Moral Injury in Social Work
Moral Injury in Social Work
- Frederic G. ReamerFrederic G. ReamerRhode Island College
Summary
Social work generally attracts deeply altruistic practitioners who are passionate about assisting vulnerable people. Yet, occasionally some practitioners and their employing organizations cause harm to the people they serve and the broader community. Social workers also assist clients who struggle with the ramifications of harm they have caused. It is critically important for social workers to understand the nature and causes of moral injury, prevention strategies, the role of apology, and moral courage. Moral injury occurs when social workers perpetrate, fail to prevent, or bear witness to acts that violate practitioners’ core values and ethical standards. Moral injury can occur in clinical social work, case management, policy practice, and social work administration, among other contexts. Social workers’ professional repertoire should include a meaningful response to moral injury in social work that simultaneously acknowledges the impact of moral injury on individual victims and addresses the need for structural reform and other preventative measures.
Subjects
- Ethics and Values