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Ethics and Ethical Standards for Social Workers

👥 0 students 📖 20 lessons & topics

Course Description

Ethical practice is fundamental to social work and central to the protection of service users, families, and communities. Social workers regularly make complex decisions involving power imbalances, safeguarding, autonomy, and social justice. Failures in ethical judgement can place people at risk, damage trust, and lead to serious regulatory consequences. Social Work England expects social workers to act ethically at all times. This course provides clear, practical guidance on ethical principles, expected standards, and how to respond appropriately when ethical concerns arise.

Who This Course Is For

This course is designed for registered social workers regulated by Social Work England, working in statutory, voluntary, and independent sectors across England with children, adults, families, and communities. It is particularly relevant for social workers facing ethical concerns, complaints, or fitness-to-practise proceedings, as well as those required to demonstrate ethical insight, reflection, or remediation.

What You Will Learn

The course covers core ethical principles including dignity, autonomy, confidentiality, beneficence, justice, honesty, and integrity, ethical responsibilities set out in Social Work England’s Professional Standards, safeguarding and preventing harm, professional boundaries and power imbalances, social justice and non-discrimination, and the duty of candour. You will also build meaningful insight and develop a Personal Development Plan to demonstrate reflection, remediation, and commitment to improved practice.

What You Receive

On successful completion you receive a CPD UK accredited certificate and structured CPD evidence suitable for Social Work England submissions, appraisal, remediation portfolios, and employer reviews. The course is fully online and self-paced — accessible immediately after enrolment.

CPD UK Certified This course is CPD UK certified. The accredited certificate issued on completion is accepted as evidence for Social Work England submissions, appraisal, and employer regulatory reviews.
Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. This course is CPD UK certified, and participants receive an accredited CPD certificate on successful completion.

Yes. This course is particularly suitable for social workers dealing with complaints, investigations, or fitness-to-practise processes involving ethical concerns.

Yes. The course provides structured CPD evidence suitable for remediation plans, employer reviews, appraisals, and submissions to Social Work England.

Yes. The course places strong emphasis on building insight, reflective practice, remediation, and ensuring ethical concerns are not repeated.

Yes. The course is delivered fully online and can be completed at your own pace, with instant access immediately after enrolment.

Course Content

1

Section 1 – What is Ethics

  • 1.1 What is Ethics

2

Section 2 – Principles of Ethics and the Expected Ethical Standards for Social Workers

  • 2.1 Dignity

  • 2.2 Autonomy

  • 2.3 Confidentiality

  • 2.4 Beneficence and Non-maleficence

  • 2.5 Accountability

  • 2.6 Honesty, Integrity, Openness and Truthfulness

  • 2.7 Duty of Candour

  • 2.8 Professional Boundaries

  • 2.9 Justice

3

Section 3 – Professional Standards by the Social Work England

  • 3.1 Professional Standards by the Social Work England

4

Section 4 – Why is Ethics and Maintaining Ethical Standards Important as a Social Worker

  • 4.1 Why is Ethics and Maintaining Ethical Standards Important as a Social Worker

5

Section 5 – Results of a Breach of the Expected Ethical Standards

  • 5.1 Results of a Breach of the Expected Ethical Standards

6

Section 6 – What to do if a Breach of Ethics and Expected Ethical Standards Happens

  • 6.1 What to do if a Breach of Ethics and Expected Ethical Standards Happens