Thoughts on ethical dilemmas in the social work profession

What relationship should be maintained - professional or friends?

Case: The client went on a trip and brought back gifts from other places. He came to the social work site to give them to the social worker. He repeatedly emphasized that it was his heart and that if he did not accept them, he would be looking down on him. As a social worker, should I give gifts? If I accept it, do I need to return the gift? If not, how can I reject the service recipient?

I think this issue may seem complex on the surface but can actually be simplified. Just clarify the context and define the relationship. We need to put ourselves in the real situation to consider the problem. We need to consider the influence of multiple factors and clarify the two-way interaction of behavior, and clarify what factors affect the consequences of behavior.

The first is to consider the service stage, such as the case receiving stage, the relationship building stage, the evaluation stage or the case closing stage, etc.

1. Case-receiving stage: Social work pays attention to positivism and advocates that people are in the situation. We can put ourselves in their shoes and imagine whether the client might give gifts to social workers during the case-taking stage, starting from reality. Would we give a gift to someone we don't know well? , of course not. Moreover, social work organizations or social workers are different from administrative departments or administrative staff. Even if the social workers have not done anything to help others or impress others, how can the client give gifts to social workers?

2. Relationship-building stage: The relationship-building stage is a critical period for social work services. It is a period when the relationship between social workers and clients is extremely unstable. Even if the client sends some gifts to the social worker, the relationship will be more unstable. Most of them are tentative or polite expressions. For example, when visiting the client's family for the first time, the client asks the social worker to eat fruit or pours a glass of water for the client. In China, we cannot easily define it as an "ethical dilemma". While focusing on professionalism, you must step down from the altar and into the people. If you do not accept the courtesy of the client, it will appear that the client has not treated you well, or you are not polite. Social work is to do as the Romans do and adapt to changes, even in the West. Even when social workers come to the mountains of China, they must sing Chinese songs. Similarly, when we go to Western countries, we must use our wife's thinking to communicate with the locals, otherwise all conversations will be in vain. Therefore, the social worker at this time can completely accept it or not. Generally speaking, the client will not be too demanding. If he insists on accepting it, he can explain the agency's requirements and disciplines to the client. In short, at this stage, he can go through the so-called process smoothly. "ethical dilemma".

3. Assessment stage and case acceptance stage: At this stage, and even later, the social worker and the client have established a strong professional relationship, and even a two-way relationship in which a professional relationship and a friend relationship coexist. That is, professional relationships at work and friendships in life. At this time, social workers can completely clarify the boundaries between co-clients and can flexibly handle such ethical dilemmas. It is mentioned in the case that the gifts only represent the client's personal belongings. Since the interaction between the two parties is in the private sphere, it also illustrates the relationship between the social worker and the client, and that the social worker has indeed given the client a lot of help. From a utilitarian point of view, it is feedback from the client himself. From a professional perspective, it can be regarded as realizing “helping others to help themselves”.

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The second is to consider the economic conditions of the client. We all know how a person who cannot even solve the problems of food, clothing and survival talks about development and enjoyment. It is mentioned in the case that the gifts were brought back by the client when he traveled. Since he is able to travel, it shows that the client's economic conditions are not too bad, or so poor that he cannot even afford to eat, because even in the rapid economic development In rural areas, many people do not have the time, energy or financial conditions to complete a small or medium-sized trip. In addition, most of the small gifts brought back from travel should be local specialties or souvenirs. The price is not too expensive, but has more commemorative significance and can also be understood as symbolic value. In this case, it is completely acceptable to social workers at the stage when professional relationships are solid and diversified relationships are running concurrently. However, while accepting it, social workers must emphasize that this behavior is conducted in the private sphere and clarify the boundaries of the behavioral relationship. If the client's family conditions are particularly advantageous and the gift given is very valuable, then as a social worker, no matter what the relationship point of view, he cannot accept it at will. So how can he not accept the valuable gift without attacking or hurting the client? Woolen cloth? I think we can consider the following aspects:

First, explain to the client the rules and regulations of the organization, as well as the service agreement signed when accepting the case, remind the client again of the formal relationship between the two parties, and politely refuse; < /p>

The second is if the client insists on giving valuable gifts, he can give a substitute, that is, choose the client’s small objects or other items as gifts;

The third is to transfer gifts and persuade the client to devote himself to Public welfare undertakings, repaying society, rescuing more people in need, achieving the goal of transferring gifts from clients, and politely rejecting valuable gifts from clients.

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Another question is whether to give a gift in return after accepting a gift from the client?

Regarding this issue, I personally think that a gift should be given in return. It is the social worker’s responsibility to help the client and it is out of morality. However, the client’s gift to the social worker is in the private sphere. It cannot be said that the social worker has helped the client. You should accept gifts from the client. Of course, to put it bluntly, it does not exclude the ambivalence of the client who does not give gifts and feels uneasy. This is very common in China. For example, when you go to the hospital to see a doctor, you will feel uneasy if you don’t give the doctor a red envelope, as if you have entered. It was as if the operating room had become an eternal farewell. China is a humane society and pays attention to courtesy and reciprocity. Social workers should also give gifts to clients from a personal perspective in the private sphere, and use this to clarify to clients the boundaries between professional relationships and friendships or other relationships.

? We all know that social work is an imported product imported from the West. It has not only developed in a short period of time but also experienced twists and turns in our country. China’s fertile soil is different. China is unique and has accumulated traditions. , needs contextualization and localization, of which localization does not affect the development of its specialization, just as "oranges grow in Huainan, and oranges grow in Huainan, and oranges grow in Huaibei, and oranges grow in oranges." The reason why "oranges growing in Huaibei become tangerines" is because they are not suitable for the water and soil, and the climate and soil are not suitable. The "localization" of oranges has not been realized. Just like social work, even if it is introduced from the West to China and takes root in China, as long as it is realized Without localization, it will not affect its professional performance. We always talk about people in situations. When we think about problems, we should also think about them in real situations instead of discussing them in an ideal sandbox. Similarly, theories should be explained within the scope to which they are adapted and should not be discussed beyond them. The scope of adaptation can only be exploration or testing. Western theories are influenced by Western culture, and it is reasonable to be "acclimated" to China. We cannot use the method of growing rice in the south to grow wheat in the north, but we can learn from the experience of growing rice and transplant it to wheat cultivation. Go in. It’s as if it’s not appropriate to use traditional Chinese cultural thinking to explain incidents that occur in Western countries.

I do not think that social work is difficult to develop. On the contrary, I think that the development prospects of social work in China, especially in China in the future, are considerable. At present, we are conducting in-depth exploration and research on knowledge and theory. There is nothing wrong with thinking, but there are some issues that we don’t need to “get into trouble” with. It’s like a group of old ladies under the big tree at the entrance of the village picking up vegetables while arguing with their parents. They argue endlessly every day and it seems that there is no result. Just go on as usual. There is no need to discuss some issues endlessly. With all this time and energy, it is better to do more practical things. The concepts of localization and specialization may seem simple. Of course, they are not as complicated as imagined, but they are always I heard someone discussing it countless times. I am very puzzled by this. I think people are not machines, and textbooks are not words of saints. Even teachers cannot do something without any personal feelings. There is no need to be precise when providing services. "Femtoseconds" are even smaller. Cleaning in the community and doing some seemingly boring tasks is simple, but isn't that what life is like? Not everyone has to do earth-shattering deeds. Being able to do the most ordinary and mundane things well in an ordinary world is already amazing.

? Tuesday, March 19, 2019

Written by Shandong Youth University of Political Science

Zhou Wen