Ethics

The NASW Office of Ethics and Professional Review provides ethics and professional review education and training, administers the professional review process, offers ethics consultation to members, and provides information about members who have been sanctioned through the NASW professional review process. The OEPR is part of the NASW national office. The staff coordinates with and provides administrative support for the National Ethics Committee and chapter ethics committees.

Code of Ethics

The NASW Code of Ethics offers a set of values, principles and standards to guide decision-making and everyday professional conduct of social workers. It is relevant to all social workers and social work students regardless of their specific functions or settings.

In August 2017, the NASW Delegate Assembly approved the most substantive revision to the NASW Code of Ethics since 1996.

Ethics Education and Resources

NASW develops and provides ethics training to our chapters free of charge. Training topics have included malpractice risk, ethical decision-making, addressing conflicts, social media, and more.

Professional Review

Professional Review is a collaborative process between chapters and the national office to provide a peer review of alleged unethical conduct of its members.

The process is designed to correct and improve the practice of individual social workers as needed. The actions of the process are intended to be constructive and educative rather than punitive. Only in cases of serious misconduct may penalties be imposed.