CWEL Ethics and Professional Practice

Question 1

The NASW Code of Ethics identifies which value as the primary ethical obligation of social workers, including those in child welfare?

Accepted Answer

Service to others and prioritizing client well-being

Answer

Dignity and worth of the person

Answer

Social justice and equity

Answer

Competence and professional development

Question 2

A child welfare worker learns that a colleague is falsifying documentation in case files. What is the most appropriate ethical response?

Accepted Answer

Report the misconduct through appropriate channels such as the supervisor or ethics complaint process

Answer

Confront the colleague directly and demand they stop

Answer

Ignore the situation to avoid workplace conflict

Answer

Discuss the concern with clients to warn them

Question 3

What is the ethical principle of 'self-determination' in child welfare practice?

Accepted Answer

The client's right to make their own decisions, including decisions the worker disagrees with, within legal limits

Answer

The worker's right to determine the best intervention for the family

Answer

The agency's right to determine service eligibility criteria

Answer

The court's right to determine permanency outcomes for children

Question 4

Which ethical principle requires child welfare workers to maintain confidentiality of client information?

Accepted Answer

Privacy and confidentiality

Answer

Informed consent

Answer

Fidelity and responsibility

Answer

Non-maleficence

Question 5

When a child welfare worker's personal values conflict with a client's beliefs or lifestyle, the ethically correct approach is to:

Accepted Answer

Maintain professional objectivity by setting aside personal values and respecting the client's right to their own beliefs

Answer

Share their personal values with the client to help the client make better decisions

Answer

Transfer the case to a worker who shares the client's values

Answer

Refer the client to services that will change their lifestyle

Question 6

What does 'dual relationship' mean in child welfare practice and why is it ethically problematic?

Accepted Answer

A professional relationship that overlaps with a personal, financial, or other relationship, creating a conflict of interest

Answer

Working with both a child and a parent simultaneously in the same case

Answer

A case requiring coordination between two different agencies

Answer

Working in two different roles within the same agency