Introduction
The book Becoming a Helper by Marianne Schneider Corey and Gerald Corey studies ethical dilemmas and problems that may arise even for a social work professional. Ethical questions and the resolution of any issues that arise are essential aspects of social services, as these actions shape the behavior and responsibilities of the professional. The author touches upon critical ethical issues in different social work spheres, emphasizing that the specialist needs to overcome them.
Risks of Burnout and Self-Care for Helpers
This book highlights the ethical dilemmas that aid professionals routinely face. The main issues are personal boundaries and possible burnout due to processing, as well as confidentiality of patient data and personal prejudice of employees. Helpers often face risks to their health when helping other people, so it is important to remember to take care of yourself to maintain overall cheerfulness and well-being (Brown, 2020). Emotional or physical burnout can cause reduced employee performance, which will endanger not only the health of the specialist but also the quality of assistance provided to clients. This risk can be addressed by regular observation of the assistant’s health and work-life balance, allowing better adherence to social service standards.
Maintaining Personal Boundaries with Clients
The author also focuses on the ethical problem of personal boundaries and their correct establishment in contact with the client. The helper must keep a clear distance between the desire to feel sympathy for the person and the observance of ethical rules to ensure that the client relationship does not exceed acceptable limits. Violating personal boundaries can decrease the objectivity of the services provided and lead to further exploitation of unnecessary information (Corey & Corey, 2020).
Managing Personal Biases and Past Experiences
Corey & Corey also refer to the impact of adverse experiences that helpers may have experienced as children, which have shaped problems in character. Thus, it is essential for a social worker to have self-consciousness and to be able to manage personal issues that could potentially lead to the violation of personal boundaries. Moreover, it is essential not to allow your values to influence the provision of assistance to the client and not to impose your opinion on others.
Confidentiality and Protection of Client Data
Another fundamental ethical value is the preservation of confidential customer data during service. This rule can be violated only in the case of legal obligations in disclosing information if it may be necessary for good purposes (Corey & Corey, 2020). In the remaining cases, ethical breaches of confidentiality may undermine trust between the client and the social assistant, resulting in a deterioration in the quality of service. The assistant must always be able to keep data confidential, so it is essential to constantly monitor the specialist’s actions and their complete training in these rules of ethics (Bryce et al., 2023). Thus, the preservation of each client’s data should be a priority for the assistant, as it depends on the protection of the person and the degree of their confidence in the help.
Conclusion
Finally, ethics are critical in social work, as the process is about working with people. The book Becoming a Helper is a source of valuable information about the issues professionals face daily. The authors focus on how important it is for the helper to preserve personal boundaries, care for their health, and respect customer data confidentiality. It is vital for excellent specialists to constantly analyze their actions and emotional state to avoid burnout in the workplace. Thus, by focusing on the solution to these ethical issues, social workers can provide quality and practical assistance that is client-oriented
References
Brown, M.-E. (2020). Hazards of our helping profession: A practical self-care model for community practice. Social Work, 65(1), 38–44. Web.
Bryce, I., Pye, D., Beccaria, G., McIlveen, P., & Du Preez, J. (2023). A systematic literature review of the career choice of helping professionals who have experienced cumulative harm as a result of adverse childhood experiences. Trauma, Violence & Abuse, 24(1), 72–85. Web.
Corey, G., & Corey, M. (2020). Becoming a Helper (8th ed.). Brooks/Cole.