NASW Practice Standards Under Review in 2025

May 2025

Prepared by Mirean Coleman, LICSW, CT

Currently seven standards are being revised and include the following:

• NASW Standards for Social Work Practice in Child Welfare
  This set of standards is being revised to meet current practice trends and to reflect values of the profession which have changed within recent years. Basic tools for social work practice includes updates in child welfare including prevention, parenting programs, family support programs, foster care, kinship care, adoption, and residential group homes. Coming in 2026.
• NASW Standards for Clinical Social Work in Social Work Practice
  These standards guide clinical social workers in all clinical settings, maintain or improve the quality of services, establish professional expectations, and provide a framework for providing services. Completed in April 2025.
• NASW Standards and Indicators for Cultural Competence in Social Work Practice
  The standards provide social workers with guidance on the implementation of culturally competent practice. Coming in 2026.
• NASW Standards for School Social Work Services
  This set of standards meets the changing needs of school social workers, students and families they serve, and local education agencies. The revised standards reflect current trends in practice that include bullying, violence, COVID-19 and other issues. Completed in January 2025.
• NASW Standards for Social Work Services in Long-Term Care Facilities
  The standards are revised to reflect changing practice and policies. They will serve as a basic tool for social work practice in long-term care facilities where there have been significant changes in the delivery of services over the past decade. Coming in 2026.
• NASW Standards for Social Work Practice in Palliative and End of Life Care
  This set of standards is being revised to improve social workers’ skills in working effectively with clients, families, health care providers, and the community when delivering palliative and end of life services. Coming in 2025.
• NASW Guidelines for Social Work Safety in the Workplace
  These standards are a helpful resource to communities, private and public agencies, local, state, and federal policymakers invested in creating a safer work environment for social workers. Coming in 2026.

Explore the full list of standards and guidelines