by The Open University
Available in 17 free installments
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Social work practice is based upon assessments of situations and decisions about strategies to be adopted. Sometimes there can be a tension between the law and working within social work values; the law provides the framework for practice. In the next section you are going to examine the legal structures and processes within which social work skills are applied.
The law provides a mandate for practice, but good practice involves more than knowing and applying the law; it also involves social work skills and values.
Social workers need to be able to recognise their own values and prejudices.
Social workers need to be able to demonstrate an understanding of the core values of social work practice, such as respecting and valuing uniqueness and diversity.
A commitment to social work values promotes effective practice, such as working in partnership and empowerment of service users.
Legal values can accord with social work values and can help social workers to work in a positive way to support and empower service users.
There may sometimes be tensions between the need for social workers to fulfil their legal obligations and the need to uphold their social work values.
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