Sex and the Ethical Social Worker

Ethical social workers do it with ____________. Documentation? Unconditional positive regard? Countertransference? You provide the joke. We'll provide this quick reminder that knowing the NASW Code of Ethics is the best way to get prepared to tackle the ASWB exam. Here's a section that shows up again and again on the social work licensing exam:

1.09 Sexual Relationships

(a) Social workers should under no circumstances engage in sexual activities or sexual contact with current clients, whether such contact is consensual or forced.

(b) Social workers should not engage in sexual activities or sexual contact with clients’ relatives or other individuals with whom clients maintain a close personal relationship when there is a risk of exploitation or potential harm to the client. Sexual activity or sexual contact with clients’ relatives or other individuals with whom clients maintain a personal relationship has the potential to be harmful to the client and may make it difficult for the social worker and client to maintain appropriate professional boundaries. Social workers—not their clients, their clients’ relatives, or other individuals with whom the client maintains a personal relationship—assume the full burden for setting clear, appropriate, and culturally sensitive boundaries.

(c) Social workers should not engage in sexual activities or sexual contact with former clients because of the potential for harm to the client. If social workers engage in conduct contrary to this prohibition or claim that an exception to this prohibition is warranted because of extraordinary circumstances, it is social workers—not their clients—who assume the full burden of demonstrating that the former client has not been exploited, coerced, or manipulated, intentionally or unintentionally.

(d) Social workers should not provide clinical services to individuals with whom they have had a prior sexual relationship. Providing clinical services to a former sexual partner has the potential to be harmful to the individual and is likely to make it difficult for the social worker and individual to maintain appropriate professional boundaries.

Questions based upon this section write themselves. Write one yourself! Here's a quick one: 

A social worker sees a familiar face at a party. They talk and hit it off. They realize that the person was someone the social worker did an intake with once when she was still an intern. According to the NASW Code of Ethics, would it be ethical for the two to start a romantic relationship? 

A) Yes 

B) No 

C) Only if the relationship is sex-free 

D) Only if two years have passed.

What's your answer? Don't know? Reread the 1.09. It's in there. 

Good luck in your dating life and good luck with the exam!