As a Geriatric Care Manager my philosophy. is very simple and straight forward.
The Social Worker's "Code of Ethics" is my creed for both my professional and personal life.
Preamble
The primary mission of the social work profession is to enhance human wellbeing and help meet basic human needs of all people, with particular attention to the needs and empowerment of people who are vulnerable, oppressed, and living in poverty. A historic and defining feature of social work is the profession’s focus on individual well-being in a social context and the wellbeing of society. Fundamental to social work is attention to the environmental forces that create, contribute to, and address problems in living.
The mission of the social work profession is rooted in a set of core values. These core values, embraced by social workers throughout the profession's history, are the foundation of social work's unique purpose and perspective. This constellation of core values reflects what is unique to the social work profession. Core values, and the principles that flow from them, must be balanced within the context and complexity of the human experience.
Value: Service
Ethical Principle: Social workers’ primary goal is to help people in need and to address social problems
Value: Social Justice
Ethical Principle: Social workers challenge social injustice. Social workers pursue social change, particularly with and on behalf of vulnerable and oppressed individuals and groups of people
Value: Dignity and Worth of the Person
Ethical Principle: Social workers respect the inherent dignity and worth of the person. Social workers treat each person in a caring and respectful fashion, mindful of individual differences and cultural and ethnic diversity. Social workers promote clients’ socially responsible self-determination
Value: Importance of Human Relationships
Ethical Principle: Social workers recognize the central importance of human relationships. Social workers understand that relationships between and among people are an important vehicle for change. Social workers engage people as partners in the helping process
Value: Integrity
Ethical Principle: Social workers behave in a trustworthy manner. Social workers are continually aware of the profession’s mission, values, ethical principles, and ethical standards and practice in a manner consistent with them.
Value: Competence
Ethical Principle: Social workers practice within their areas of competence and develop and enhance their professional expertise
The above is an extract of the NASW Code of Ethics. The full version may be seen at https://www.socialworkers.org/about/ethics/code-of-ethics.