ASWB Outline and NASW Code of Ethics Changes

To pass the ASWB exam, it's a good idea to know what's on the ASWB exam. And what's on the ASWB is about to change...a little. Starting January 2nd, 2018, exams will reflect new exam blueprints. The changes aren't all that significant. Category names get reworked. The balance between categories is shifted some. A few new items are added (e.g., don't think there was anything specifically about working with trans clients in the previous clinical outline).  SWTP's quick round-up is here. 

Also new--and maybe a little bit more impactful to you, the social work licensing exam prepper--an updated edition of the NASW Code of Ethics, which becomes available online on November 1, 2017 and goes into effect for social workers in January 1, 2018. The NASW's blog is the best place to go for details about the changes. For instance:

Q: What educational resources are available to explain the latest revisions to the NASW Code 
of Ethics?

A: Several resources will be available, including an online training, an NASW chat, a blog, code 
revision consults, and a posting of the changes with the explanations on the NASW Web site.

Your natural question: will this be on the exam? Answer: always expect to see lots of questions based upon the NASW Code of Ethics on the social work exam. Will the ASWB try to spring gotcha questions to see if you've been studying the correct version of the Code? Highly unlikely. The exam isn't, in principle, written to deceive. It's purpose is to assess basic social work knowledge from beginning social workers. As new exam versions are written, expect to see new Code material reflected with increasing regularity. But...no big. That's the one future social workers will be studying. 

In other words, don't sweat any of this. Whether you're taking the exam in December or in January, it's all going to be just fine. Proceed as planned.

Happy studying!