Eastern Star Academy, Inc.

SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT

Grade Level: Grade 12      Learning Modality:  Modular Distance Learning

  Subject: DIAS Subject Teacher:  Jhener Nonesa, LPT

Discipline and Ideas in the Applied Social Sciences

Most Essential Learning Competencies:

 identify the goals and scope of social work
 explain the principles and core values of social work
 explain the roles and functions of social workers
 identify specific work areas in which social workers work
 value rights, responsibilities, and accountabilities
 distinguish between ethical and unethical behaviors among practitioners
Duration: Week 5 and 6, 3 hours

DISCIPLINES OF SOCIAL WORKS

What is Social Work?

Social work is a practice-based profession that promotes social change, development,
cohesion and the empowerment of people and communities. Social work practice involves the
understanding of human development, behavior and the social, economic and cultural institutions
and interactions. Social work professionals working with families and institutions have helped to
provide and advance the following social impacts:
 Civil Rights
 Unemployment Insurance
 Disability Pay
 Worker’s Compensation
 Reduced Mental Health Stigma
 Medicaid and Medicare
 Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention
What is a Social Worker?
Social workers are professionals who aim to enhance overall well-being and help meet
basic and complex needs of communities and people. Social workers work with many different
populations and types of people, particularly focusing on those who are vulnerable, oppressed,
and living in poverty.
Depending on their specialty, job title and place of employment, a social worker may be required
to participate in legislative processes that often result in the formation of social policies. They lean
on social work values and principles, as well as academic research to carry out their work. 

Social workers are educated and trained to address social injustices and barriers to their client’s
overall wellbeing. Some of these include poverty, unemployment, discrimination and lack of
housing. They also support clients and communities who are living with disabilities, substance
abuse problems, or experience domestic conflicts. 

Social workers often fine-tune their practice with a focus on a level of interventions and types of
communities they wish to serve. A clinical social worker, for example, focuses on diagnoses,
treatments and prevention of mental, emotional and behavioral issues. On the other hand, a social
worker may focus on research and development for small or large scale programs to help the
community, like medic aid. 

GOALS AND SCOPES OF SOCIAL WORK

DuBois and Miley (2008) highlights the following goals and scope of social
work calling them tenents.

 Empower people, individually and collectively, to utilize their own

problem-solving and coping capabilities more effectively.
 Support a proactive position with regard to social and economic policy
development to prevent problems for individuals and society from
occurring.
 Uphold the integrity of the profession in all aspects of social work
practice.
 Establish linkages between people and societal resources to further
social functioning and enhance the quality of life.
 Develop cooperative networks within the institutional resource system.
 Facilitate the responsiveness of the institutional resource systems to
meet health and human service needs.
 Promote social justice and equality of all people with regard to full
participation in society.
 Contribute to the development of knowledge for social work profession
through research and evaluation.
 Encourage exchange of information in those institutional systems in
which both problems and resources opportunities are produced.
 Enhance communication through an appreciation of diversity and through
ethnically sensitive, non-sexist social work practice.
 Employ educational strategies for the prevention and resolution of
problems.
 Embrace a world view of human issues and solutions problems.

The goal and scope of social work as laid down here is noble and broad- to
help an individual be included in society and to transform the very society
that creates structures that marginalize individuals from full participation in
the enjoyments of social services and resources of the community. Change
sought is one that makes an individual and the community a better place for
everyone.

What would be the principal goal of social work?

a.)CARING
b.)CURING
c.)CHANGING

THE GOAL ON CARING

Caring refers to the heart of social work and it focuses on the well-being or the
welfare and comfort of the individual and community.
The goal on caring involves the enhancement of the quality of life in prisons, the
upgrading and humanizing services in nursing homes etc.

THE GOAL ON CURING

Curing refers to the aspect of treating people with problems in social functioning.
Techniques:
Popular counseling approaches (family therapy, behavior modification, gestalt
therapy etc.)

