Custom essays on Client privacy and confidentiality

Week 3.1 and 3.2
Social work ethics focus upon client privacy. Client privacy is composed of confidentiality, privileged communication, and informed consent. Define each term as noted in the NASW Code of Ethics as well as our text. Discuss the similarities and the differences of the terms of confidentiality, privileged communication, and informed consent. Provide examples.
Client privacy and confidentiality are extremely important for social workers because they are responsible for the protection of the private information of clients. Information breaches are absolutely unacceptable in relation to clients. The concept of confidentiality implies that social workers should not reveal information about their clients to third parties without their consent. In this respect the informed consent should be also included, which means the agreement of clients to give consent that meets the minimal standards established in the practice of social workers. For instance, social workers can use the general information, such as gender of their clients in their researches or statistical analysis, but they cannot use names and details which reveal the personality of their clients. Finally, social workers should have privileged communication with their clients which means the confidential exchange of information between a social worker and a client.
Domestic violence brings significant emotional issues to the counseling session and case work activities. The social worker must balance their professional values of non-judgmental, self-determination, confidentiality while meeting with clients with domestic violence issues. What is the importance of this balance with Domestic Violence (DV) counseling? How would you address this balance especially as we may feel the emotionalism of the issues?
The provision of counseling services in cases of domestic violence is quite different from other cases because victims of domestic violence are constantly exposed to the impact of offenders. The permanent conflict and contact between offenders and victims increases the tension in their relationships. Counseling should be balanced and combine professional values of non-judgmental, self-determination, and confidentiality. As the matter of fact, professionals should focus on the provision of clients with counseling services of the top quality. The latter is impossible if the professional is biased or have some prejudices in relation to domestic violence or offender or victims. For instance, males are often viewed as aggressors and initiators of domestic violence, whereas, in actuality, females may be also inclined to domestic violence. Victims of domestic violence should be self-determined and confident in their ability to resist to the aggression and domestic violence from the part of offenders. Confidentiality is one of the milestone concepts of the work of professionals providing counseling services. Clients suffering from domestic violence need to keep their problems in secret. Counseling is impossible without maintenance of confidentiality and clients’ privacy.