practce, 3rd edn, The Federaton Press, Annandale (NSW).
Troter, C. 2006, Working with involuntary clients: a guide to practce, 2nd edn,
Allen & Unwin, Crows Nest (NSW).
AASW Code of Ethics [2010] :: 49
aPPEnDIX 1: HUMan RIGHTS DOCUMEnTS
Human rights treates
Please see the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Australian Treates
Database for a full and current listng of treates to which Australia is a signatory.
www.dfat.gov.au/treates/index.html
• Protocol additonal to the Geneva Conventons of 12 August 1949, and relatng
to the Adopton of an Additonal Distnctve Emblem (Protocol III) [2010]
• Optonal Protocol to the Conventon on the Rights of Persons with Disabilites
[2009]
• Optonal Protocol to the Conventon on the Eliminaton of all Forms of
Discriminaton Against Women of 18 December 1979 [2009]
• Conventon on the Rights of Persons with Disabilites [2008]
• Optonal Protocol to the Conventon on the Rights of the Child on the Sale of
Children, Child Prosttuton and Child Pornography [2007]
• Optonal Protocol to the Conventon on the Rights of the Child on the
Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict [2006]
• Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafcking in Persons, especially
Women and Children, supplementng the United Natons Conventon Against
Transnatonal Organized Crime [2005]
• Second Optonal Protocol to the Internatonal Covenant on Civil and Politcal
Rights, Aiming at the Aboliton of the Death Penalty [1991]
• Conventon against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment
or Punishment [1989]
• Conventon on the Eliminaton of all Forms of Discriminaton against Women
[1983]
• Internatonal Covenant on Civil and Politcal Rights [1980]
• Internatonal Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights [1976]
• Conventon on the Politcal Rights of Women [1975]
• Conventon on the Eliminaton of all forms of Racial Discriminaton [1975]
• Protocol Relatng to the Status of Refugees [1973]
50 :: AASW Code of Ethics [2010]
• Supplementary Conventon on the Aboliton of Slavery, the Slave Trade, and
Insttutons and Practces Similar to Slavery incorporated in the Final Act of the
United Natons Conference of Plenipotentaries [1958]
• Final Act and Conventon Relatng to the Status of Refugees [1954]
• Protocol amending the Slavery Conventon signed at Geneva on 25 September
1926 [1953]
• Conventon on the Preventon and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide [1951]
• Internatonal Agreement for the Suppression of White Slave Trafc, as amended
by the Protocol signed at Lake Success, New York, 4 May 1949 [1949]
• Protocol amending the Internatonal Agreement for the Suppression of White
Slave Trafc, signed at Paris on 18 May 1904, and the Internatonal Conventon
for the Suppression of White Slave Trafc, signed at Paris on 4 May 1910 [1949]
• Conventon relatve to the Treatment of Prisoners of War [1931]
• Slavery Conventon [1927]
• Conventon revising the General Act of Berlin of 26 February 1885 and the
General Act and Declaraton of Brussels of 2 July 1890 [1920]
Relevant declaratons
• Declaraton on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples [2007]
• Declaraton on the Eliminaton of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discriminaton
Based on Religion or Belief [1981]
• Declaraton on the Rights of Disabled Persons [1975]
• Declaraton on the Rights of Mentally Retarded Persons [1971]
• Declaraton of the Rights of the Child [1959]
Natonal legislaton relevant to the above treates
and declaratons
• Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 (Cth) (formerly called the
Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission Act 1986)
• Age Discriminaton Act 2004 (Cth)
• Disability Discriminaton Act 1992 (Cth)
• Race Discriminaton Act 1975 (Cth)
• Sex Discriminaton Act 1984 (Cth)
AASW Code of Ethics [2010] :: 51
aPPEnDIX 2: ETHICS COMPlaInTS ManaGEMEnT PROCESS FlOWCHaRT
Please refer to www.aasw.asn.au for the current version of this process.
Natonal Ethics Panel:
• decide if the complaint should be dismissed or
referred to a Hearing.
• If referred to Hearing, Natonal Ethics Ofce
convenes a Hearing Panel (formed from a specially
trained and screened natonal Ethics Pool).

Natonal Ethics Panel
oversees any penaltes
which apply.

Natonal Ethics Ofce:
• Forward copy of the complaint to the Natonal Ethics Panel Chair;
• Acknowledge receipt of complaint;
• If Natonal Ethics Panel Chair decides complaint can proceed,
inform respondent of complaint, by phone if possible;
• Send copy of complaint to respondent, including informaton
about the ECMP and a copy of the By-Laws and Code of Ethics; and
requestng a response to the complaint within 20
working days.
If mater is going straight to Hearing, Natonal Ethics Ofce:
• Arranges Hearing date and venue;
• Writes to respondent and complainant informing them of date, venue and
arrangements of the Hearing; membership of the Hearing Panel; advises
complainant and respondent they can have a support person and
witnesses with them; and requests confrmaton in writng that they will be
at the Hearing;
• Finalises arrangements for the Hearing.