THE GOAL ON CHANGING

Changing refers to the active participation of the social workers in social reforms.
This goal comes from a perspective that there is a persistence of poverty,
environmental destruction, and social disintegration.
One of the most significant goals of social work because it contributes in the
struggle to pursue a lasting social change.
 5 of the Most Important Core Social Work
Values
There are more than five core social work values that encompass everything from
integrity to individual dignity to compassionate service to social justice to human
relationships. These core values are inherent to the effectiveness of social work
activities and programs. These core codes serve certain purposes. For example,
they establish the moral foundation of the social worker's organization and they
summarize the ethical principles used to set professional standards and guide social
work practices. These codes help social workers identify professional obligations
and legal conflicts of interest. The codes are public standards that the public can
use to hold social workers accountable.

Service
The primary goal of social workers is exemplary public service through helping needy people
address, manage and resolve various social problems. Social workers must always elevate public
service above self-interest and personal gain. Social workers use their skills and knowledge to
help their clients through serious social problems, such as drug dependency, child abuse,
residential instability and criminal behaviors. Social workers often volunteer their professional skills
through community organizations free of charge.

Social Justice
Social workers advocate for social justice and fight against social injustice. They offer social
support and resources for vulnerable individuals and oppressed groups. Their social change
efforts are primarily focused on poverty, education, housing, unemployment and discrimination.
They promote public sensitivity to social justice issues and encourage the public to embrace
cultural respect and genetic diversity. Social workers ensure that their clients have access to basic
services, resources and information. They promote the equality of opportunity and wholesome
engagement with clients.

Values
Social workers value the dignity and worth of each person. They treat each client in a
compassionate and respectful way that is mindful of individual differences, cultural norms and
ethnic diversity. They promote clients' socially responsible self-determination based on their
individual values. Social workers strive to increase their clients' capability to change, address their
own needs and become self-reliant. Social workers are always aware that they are simultaneously
responsible to their clients, the law and their organization. They resolve conflicts between clients
and society in ways that are respectful and socially responsible.

Human Relationships
Social workers recognize the primary importance of human relationships. They understand that
relationships between people are important vehicles for change, advocacy and equity. Social
workers engage clients, other professionals and community program staff as partners in the
healing and helping process. They improve relationships among people in order to restore and
promote the functionality of clients, their families and communities. Because social work depends
on the ability to maintain positive relationships with individuals who may be hostile and unreliable,
social workers must be patient and communicative.

Integrity
Social workers must always act in trustworthy ways. They must maintain a continual awareness of
their organization's mission, their profession's values and their individual ethical standards. Social
workers must honestly and responsibly conduct themselves in public to encourage their coworkers
and support their organization. In order to maintain their integrity, social workers improve their
work expertise through continually increasing their career competency.

Rights, Responsibilities, and

Accountabilities
It is not only about the fact that social work is always concerned with the clients and service
oriented but it’s also about the social work’s rights, responsibilities and accountabilities like any
other professions.

It is the right to achieve professional mandates or what is asked for the social worker to do in order
for the social worker to help the clients, general public and the society and live by its value. A
social worker must respect the clients. Social work responsibilities involves those situations that
concern of its basic functions, professional standards, roles, and adherence to the local and
international code of ethics. Lastly it is accountable to the clients, general public and the society. A
social worker must not only entertain but also accommodate them by interviewing them and
processing other necessary documents that the clients, general public, and the society submitted
to the social workers. And then social workers will finally assure the positive results in the said
transactions.

The rights of social work are partially outlined. Social work foremost rights include
the right to fulfill its professional mandates and to live by its values. Its
responsibilities cover those that pertain to the dispensation of its basic functions,
roles, professional standards, and adherence to its local and international codes of
ethics. Social work is accountable to the clients, the general public, and the society.

Responsibilities of social workers working within their field of specialization are to

help children, assist those life-threatening problems, or aid people in overcoming
addictions. It is a responsibility of social worker to protect and uphold respect for the
inherent worth and dignity of all people as expressed in the United Nations Universal
Declaration of Human Rights (1948) and other related UN declarations on rights and
the conventions derived from those declarations. Social workers have a
responsibility to promote social justice, in relation to society generally, and in relation
to the people with whom they work. Social workers have a responsibility to apply the
professional values and principles set out above to their practice. They should act
with integrity and treat people with compassion, empathy, and care.
Accountability of social worker is to the clients, colleagues, employers, professional
associations, and to the law. Social workers are accountable for their actions to the
values and principles of the profession, which require them to act in a reliable,
honest, and trustworthy manner. They are answerable to their clients, professional
bodies like registered social workers (RSW), certified social workers (CSW),
licensed social workers (LSW), licensed clinical social workers (LCSW), and
licensed independent social workers (LISW) organization, and the laws promulgated
and enforced by appropriate government agencies.

ETHICAL AND UNETHICAL AMONG PRACTICIONERS

Ethical behavior, simply put, is doing the right thing. Unethical behavior is the reverse. In the
workplace, unethical behavior certainly includes any deeds that violate the law, such as theft or
violence. But unethical behavior can involve much broader areas as well, such as deliberate
violations of company policies, or using hard-sell sales practices that may be legal, strictly
speaking, but that take excessive advantage of human frailties. Examples of unethical behavior
can be found in all types of businesses and in many different areas.

Common Ethical Dilemmas in Social Work:

Receiving Gifts

Clients who receive assistance sometimes wish to reciprocate. Although giving a gift can be a
kind gesture, it can also prove problematic. If a social worker receives a gift (particularly when it
is expensive), it may constitute a breach of integrity. However, rejecting a gift may hurt the
client’s feelings, potentially damaging the relationship. If the gift is handmade or inexpensive, it is
generally considered appropriate to accept.

Right to Self-Determination

Although the job of social workers is to help people make informed decisions, they are ultimately
not responsible for the actions of their clients. When clients choose to act against their own best
interest (such as former drug addicts deciding to visit their old dealer), it can be tempting for
social workers to provide their clients with “tough love.” But except in extenuating circumstances,
social workers must ultimately respect their clients’ autonomy.

Differences in Personal Values

Sometimes, clients need a type of assistance that conflicts with a social worker’s personal moral
beliefs. A pregnant client, for example, may ask her anti-abortion social worker for help obtaining
an abortion. Social workers may feel torn between providing a type of service requested and
maintaining a positive relationship with the client. They may want to encourage the client to
choose another alternative. However, they must ultimately follow the NASW policy statement,
Family Planning and Reproductive Health, which states support for clients to make their own
decisions about sexuality and reproduction.

Dual Relationships

The NASW strictly forbids relationships between social workers and their clients outside a
professional context. However, these connections can sometimes prove difficult to avoid. Social
workers and their clients may live in the same communities, shop at the same stores, or send
their children to the same schools and share intimate life details due to the nature of their work.
Practitioners of social work must decide on the most ethical and professional way to engage with
their clients in a nonprofessional setting.

Confidentiality Involving Minors

Although information shared between social workers and their clients is strictly confidential,
certain situations may arise that require the social worker to disclose client information to a third
party. Sometimes these situations include minors who may or may not be entitled to certain
rights of confidentiality, depending on federal, state and agency laws. Acting in these situations
may prove both difficult and painful because they can feel to both parties like a major breach of
trust.

Examples of unethical behavior can be found in all types of businesses and in many
different areas.

Deliberate Deception in the Workplace

Deliberate deception in the workplace includes taking credit for work done by someone else,
calling in sick in order to go to the beach, sabotaging the work of another person and, in sales,
misrepresenting the product or service to get the sale. There are other examples of deliberate
deception, but these show how damaging deception can be by using a person's trust to
undermine his rights and security. In a workplace environment, this results in conflict and
retaliation. In a sales function, it can result in lawsuits from deceived customers.

