For more than a decade, teachers and practitioners have turned to Frederic G. Reamer's Social Work Values and Ethics for its comprehensive introduction to ethical decision making and practical guidance regarding professional misconduct. This new edition incorporates the legal and technological realities now facing individuals in the field, featuring a discussion of the ethical issues that arise from practitioner use of online services and social networking sites, as well as an overview of ethical standards that protect confidential information transmitted electronically. Reamer also adds a discussion on potential conflicts between ethical standards and legal guidelines and a section defining statutory law, regulatory law, case law, and constitutional law. He expands his coverage of boundary issues and dual relationships and includes new material exploring the complexities of practitioner self-disclosure and the challenges of living and working within small and rural communities.
Revised content and case materials include an investigation into the ethics of practitioner engagement with social justice and advocacy, as well as updates to the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics. Reamer compares NASW's ethics to those of other human service professions, and he pursues an in-depth analysis of the relevance of cultural difference to ethical dilemmas and decision making.