Natonal Ethics Ofce
convenes a Hearing
Panel. Hearing Panel
reviews the material and
decides if an investgaton
is required and notfes
Natonal Ethics Ofce.
Ethics staff:
• Discusses informal or alternatve dispute resoluton optons;
• If complainant wishes to proceed with formal complaint,
check membership database to see if social worker is a
current member;
• Explains the ECMP;
• Sends Complaint kit & relevant informaton to the
potental complainant.

52 :: AASW Code of Ethics [2010]
Australian Insttute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) 2000,
Guidelines for ethical research in Indigenous studies, AIATSIS.
Natonal Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC)and Consumers Health
Forum 2002, Statement on consumer and community partcipaton in health and
medical research, Commonwealth of Australia, Canberra.
NHMRC 2003, Values and ethics: guidelines for ethical conduct in Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander health research, Commonwealth of Australia, Canberra.
NHMRC 2005, Keeping research on track: a guide for Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander peoples about health research ethics, Commonwealth of Australia,
Canberra.
NHMRC, Australian Research Council and Australian Vice-Chancellors’ Commitee
2007, Natonal statement on ethical conduct in human research, Commonwealth of
Australia, Canberra.
NHMRC, Australian Research Council and Universites Australia 2007, Australian
code for the responsible conduct of research, Commonwealth of Australia,
Canberra.
aPPEnDIX 3: RElEVanT naTIOnal GUIDElInES
On ETHICal RESEaRCH
AASW Code of Ethics [2010] :: 53
On behalf of the Australian Associaton
of Social Workers, the Directors of the
Board thank the Code of Ethics Review
Commitee for successfully leading the
2009–2010 review of the AASW Code
of Ethics. The Commitee members,
whose names are outlined below,
were unstntng in their endeavours
and commitment to ensure that our
revised AASW Code of Ethics is a
hallmark for the social work profession
in Australia and elsewhere.
Convenor: Associate Professor Donna
McAuliffe (Natonal Ethics
Group Convenor)
Members: Christne King (Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander
Natonal Working
Group representatve)
Roslyn Giles AM
(Practce Standards
Commitee Convenor)
Gail Slocombe (Natonal
Ethics Group member)
Sharlene Nipperess
(Code of Ethics Review
Project Ofcer)
Kym Daly (Natonal
Ethics Ofcer)
The Board and the Code of Ethics
Review Commitee express our
grattude to the following groups
and individuals for their invaluable
contributons to the review:
• AASW Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander Natonal Working Group
• AASW Branch Ethics Groups
• Code of Ethics Review Reference
Group
We would also like to partcularly
thank Professor Sarah Banks (Durham
University, UK) and Professor Richard
Hugman (Internatonal Federaton
of Social Workers Ethics Commitee
Convenor) for the generous
contributons of their tme, expertse
and wisdom to this review.
Our sincere appreciaton is also
extended to the organisatons which
allowed us to use and adapt aspects
of their intellectual property in our
revised Code:
• Internatonal Federaton of Social
Workers
• Natonal Associaton of Social
Workers (Washington DC, USA)
• Natonal eTherapy Centre,
Swinburne University of
Technology, Melbourne, Australia
(and in partcular, Associate
Professor David Austn)
• Queensland Government, for
allowing us to use and adapt
clause 4(c) of the Queensland
Government Consttuton
(Preamble) Amendment Act 2010.
aCKnOWlEDGEMEnTS
54 :: AASW Code of Ethics [2010]
• Atorney General’s Department,
for allowing us to adapt ideas
from the following sources, which
are copyright Commonwealth
of Australia and reproduced
by permission:
• NHMRC, Australian Research
Council and Australian
Vice-Chancellors’ Commitee
2007, Natonal statement
on ethical conduct in human
research, Commonwealth of
Australia, Canberra.
• NHMRC, Australian Research
Council and Universites
Australia 2007, Australian code
for the responsible conduct of
research, Commonwealth of
Australia, Canberra.
In partcular, we wish to sincerely
thank our colleagues at the Natonal
Associaton of Social Workers for
allowing us to use and adapt aspects
of their Code of Ethics. Identfed
clauses were adapted and reprinted
with permission of the Natonal
Associaton of Social Workers, Inc, 750
First Street, N.E. Suite 700 Washington,
DC 20002-4241, USA. NASW
Procedures for Professional Review.
Our thanks is also given to:
• Elizabeth McEntyre, Aboriginal
artst and AASW member, for her
cover artwork
• Brian Wooller, AASW Board
member responsible for the ethics
portolio
• Suzanne Cleary, Blake Dawson, for
her legal advice on the fnal draf
• Sylvia Marson, for her editng work
• Professor Maria Harries AM for her
facilitaton of the Natonal Ethics
Think Tank
• Karen Silsby, for her design
and layout.
Finally, we would like to acknowledge
and thank the hundreds of social
workers (both AASW members and
non-members), other professionals,
consumers, organisatons, employers
and members of the general
public, across the country, whose
contributons added depth and
richness to this review and to the
AASW’s new Code of Ethics.
Professor Bob Lonne
Natonal President
Australian Associaton of
Social Workers
September 2010
AASW Code of Ethics [2010] :: 55