Violation of Conscience

Your sales manager calls you into his office and threatens to fire you unless you sell 50 large
toasters. You know the large toasters are inferior products and have been selling the small
toasters to your customers, instead. To keep your job, you must violate your conscience and
recommend that your customers buy the large toasters. Your boss is engaging in unethical
behavior by forcing you to do something you know is wrong, and also risking the ire and potential
loss of valuable customers to meet a product sales goal.

He may be engaging in unethical conduct because top management has forced him by
threatening his job, too. Coercion is also the basis for workplace sexual harassment and results
in lawsuits. Unethical behavior often causes more unethical behavior.

Failure to Honor Commitments

Your boss promises you an extra day off if you rush out an important project by a certain date.
You work late hours and finish the project before the deadline. Ready for your day off, you
mention it to your boss who responds "No, we have too much work to do."

Your boss engaged in unethical behavior that has virtually guaranteed your future distrust and
unwillingness to extend yourself to assist in department emergencies. In addition, you are likely
to complain to your co-workers, causing them to distrust the promises of the boss and be
unwilling to cooperate with his requests.

Theft and Other Unlawful Conduct

Padding an expense account with non-business expenses, raiding the supply cabinet to take
home pens and notebooks and passing around unregistered or counterfeit software are
examples of unlawful conduct in the workplace. The person who steals from the company by
padding her expense account or taking supplies for personal use risks losing her job. If a
company decides to overlook such theft on the basis of maintaining employee morale by not
firing a popular employee, other employees will also steal so they can feel they are getting the
same deal as their co-worker. Passing around counterfeit software, if discovered by the
manufacturer, can cost the company through lawsuits and fines.

On a grander scale, Enron-style accounting fraud – "cooking the books" – involves a

coordinated, deliberate and illegal effort to misstate company earnings and mislead investors as
a way of manipulating the company's stock price. This is the type of unethical behavior that
sends company executives to jail.

Disregard of Company Policy

An employer is understandably concerned about avoiding lawsuits and angry customers

because those things negatively affect profitability. Most employers clearly state company
policies against deception, coercion and illegal activities. They also strive to convey an image of
trustworthiness to their customers and employees.

Corporate trustworthiness helps retain customers and valued employees, and the loss of either
also negatively affects company profitability. To disregard company policy is unethical because it
has the potential to harm the company and other employees.
 Eastern Star Academy, Inc.
SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT

DISCOVER
WORKSHEETS
Name:_______________________________ Module #______________________
Grade and Section:_______________________ Date:_________________________

 ACTIVITY #1
 identify the goals and scope of social work
 explain the principles and core values of social work
 explain the roles and functions of social workers
 identify specific work areas in which social workers work
 value rights, responsibilities, and accountabilities
 distinguish between ethical and unethical behaviors among practitioners

INSTRUCTION: Identify the goals and scope of social work, Write your insights inside the speech
balloon.
Activity 2

Instruction: explain the principles and core values of social work. Explain in your own words.
 Activity 3 A

Instruction: Identify specific work areas in which social workers work. Write at least 10 examples of social
workers and what is their common work in every area in your community?
Activity 3 B
Instruction: As a HUMSS Student probably you are going to be one of the social workers in your
community, What could be your possible or dream occupation when it comes to social works? Paste an
example of the picture of a social worker of your choice and tell me who are the priority of the said social
works. Then explain why do you say so.

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Activity 4

Instruction: Ethical and Unethical behavior.

a. As a student how can you define Ethical and Unethical behavior?
b. Give 5 situation each that shows Ethical and Unethical Behavior as a social works practitioner.
 JOURNAL
Name: __________________________ Topic: _____________________________
Subject: _________________________ Week #: ____________________
Write your realization, understandings, and all things you’ve learned and experienced in
accomplishing the module. Write legibly.
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Parent’s/ Guardian’s Signature: __________________ Teacher’s

Feedback:
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