LMSW LMSW Social Work Ethics and Values Questions and Answers 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An LMSW is treating a child for anxiety when the child discloses that a neighbor, not a family member, physically abuses them. The social worker is required to:
- Report only if the abuser is a parent or legal guardian
- Report the suspected abuse to child protective services regardless of who the alleged perpetrator is (Correct answer)
- Consult with a supervisor before deciding whether to report
- Maintain confidentiality since the abuser is not in a position of custodial care
Correct answer: Report the suspected abuse to child protective services regardless of who the alleged perpetrator is
Mandatory reporting laws require reports of suspected child abuse regardless of the alleged perpetrator's relationship to the child.
Question 2: Which NASW Code of Ethics standard addresses the social worker's responsibility to pursue social and political action to achieve social justice?
- Competence
- Social and Political Action (Correct answer)
- Privacy and Confidentiality
- Cultural Competence
Correct answer: Social and Political Action
Standard 6.04 Social and Political Action obligates social workers to advocate for policies and legislation that promote social justice.
Question 3: A social worker learns that their agency's policy requires denying services to undocumented immigrants, which the worker believes is unjust. The most appropriate first step is to:
- Immediately begin providing services in violation of policy
- Work through internal channels to challenge the policy while complying with it unless it violates the law (Correct answer)
- Resign from the agency in protest
- Publicly criticize the agency on social media
Correct answer: Work through internal channels to challenge the policy while complying with it unless it violates the law
Social workers should first pursue change through legitimate internal channels while maintaining professional obligations, escalating externally if needed.
Question 4: A social worker accepts a small gift (a homemade card and cookies) from a client at the end of a successful treatment. According to ethical guidelines, this is:
- Always prohibited as a boundary violation
- Generally acceptable if the gift is of nominal value and refusal would be culturally insensitive or harmful to the relationship (Correct answer)
- Acceptable only if documented in the client's file
- Prohibited because it creates a financial conflict of interest
Correct answer: Generally acceptable if the gift is of nominal value and refusal would be culturally insensitive or harmful to the relationship
The NASW Code acknowledges that small, culturally meaningful tokens of appreciation may be acceptable when refusal would be clinically harmful, provided the gift has nominal value.
Question 5: The ethical principle of 'least restrictive alternative' is most relevant in which practice scenario?
- Choosing the least expensive treatment option for a client
- Selecting the least intrusive intervention that still meets the client's needs (Correct answer)
- Limiting documentation to only what is minimally required
- Using the shortest session format to preserve the client's time
Correct answer: Selecting the least intrusive intervention that still meets the client's needs
The least restrictive alternative principle requires social workers to choose interventions that minimally limit client freedom while achieving treatment goals.
Question 6: A licensed social worker is approached to provide an expert legal opinion in a custody case involving a former client. The social worker should:
- Agree if enough time has passed since the therapeutic relationship ended
- Decline because the prior therapeutic relationship creates a conflict of interest that could harm both the former client and the integrity of testimony (Correct answer)
- Provide the opinion as long as it is favorable to the former client
- Consult with the court before deciding whether to participate
Correct answer: Decline because the prior therapeutic relationship creates a conflict of interest that could harm both the former client and the integrity of testimony
Serving as an expert witness about a former therapy client creates a harmful dual relationship and compromises both the therapeutic relationship and forensic neutrality.
Question 7: When a social worker suspects impairment in a colleague due to substance use that may be affecting client care, the worker should FIRST:
- Report directly to the state licensing board
- Talk with the colleague directly and encourage them to seek help, then escalate if the problem continues (Correct answer)
- Document observations and take no action unless a client is harmed
- Report anonymously to the agency's ethics committee immediately
Correct answer: Talk with the colleague directly and encourage them to seek help, then escalate if the problem continues
The NASW Code of Ethics recommends first speaking with the colleague when feasible, then escalating through supervisory or regulatory channels if the concern is not resolved.
LMSW LMSW Social Work Ethics and Values Questions and Answers 4
An LMSW is treating a child for anxiety when the child discloses that a neighbor, not a family member, physically abuses them.
The social worker is required to: