SSW Ethical Practice 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A school social worker suspects a colleague is providing services while impaired by alcohol. The most appropriate ethical response is to:
- Ignore it unless a student complains
- Report concerns through appropriate channels such as supervisors or licensing boards (Correct answer)
- Confront the colleague publicly at a staff meeting
- Document the suspicion and take no further action
Correct answer: Report concerns through appropriate channels such as supervisors or licensing boards
Social workers have an ethical obligation to address colleagues' impairment that may harm clients by reporting through appropriate professional channels.
Question 2: The ethical principle of 'least restrictive alternative' in school social work means:
- Using the most intensive intervention available
- Choosing interventions that minimize intrusion on student autonomy while meeting needs (Correct answer)
- Avoiding all forms of behavioral intervention
- Deferring all decisions to administrators
Correct answer: Choosing interventions that minimize intrusion on student autonomy while meeting needs
Least restrictive alternative means selecting interventions that achieve goals while preserving as much student freedom and autonomy as possible.
Question 3: A student discloses plans to run away from home but denies intent to harm herself. The school social worker should FIRST:
- Immediately contact police without further assessment
- Assess safety, explore the student's situation, and determine appropriate level of response (Correct answer)
- Notify classmates to monitor the student
- Do nothing since there is no self-harm intent
Correct answer: Assess safety, explore the student's situation, and determine appropriate level of response
A thorough safety assessment and exploration of circumstances is the first step before determining whether notification of parents, authorities, or other action is needed.
Question 4: Which ethical concept refers to the social worker's duty to act in good faith and keep professional promises to clients?
- Beneficence
- Fidelity (Correct answer)
- Justice
- Autonomy
Correct answer: Fidelity
Fidelity refers to the obligation to be trustworthy, honest, and to keep commitments made to clients and colleagues.
Question 5: A 16-year-old student requests that information shared in sessions be kept from her parents. The school social worker should:
- Automatically share all information with parents regardless
- Explain confidentiality limits upfront and respect appropriate privacy while following legal requirements (Correct answer)
- Refuse to see the student without parental consent to every session
- Share all information only with the school psychologist
Correct answer: Explain confidentiality limits upfront and respect appropriate privacy while following legal requirements
School social workers must explain confidentiality limits at the outset and balance adolescent privacy rights with parental rights and legal mandates.
Question 6: When terminating services with a student, ethical practice requires the school social worker to:
- End services abruptly to prevent dependency
- Provide adequate notice, discuss progress, and arrange referrals if continued services are needed (Correct answer)
- Require the student to initiate termination
- Terminate only when the school year ends
Correct answer: Provide adequate notice, discuss progress, and arrange referrals if continued services are needed
Planned termination includes sufficient notice, review of progress, and ensuring continuity of care through referrals when appropriate.
Question 7: A school social worker receives a subpoena for a student's confidential records. The best immediate action is to:
- Immediately release all records to comply with the subpoena
- Consult with school legal counsel before releasing any records (Correct answer)
- Destroy the records to protect the student
- Notify the student's parents and release records without legal review
Correct answer: Consult with school legal counsel before releasing any records
A subpoena is not a court order; consulting legal counsel first ensures proper legal process is followed and protects both client privacy and the social worker.
SSW Ethical Practice 3
A school social worker suspects a colleague is providing services while impaired by alcohol.
The most appropriate ethical response is to: