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WEEK 8 READING (2) - Ethical Professional Writing in Social Work: (SOCIAL…
WEEK 8 READING (2) - Ethical Professional Writing in Social Work:
If our observations, judgements and recommendations are not clearly conveyed in our writing, serious repercussions can and do arise for our clients.
Mindfulness in how and why we write as well as what we write, reflects our commitment to the values and ethics of professional practice.
OVERALL ARGUMENT:
Writing skills must be framed within the social, political and ethical professional circumstances, in which students will be working in the future in addition to the technical framework which is most often used.
By teaching writing skills through the lens of the profession’s ethics and values, students will be instilled with a greater understanding of the weight of responsibility they bear for their clients every time they write, even if it is just a one sentence email written in haste.
TYPES OF WRITING USED IN SOCIAL WORK:
Formal documents such as annual reports, grant proposals and programme evaluations.
Marketing material such as brochures and descriptions of services.
Organisational guides such as agency manuals. Academic portfolios including lecture notes, conference presentations and journal articles.
Social work records and case notes
A lot of this writing, particularly agency documentation tends to be seen as an administrative task / an unnecessary burden, and is resisted by many social workers.
WRITING CHALLENGES FOR SOCIAL WORKERS:
Working with confidential info.
Producing under tight time constraints.
Writing for multiple audiences.
Our most difficult tasks are assessments, letters and evaluations.
WHY GOOD WRITING MATTERS IN SOCIAL WORK:
Social workers’ writing is the major mode of communication about a client to clinicians, insurance companies, courts and government agencies.
This kind of info stays in the client’s record for life.- Social work reports have the power to shape the lives of people, long after its initial purpose has been achieved.
Things written in administrative haste or case-load fatigue may result in carelessly consigning the prospects of a client to an unforeseen fate.
CURRENT ISSUES WITH SOCIAL WORK WRITING:
Social work records have been found to contain contradictory opinions, crude judgements, rumours and unsubstantiated allegations.
AN APPROACH TO ETHICAL PROFESSIONAL WRITING:
A values based approach to writing is the key to improving student’s professional writing skills.
Ethical professional writing by social workers rests on the integration of three essential elements that are conjoined:
Reflective mindfulness of the client-centred focus of writing responsibilities.
A sound understanding of the values and principles of the social work and human services professions (as highlighted in the common themes across various codes of ethics).
A sound competence in compositional, rhetorical and technical writing skills.
SOCIAL WORK VALUES/PRINCIPLES:
Social Justice:
Social workers should use writing to challenge injustice and unhelpful status quos, particularly as it relates to policies and practice.
They can use writing as a tool for social change, by connecting with an audience, advocating for clients, critically reflecting on practice, drawing attention to pressing social needs, and pushing for anti-oppressive policy changes.
Thus, developing student skills in writing can help strengthen their commitment to and fight for social justice.
Social workers should challenge negative discrimination and recognise diversity, by using language that is inclusive and does not further stigmatise already marginalised people.
Descriptors such as ‘selfish’ and ‘lazy’ are judgemental and need to be avoided, particularly as the people concerned have a right to read their files.
Respect for persons:
In writing, the values of acceptance and respect for both the reader and the subject of the writing can be demonstrated by the language used.
Accepting and respectful language would be non-gender specific, culturally sensitive and would not be judgemental.
The tone of the writing would be open, not condescending or controlling.
Professional integrity:
This involves being mindful of organisational requirements and legal obligations, as well as professional boundaries and responsibilities.
Therefore, our writing needs to be aligned with the value of integrity and needs to be accountable and transparent. Writing needs to be with accuracy, judiciousness and credibility.
Accountability and Transparency:
Maintain accurate client records.
Take all responsible steps to ensure the confidentiality of this info.
It is about being open, transparent and honest.
To be accountable, social works need to clearly articulate and justify their decisions, while taking into account the broader social contexts in which they operate.
One way to be transparent is sharing records with the client in an open and direct way.
Transparency helps to lessen the power differences that may exist between the client and worker.
Social workers should be able to record accurately and produce a fair representation of the client’s POV.
Accuracy, judiciousness and credibility:
Records must be clear and accurate. Writers must be careful about using personal codes in case notes.
Reflexivity:
The ability to locate yourself in the picture, to understand and to factor in how what you see is influenced by your own way of seeing, and how your very presence influences the situation in which you are placed. It ensures that social workers practice in a manner that is consistent with our values and ethics, being aware of the impact we have on others.
*Reflexive Writing explores:
What the experience was.
The meaning the writer attached to it both at the time and subsequently.
How this meaning may influence practice in the future.
Authenticity:
The sharing of self by relating in a natural, sincere, spontaneous, open and genuine manner.
Authentic writing:
Writing with your own true voice.
Writing that is personal and human, unique to you, reflecting your experience.
Writing with clarity and simplicity to allow your readers to learn who you are and who you’re being.
(Patterson 2012).
Sensitivity:
It’s about being able to see the world from the viewpoints of others.
Language needs to be used sensitively to avoid labelling, stereotyping and cultural or other biases.
When things are written down, they can become defining.
Purpose:
Social workers must make sure what they write relates to the purpose of the task (relevant).
Persuasion:
The ability to exercise influence through persuasion is important for social workers.
It involves presenting good reasons to people for a specific choice among probably alternatives, and communicating these reasons effectively.
Involves using principles such as emphasising advantages/rewards, being readily understood, showing compatibility of values.
It’s not about trickery or manipulation, but about targeting info for a client-centred result.
Put your strongest words in the most important places.