Value 5: Preserving Integrity in Professional Practice

Context for Practice: Social workers maintain high standards of professional conduct and are honest, responsible, trustworthy, and accountable to service users and to colleagues in their own and other professions. Social workers strive to make true and honest claims regarding the nature and scope of service and anticipated service outcomes. Social workers understand that service users’ circumstances can change and that it is not possible to fully anticipate all outcomes of an intervention program or social work service. Social workers are accountable for their practice and work toward the standards of service provision that reflect social work values. Social workers uphold the Nova Scotia College of Social Workers Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice (2025). Social workers are encouraged to consult with their supervisor or obtain advice from the NSCSW wherever there is uncertainty with respect to the application of the Code or adherence to the Standards of Practice, when addressing ethical dilemmas or making ethical decisions.

Standards of Practice: Social workers shall demonstrate integrity in professional conduct by:

5.1.1 accurately representing themselves at all times, including their educational qualifications, professional registration, professional designation, professional experience, training, and professional expertise within the context of a professional relationship;

5.1.2 accurately representing their cultural identity and lived experiences;

5.1.3 taking appropriate action where a breach of professional practice and professional ethics occurs, consistent with the Nova Scotia College of Social Workers Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice (2024), including consultation with the College;

5.1.4 informing service users at the earliest opportunity of any factor, condition or pressure that affects their ability to practise;

5.1.6 not accepting any payment, fee, non-monetary reward, personal benefit or service in exchange for making or receiving a referral.

Context for Practice: Social workers are responsible for ensuring public safety and preserving trust in social work. Social workers are often in positions of power with their service users, which makes adherence to ethical and professional guidelines critical.

Standards of Practice: Social workers work towards the protection of the public by:

5.2.1 conspicuously displaying a current certificate of registration and membership issued by the regulatory body at their office;

5.2.2 distinguishing between actions and statements made as private citizens and actions and statements as social workers, recognizing that social workers are obliged to ensure that no outside interest brings the profession to disrepute;

5.2.3 taking appropriate action through established channels (such as those established by employers, their regulatory body or other professional organizations) when believing that a colleague has not adequately addressed an impairment to professional practice, if there is a concern for the potential harm of service users;

5.2.4 reporting to their regulatory body (the NSCSW’s Board of Examiners) information on the following conduct by an applicant, a Registered Social Worker or a Social Work Candidate that adversely affects or harms a service user or prevents the effective delivery of a social service:

• Sexual contact or sexual conduct with a service user or a former service user.
• Failure to report as required by law.
• Impairment in the ability to practice by reason of illness, use of alcohol, drugs or other chemicals, or as a result of any mental or physical condition.
• Improper or fraudulent billing practices.
• Fraud in the registration application process or any other false statements made to the Board.
• Conviction of any criminal offence reasonably related to the practice of social work.
• Any other conduct by any individual applicant. Registered Social Worker or Social Work Candidate that constitutes grounds for disciplinary action under the Nova Scotia Social Workers Act, the Code of Ethics and the Standards of Practice.
• Any unqualified or unregistered person who is practising social work.

5.2.5 when information about a violation is obtained from a service user, notifying the service user of the social worker’s obligation to report the information to the Board of Examiners of the NSCSW;

5.2.6 when a service refuses to consent to the release of their name, reporting the violation without providing information that would identify the service user;

5.2.7 notwithstanding any other provisions of the Code of Ethics and these Standards of Practice, and subject to any limitations imposed by law, cooperating fully with investigations into matters of complaint against themselves, other social workers, and regulated professionals, to assist with the protection of the public.

Context for Practice: Social workers understand that maintaining professional boundaries is fundamental to the professional relationship, that the onus is on the social worker to maintain the professional boundaries, that they hold a place of power in all professional relationships, and there is a potential for harm to others should that power be misused. Social workers are responsible for setting clear boundaries with service users to prevent any sexual or intimate relationship or any other form of conflict of interest or exploitation. Social workers understand that consent is never a defence to sexual misconduct. Social workers maintain appropriate professional boundaries throughout the professional relationship and following case closure or termination of social work services.

Standards of Practice: Social workers shall maintain and uphold appropriate professional boundaries by:

5.3.1 limiting their involvement in the personal affairs of service users to matters related to the service being provided;

5.3.2 refraining from communication with service users using technology applications for personal or non-work-related purposes;

5.3.3 understanding that sexual misconduct²⁰ by a social worker toward a service user²¹ violates professional boundaries and constitutes professional misconduct and/or conduct unbecoming;

5.3.4 understanding sexual misconduct represents a profound breach of trust on behalf of the social worker involved. The blurring of professional and personal boundaries often results in devastating consequences to the service user. Within the professional relationship, the service user is always considered to be the vulnerable party. The onus is on the social worker to maintain professional boundaries with a service user and not to exploit a service user in any way. Consent is never a defence to sexual misconduct;

5.3.5 not engaging in sexual misconduct;

5.3.6 maintaining therapeutic and professional boundaries with a current, former or vulnerable former service user²²;

5.3.7 always obtaining informed consent prior to engaging in clinically relevant discussions of a sexual or intimate nature;

5.3.8 being aware of the impact of transference and counter-transference particularly around discussion of a sexual and intimate nature. The social worker is always responsible for maintaining appropriate professional boundaries and proper documentation of steps taken to maintain professional boundaries;

5.3.9 not engaging in any form of sexual behaviour, conduct, or activity with a current service user or vulnerable former service user;

5.3.10 not engaging in any form of sexual behaviour, conduct, or activity with any individual with whom a current service user has an interdependent relationship (e.g. parent, guardian, child, spouse, partner, or substitute decision maker);

5.3.11 not communicating with and/or soliciting a current or vulnerable former service user through any means (including in person, in writing, or electronically) for the purpose of:

• entering in a dating, sexual, intimate, or romantic relationship; or
• engaging in sexual behaviour, conduct, or activity;

5.3.12. not using any personal or health information obtained in the context of the social worker-service user relationship for the purpose of pursuing a dating, sexual, intimate, or romantic relationship, or a sexual encounter.

