The social work accreditation body in the Republic of Ireland has explicit requirements that social work training must incorporate ethics and values, with particular reference to codes of ethics developed by professional social work organisations.
There is international recognition of the importance of the principles of good practice in social work. In January 2001, the Council of Europe ratified a recommendation to ask member states to: "Support the development of codes of ethics in line with existing international instruments and require agencies to promote good practice through the integration of ethical codes in service delivery arrangements and the provision of working conditions consistent with ethical requirement."
The Council of Europe Recommendation Rec. (2001) 1 of the Committee
of Ministers to member states on social workers is available at: https://wcd.coe.int/ViewDoc.jsp?id=180283&Lang=en
International Federation of Social Workers. 2004. Ethics in Social Work, Statement of Principles. Berne: IFSW. Available at: http://www.ifsw.org/p38000398.html
Human rights is a related value component of social work practice. The Republic of Ireland has ratified the United Nations International Covenants on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and on Civil and Political Rights, as well as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and a number of other international and European human rights instruments.
United Nations Human Rights web-page: www.un.org/rights/
United Nations Centre for Human Rights. 1994. Human Rights and Social Work - professional training series No. 1. Geneva and New York: United Nations Centre for Human Rights. Currently out of print but available at: http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Publications/training1en.pdf
The National Social Work Qualifications Board (NSWQB) sets out requirements for professional social work courses, which include the teaching of ethics and values.
National Social Work Qualifications Board, 8-11 Lower Baggot Street, Dublin
2.
Tel: (01) 6766281. Fax: (01) 6766289.
E-mail: nswqb@nswqb.ie - Web: www.nswqb.ie
See Section 3 the Health and Social Care Professionals Act, 2005, for information on the future of recognising social work qualifications in Ireland where a registration system will replace the current accreditation system.
The Irish Association of Social Workers has a code of ethics, to which members sign up when joining the organisation.
Irish Association of Social Workers, 114-116 Pearse Street, Dublin 2.
Tel: (01) 6774838. Fax: (01) 6715734.
E-mail: office@iasw.ie - Web: www.iasw.ie
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