This unit presents ethical theories and principles and their relationship to social work professional practice in human services. Students should be able to demonstrate knowledge of the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) code of ethics and explore ethical decision making in relation to different practice contexts. Students should also be able to analyse the role of personal and professional value systems and their place in various practice settings, and the legal and organisational context of social / welfare work. Students should be able to identify and engage appropriate use of self and self care strategies by students in the professional context as a component of devising an ethical professional framework for future practice. The students should be able to analyse the ethics of practice within different cultural contexts and devise appropriate strategies of intervention.

Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.

Feedback from Student evaluation

The amount of reading was overwhelming.

Reduce weekly readings and reiterate to students how to utilise study modules and prescribed and supplementary readings in completing assessment tasks.

Feedback from Student evaluation

The Indigenous and Cross Cultural Issues study module needs to be introduced earlier in the term.

Social workers' ethical responsibilities to culturally safe and inclusive practice are integrated throughout the study modules, and key ethical concepts related to this specific study module are not introduced until later in the term. However, the first two study modules will incorporate a further emphasis on social workers' ethical responsibility to culturally safe and responsive practice.