PRINCIPLES OF SOCIAL WORK
There are three principles of social work namely: -
Core values
Ethical principles
Ethical responsibilities in practice
Core values of Social Work
The primary mission of the social work profession is to enhance human well- being and help
meet basic human needs of all people, with particular attention to the needs and empowerment of
people who are vulnerable, oppressed, and living in poverty. A historic and defining feature of
social work is the profession’s focus on individual well-being in a social context and the well-
being of society. Fundamental to social work is attention to the environmental forces that create,
contribute to, and address problems in living.
Social workers promote social justice and social change with and on behalf of clients. “Clients”
is used inclusively to refer to individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
Social workers are sensitive to cultural and ethnic diversity and strive to end discrimination,
oppression, poverty, and other forms of social injustice. These activities may be in the form of
direct practice, community organizing, supervision, consultation, administration, advocacy,
social and political action, policy development and implementation, education, and research and
evaluation. Social workers seek to enhance the capacity of people to address their own needs.
Social workers also seek to promote the responsiveness of organizations, communities, and other
social institutions to individual’s needs and social problems.
The mission of the social work profession is rooted in a set of core values. These core values,
embraced by social workers throughout the profession's history, are the foundation of social
work's unique purpose and perspective.
Service
Social justice
Dignity and worth of the person
Importance of human relationships
Integrity
Competence
This constellation of core values reflects what is unique to the social work profession. Core
values, and the principles that flow from them must be balanced within the context and
complexity of the human experience.
There are three principles of social work namely: -
Core values
Ethical principles
Ethical responsibilities in practice
Core values of Social Work
The primary mission of the social work profession is to enhance human well- being and help
meet basic human needs of all people, with particular attention to the needs and empowerment of
people who are vulnerable, oppressed, and living in poverty. A historic and defining feature of
social work is the profession’s focus on individual well-being in a social context and the well-
being of society. Fundamental to social work is attention to the environmental forces that create,
contribute to, and address problems in living.
Social workers promote social justice and social change with and on behalf of clients. “Clients”
is used inclusively to refer to individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
Social workers are sensitive to cultural and ethnic diversity and strive to end discrimination,
oppression, poverty, and other forms of social injustice. These activities may be in the form of
direct practice, community organizing, supervision, consultation, administration, advocacy,
social and political action, policy development and implementation, education, and research and
evaluation. Social workers seek to enhance the capacity of people to address their own needs.
Social workers also seek to promote the responsiveness of organizations, communities, and other
social institutions to individual’s needs and social problems.
The mission of the social work profession is rooted in a set of core values. These core values,
embraced by social workers throughout the profession's history, are the foundation of social
work's unique purpose and perspective.
Service
Social justice
Dignity and worth of the person
Importance of human relationships
Integrity
Competence
This constellation of core values reflects what is unique to the social work profession. Core
values, and the principles that flow from them must be balanced within the context and
complexity of the human experience.
