SSW Ethical Practice 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A school social worker discovers that a student's parent is also a client at the same community agency where the social worker does part-time work. This situation is best described as:
- A dual relationship requiring careful management (Correct answer)
- An immediate conflict requiring case transfer
- A normal occurrence with no ethical implications
- A mandatory reporting trigger
Correct answer: A dual relationship requiring careful management
Dual relationships require careful ethical management, including disclosure and possible supervision consultation, but do not always mandate immediate case transfer.
Question 2: Under FERPA, which party generally has the right to access a student's educational records?
- Any school staff member who requests them
- Parents of students under 18, or the student if 18 or older (Correct answer)
- The school principal only
- State education officials only
Correct answer: Parents of students under 18, or the student if 18 or older
FERPA grants parents the right to access records for students under 18; once a student turns 18, that right transfers to the student.
Question 3: A student tells a school social worker about ongoing emotional abuse at home but asks that nothing be done. The social worker's ethical obligation is to:
- Respect the student's autonomy and take no action
- Report to child protective services as mandated by law (Correct answer)
- Consult only with the school counselor and take no further action
- Wait to see if the abuse escalates before reporting
Correct answer: Report to child protective services as mandated by law
School social workers are mandated reporters, and legal duty to report suspected child abuse supersedes client requests for confidentiality.
Question 4: When a school social worker is uncertain about the ethical course of action in a complex case, the FIRST recommended step is to:
- Consult the NASW Code of Ethics and seek supervision (Correct answer)
- Defer all decisions to the school principal
- Contact an attorney before taking any action
- Immediately notify the student's parents
Correct answer: Consult the NASW Code of Ethics and seek supervision
The NASW Code of Ethics and supervision consultation are the primary resources for navigating ethical dilemmas in school social work.
Question 5: A school social worker shares a student's mental health information with a teacher without the student's consent. Which ethical principle has most clearly been violated?
- Fidelity
- Confidentiality (Correct answer)
- Self-determination
- Justice
Correct answer: Confidentiality
Sharing protected mental health information without consent violates the principle of confidentiality, a cornerstone of ethical social work practice.
Question 6: Which of the following best describes the concept of 'informed consent' in school social work?
- A student verbally agreeing to attend sessions
- Clients receiving and understanding information about services before agreeing to participate (Correct answer)
- Parents signing a general enrollment form
- School administration approving service delivery
Correct answer: Clients receiving and understanding information about services before agreeing to participate
Informed consent requires that clients receive sufficient information about services, risks, and alternatives so they can make a voluntary, knowledgeable decision.
Question 7: A school social worker's personal religious beliefs conflict with a student's lifestyle choices. Ethical practice requires the social worker to:
- Refer the student to another provider immediately
- Set aside personal values and provide competent, non-judgmental services (Correct answer)
- Discuss personal beliefs openly with the student to promote honesty
- Advocate for the student to change behavior
Correct answer: Set aside personal values and provide competent, non-judgmental services
The NASW Code of Ethics requires social workers to practice without discrimination and not allow personal values to interfere with professional obligations.
SSW Ethical Practice 2
A school social worker discovers that a student's parent is also a client at the same community agency where the social worker does part-time work.
This situation is best described as: