Prof Lesley Chenoweth Dr Donna Mc Auliffe Griffith

Prof Lesley Chenoweth & Dr Donna Mc. Auliffe Griffith University MOVING OUT OF THE BOX The application of social work ethics to work in environmental practice

Moving out of the Box: The application of social work ethics to work in environmental practice Lesley Chenoweth & Donna Mc. Auliffe School of Human Services & Social Work 2

Overview • Background – the workshop • The Ethical decision making model • Ethical dilemmas – Social work – Environmental practice • Insights 3

Workshop • Ethics in practice • Environment Institute Australia & New Zealand (EIANZ) • Ethicist - philosophy • Social workers – ethics 4

EIANZ Vision Sustainable and equitable management of the environment through excellence in environmental practice. Mission We will lead environmental practitioners, set standards for best available environmental practices, support and enable practitioners to promote and achieve a sustainable and equitable management of the environment. Primary Purposes - Advance ethical and competent environmental practice - Promote environmental knowledge and awareness - Facilitate interaction among environmental practitioners 5

The Inclusive Model of Ethical Decision-Making (Mc. Auliffe & Chenoweth 2008) • An attempt to take the best from previous models and construct a model inclusive of all potential stakeholders and 4 important platforms 6

Accountability • The ability to make decisions that can be clearly articulated and justified and take into account the personal, professional, organisational, legal, cultural and social context 7

Critical reflection • The ability to make decisions that can be scrutinised by others, clarify practice and lead to better practice in the future 8

Cultural sensitivity • The ability to make decisions that are culturally appropriate, taking into account different value positions and drawing on cultural expertise 9

Consultation • The ability to use resources wisely and to engage in appropriate discussions with others who may assist accountability, cultural sensitivity and personal reflection 10

STEP ONE Defining the Ethical Dilemma • Ethical dilemma formulation • _____ Vs _____ 11

STEP 2 Mapping Legitimacy • Who has a legitimate place in this situation? • Who should be included in this decision, and who should not? 12

STEP 3 Gathering Information • Policies, procedures & protocols • People • Lessons from the Past 13

STEP 4 Alternate approaches and action • Weighing up the options and alternatives • How do these become prioritised? • Reliance on ethical theory and moral frameworks 14

STEP 5 Critical analysis and evaluation • Knowledge gained • Confidence built • Impact on self and practice 15

Core Values Environment practitioners • Sustainability • Environment protection • Integrity of natural environment • Wellbeing and safety of human community Social workers • Human dignity and worth • Social justice • Service to humanity • Integrity • Competence 16

Ethical issues, problems and dilemmas Environment Social Work Issue Loss of habitat Right to safe and secure shelter Problem Land clearing for housing in koala habitat Increased homelessness Dilemma Protection of environment vs developer demands Decision of who gets priority on housing waiting list 17

Ethical dilemmas – environmental practitioners • • Competing values of various interests Client demands vs evidence Latest technical “fixes” vs own integrity Hiding/ fabricating evidence 18

Competing values • Client developer • Legislation • Environmental groups • Community • Employer 19

Latest technical “fixes” Technologies without supporting evidence – Fish ladders – Clean coal – Carbon sequestration 20

Hiding / fabricating evidence • Finding a rare & threatened species but not reporting it • Not finding a rare and threatened species but reporting it 21

Insights • Narrow and uni-disciplinary focus on ethics and practice • But many common values • Common experiences of ethical dilemmas • Early career practitioners need support and mentoring 22

Insights • Need more interdisciplinary approaches to ethics that acknowledge commonalities of human experience, values in relation to social justice, integrity, honesty, and accountability that transcend professional boundaries 23

Insights • Social work – well developed knowledge of values and ethics – AASW Code of ethics for 45+ years – Entry to IFSW requires code of ethics • Social work – well developed practice skills in ethical decision making – Reamer, Congress, Mc. Auliffe & Chenoweth 24

Insights • Social work – well developed practice skills in ethical decision making – Reamer, Congress, Mc. Auliffe & Chenoweth – Requirement that all students complete a course in ethics – Increase in ethics advice, review, training nationally 25

Insights • Social work has leadership role to play in interdisciplinary ethics – Donna – ALTC project – Health areas more established • Potential for more work here – Education and training – Research 26

