Description

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The Helping Professional's Guide to Ethics, Second Edition develops a comprehensive framework for ethics based on Bernard Gert's theory of common morality. Moving beyond codes of ethics, Bryan, Sanders, and Kaplan encourage students to develop a cohesive sense of ethical reasoning that both validates their moral intuition and challenges moral assumptions. Part I of the text introduces basic moral theory, provides an overview to moral development, and introduces the common morality framework. Part II focuses on common ethical issues faced by helping professionals such as: confidentiality, competency, paternalism, informed consent, and dual relationships. Each chapter provides an overview of each concept and their ethical relevance for practice. Throughout the text, students put their critical thinking skills into practice to promote deep learning. Real-life cases bridge the gap between theory and practice, and discussion questions reinforce the concepts introduced in each chapter.

About the Author

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Valerie Bryan (MSW, PhD, University of Kentucky) is associate professor and former program baccalaureate program director at the University of South Alabama. While teaching across the generalist social work curriculum, her scholarly areas of interest include applied ethics, juvenile justice, gender studies, child welfare, and health disparities. Scott Sanders (MSW, Grand Valley State University; PhD, University of Kentucky) is program director and professor of social work at Lourdes University. He advocates for a practical application of ethical decision-making to school social workers, substance abuse counselors, child and family service workers, and social work educators. Laura E. Kaplan, (PhD, MSW, LCSW, University of Kentucky) teaches with Fordham University's Graduate School of Social Services online MSW program. She provides professional CEU courses and consults in the United States and abroad. She also reviews federal grant applications and has published professional articles, textbooks, instructor manuals, and curricula. Her extensive background in community activism and professional practice has laid the groundwork for her interest in ethics and human rights and social justice in social work practice and education.