Social Work Ethics: Politics, Principles and Practice

This book offers a critical introduction to professional ethics for social workers. It recognises that social work is largely a state sponsored activity and therefore poses issues in political theory. The traditional values and rules of practice ethics are explained using plentiful examples. The critique is followed by an innovative concept of social work and its relationship to the state. A new approach to practice ethics is developed based on four cardinal principles of respect, justice, citizenship and discipline.