Literature review • • • Pharmacists Common dilemmas arose from conflicting values, eg competing obligations to different parties, conflicting demands of ‘rules’ of various sorts. rule breaking, resource allocation, patient communication and teamwork. There was a tendency for practitioners to ‘fall back’, often unreflectively, on their own personal value judgements when addressing these dilemmas . 27

Contact Details Professor Lesley Chenoweth School of Human Services & Social Work Centre for Clinical & Community Practice Innovation Griffith University Drive MEADOWBROOK Q 4131 Australia Dr Donna Mc. Auliffe School of Human Services & Social Work Key Centre for Law Ethics & Governance Griffith University Drive MEADOWBROOK Q 4131 Australia Email: l. chenoweth@griffith. edu. au Email: d. mcauliffe@griffith. edu. au 28

Dr Judith Oliver Queensland University of Technology HOW TO GET IT RIGHT TEACHING ETHICS FOR PRACTICE

GETTING IT RIGHT: Teaching Ethics for Practice VALUES AND ETHICS In the human services and social work Judith Oliver

Understanding the difference… Although values and ethics are sometimes used interchangeably, the two terms are not identical. Values pertain to beliefs and attitudes that provide direction to everyday living, whereas ethics pertain to the beliefs we hold about what constitutes right conduct. Ethics are moral principles adopted by an individual or group to provide rules for right conduct. Morality is concerned with perspectives of right and proper conduct and involves an evaluation of actions on the basis of some broader cultural context or religious standard. Corey, Callanan (1998)

WHAT DOES ETHICS MEAN? n n n Ethics is about right and wrong Ethics is about how we are to live Ethics is facing choices vs walking a path ETHICS IS NOT n A set of quasi-rules n An imposed set of standards ETHICS is a conversation about what we ought to do in particular situations

CODES OF ETHICS/PRACTICE Principles in Codes of Ethics Every human being, regardless of racial origin, age, sex, beliefs, and socio-economic status, has a right to maximise his/her potential providing it does not infringe upon the rights of others. Every society has an obligation to provide for and deal equitably with all its members and to make extra provision for those persons who by reasons of disability or misfortune are disadvantaged. The human services/social worker in professional practice has an obligation to utilise all available skills and knowledge to promote the well being of individuals, groups and communities.

Principles cont… The human services worker has a professional obligation to give clients all knowledge, information and skills, which will assist clients, and client groups realise their maximum human potential. The human services workers as a practitioner within complex social structures has an obligation to safeguard the human value of all persons encountered in practice.

Values and Ethics (Zita Weber) VALUES: The customs, standards of conduct, and principles considered desirable by a culture, a group or people, or an individual. ETHICS: A system of moral principles and perceptions about right versus wrong and the resulting philosophy of conduct that is practiced by an individual, group, professional or culture.

VALUES The practitioners use of self in the professional relationship, that is, your personal values, affect how you practice. So that the important concept of values is not something that is ad hoc we need to have a standard by which to gauge our value based decision making.

AASW Code of Ethics FIVE CORE VALUES: n Human dignity and worth n Social justice n Service to humanity n Integrity n Competency

A RULE OR PRINCIPLE THAT IS NOT DERIVED FROM VALUES BUT FROM ANOTHER SOURCE IS NOT AN ETHICAL RULE. Such a rule may be a bureaucratic rule, a principle derived from practice wisdom, or something else, but it is not an ethical rule. (O’Hara & Weber, 2006).

ETHICS IS A “SCIENCE” OF CHOOSING? ? Rather than being a matter of abstract thought, or rules and law, or predictability and universality In practice, being ethical is a combination of reason and intuition Reason = a concern for principles and consequences Intuition = a concern for care, relationships and context So, Ethics is about finding our “voice” (what we believe) not just about applying rules and theories.

Ethical Issues in Human Services n n n n n Confidentiality Consequences of action or decisions Respect between client and worker and organisation Law breaking for ‘good intentions’ Not reporting breaking of law by client (eg an escaped refugee detainee) Morals vs cultural beliefs Relationship between client and worker (too much? too little? ) Societal values, government values Your duty vs our belief in the right thing to do Will someone be harmed by the actions of client or worker?

ETHICAL ISSUES Cont…. . s Conflicting values of client, worker, agency, s s s government and society When something is good for one person but could harm someone else When what is best for the client is not what they want Protecting client rights – is it always our priority? Can all client’s make their own decisions – impaired capacity Maintaining values and behaviour – in the face of what?

Ethical Issues Cont…. n n n n n Use and abuse of power Personal involvement – client/worker boundaries Treating clients equally Consistency Do we need rules? Trusting work colleagues – what would diminish our trust? Biases – culture, gender, sexuality, religion Worker setting the agenda or hidden agendas Allocation of resources: who, how, what, when where and why?

Ethical Issues Cont…. n n n Duty of care Conflict of interest Dobbing in workers Flexibility of agency policy Sickies Gossip Work load Taking advantage of vulnerable adults: Stealing, manipulation, etc. Not sharing information Counselling alleged perpetrators Racist attitudes in the workplace Imposing personal values or beliefs on clients

Ethical Issues Cont…. . n n n Using agency for personal gain Careerism Inefficiency and waste Interaction and intervention with families Desired activities vs funding requirements Confidentiality and minors

What is the difference between n AN ETHICAL ISSUE n AN ETHICAL DILEMMA n BAD PRACTICE n A MORAL DILEMMA

Ethics – by His Holiness the Dalai Lama “Ethics is a stage of mind that abstains from engaging in any situation or event that would prove harmful to others. The perfection of ethics is accomplished when you have developed to the ultimate point the conviction not to harm others. Ethics is like a cool rain, which extinguishes the fire of attachment, hatred, and anger within you. The intention with which you should undertake the practice of ethics should be nonattachment, non-hatred, and also right view”.

SO, CAN WE GET IT RIGHT?

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION

Marie-Claire Cheron. Sauer AASW National Board HOW TO GET IT RIGHT TEACHING ETHICS FOR PRACTICE

Who Are We to be Brilliant? AASW QLD & NTH QLD Conference Marie-Claire Cheron-Sauer November 5 – 8 2009

Who am I to be Brilliant? - Nelson Mandela “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, ”Who am I to be brilliant? ” Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There’s nothing enlightening about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, We unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others”.

Who Are We to be Brilliant? The 20 th Century Welfare State § Post-War Reconstruction Period § The Prominence of Keynesian Economics § The Rights of Social Citizenship (T. H. Marshalll) “…from the right to a modicum of economic welfare and security to the right to share to the full in the social heritage and to live the life of a civilised being according to the standards prevailing in the society”

Who Are We to be Brilliant? Distinctiveness of Social Work §Relationship between the public and the private – Social constructionist approach to individual identity §Marrying of psychology, sociology and social action § Ecologically informed practice

Who Are We to be Brilliant? Resurgence of Neo-classical Economics § Minimal Government (changed role from service provider to outsourcing and contracting) § Unfettered Capital (free market principles) § Increasing Individualisation of Society & Risk (outsourcing of risk to individuals and NGOs )

Who Are We to be Brilliant? Increase in Competition for the Profession § Proliferation of three year welfare & human service degrees § Reduction on social work specific positions § Crisis of de-professionalisation § Increase in challenge to claims for a distinct set of specialised knowledge §Emphasis on industry specific competencies versus discipline or professional studies

Who Are We to be Brilliant? Transformational Change § Initiated by external crisis – environmental shifts § Paradigmatic Change – alteration to the basic governing rules § Development of new ordering principles

Who Are We to be Brilliant? Our Competitive Advantage § Robust practice Standards § Well developed Ethical Framework § Comprehensive set of education standards for accreditation of entry level qualifications § Renowned professionals § Use of the multifocal theoretical lens

Who Are We to be Brilliant? Social Work Leadership and Management Strong and direct leadership to re-orient the profession and “…to create, or discover a reality beyond the one that currently exists” (Levy, A. , 1986)

Who Are We to be Brilliant? Social Work Leadership and Management § Managers and industry leaders § Educators § Research academics § Experts in various fields § Practitioners at the grassroots § The AASW § Each and every one of us

Who Are We to be Brilliant? Social Work Leadership and Management “Leadership exists when people are no longer victims of their circumstances but participate in creating new circumstances. Leadership is a domain, in which human beings continually deepen their understanding of reality and become more capable in the unfolding of the world. Ultimately, leadership is about creating new realities” Peter Senge, The Fifth Discipline

Who Are We to be Brilliant? § Vision – § Ownership – Critical Conversations stretching us beyond the current reality Role we each play in current situation § Commitment – What am I prepared to do to change the situation? § Action – Going public with intent of action § Accountability - Doing what we say we are going to do

Dare to be Brilliant!