5.3.13 not engaging in any form of sexual behaviour, conduct, or activity with a former service user for at least a minimum of 2 years, and after 2 years, the social worker must determine after careful review of the former service user’s circumstances that it is appropriate (see vulnerable service user).

5.3.14 not terminating the social worker-service user relationship for the purposes of entering into a personal or sexual relationship with a service user.

Context for Practice: Social workers do not take advantage of any professional relationship or exploit others to advance their personal, religious, political, business, or financial interests. Social workers strive to understand and recognize the conditions and risk factors that may cause exploitation or conflict of interest. Social workers seek supervision, reflect honestly on their practice, and critically examine the circumstances to avoid conflict of interest situations. Social workers act to avoid conflicts of interest and to safeguard the rights of service users.

Social workers are well-versed in the complexities of dual or multiple relationships, understanding that each is unique and that not all create conflicts of interest or risks of exploitation. However, all require thoughtful consideration. The likelihood of such relationships is greater in rural areas, First Nations communities, interconnected cultural settings, and certain workplace environments. Social workers actively work to mitigate risks, strengthen professional relationships, and seek appropriate consultation or supervision to assess potential or actual conflicts of interest. They carry the responsibility of maintaining clear boundaries to safeguard the rights and trust of service users.

Standards of Practice: Social workers shall avoid conflicts of interest and not exploit or take unfair advantage of any professional relationships for personal gain or gratification, and shall manage dual or multiple relationships by:

5.4.1 discussing potential or actual conflicts of interest with service users and taking all reasonable steps to protect their interests, including termination of the professional relationship with appropriate referrals to another professional;

5.4.2 ensuring that the difference between professional and personal relationships with service users is explicitly understood by the service user;

5.4.3 advising their employer of any potential for conflict of interest and seeking supervision or consultation to safeguard the service user’s rights and interests and documenting the conflict and all measures taken to mitigate the conflict;

5.4.4 not providing social work services to individuals with whom they have had a prior relationship of an intimate or sexual nature;

5.4.5 not entering into a business relationship with a service user, borrowing money from a service user, loaning money to a service user, or accepting monetary gifts in any form from a service user;

5.4.6 ensuring that they follow organizational policies related to workplace relationships;

5.4.7 not having a sexual or intimate relationship with an organizational colleague where the consequences of such could have adverse effects on a service user or working conditions within the organization;

5.4.8 not engaging in social work services with service users when a dual or multiple relationship can exist that will compromise the rights, interests and wellbeing of the service user, impairs the objectivity and professional judgment of the social worker or increases the risk of exploitation;

5.4.9 knowing that in all cases when a dual/multiple role relationship exists, the social worker is solely responsible for ensuring that appropriate professional boundaries are maintained, and that the nature of the professional relationship is protected.

If a dual or multiple role relationship develops or is discovered after the professional relationship has been initiated, a social worker shall protect the rights and interests of service users by:

5.4.10 evaluating the nature of dual or multiple relationships to ensure that the rights and interests of service users are protected;

5.4.11 informing service users of the possible or actual dual/multiple relationships and the possible consequences and actions the social worker will take to protect the rights and interests of the service user;

5.4.12 developing with the service user and in consultation with a supervisor, an action plan to protect the rights and interests of the service user including safeguarding privacy and confidentiality;

5.4.13 taking reasonable measures to discuss with service users how accidental or unavoidable contacts will be managed to protect the service user’s rights and interests when circumstances lead the social worker to be in regular contact with the service user outside the practice setting.

Context for Practice: Social workers in private practice or self-employment are responsible to conduct their business with integrity and transparency. Social workers in private practice are honest, trustworthy, transparent, and held accountable in their clinical practice and business operations.

Standards of Practice: Social workers shall maintain honest and transparent business practises by:

5.5.1 securing adequate malpractice, defamation, and liability insurance and maintaining registration with the Nova Scotia College of Social Workers;

5.5.2 securing registration with the College as a Clinical Specialist when they are providing clinical social work services in a private setting and providing evidence of their status²³ ;

5.5.3 participating in supervision on a regular basis as a support of their practice, for professional development, community-care, self-care and to reflect on ethical concerns and ethical dilemmas;

5.5.4 seeking consultation with the regulatory body in another jurisdiction to determine the requirements before providing services in another jurisdiction;

5.5.5 being aware of inter-jurisdictional issues when providing therapy or social work services using electronic technologies (i.e., on-line counselling, on-line support groups, video conferencing etc.);

5.5.6 establishing and implementing clear policies, procedures and practices for office procedures, documentation, storage, retention, security, and destruction of records;

5.5.7 disclosing at the outset of the relationship with service users, the fee schedule for social work services, including the possibility of pursuing civil remedies to secure payment for services;

5.5.8 limiting the fee to what was agreed upon at the onset of the professional relationship;

5.5.9 not accepting or giving a commission, rebate, fee split or other form of remuneration for the referral of a service user;

5.5.10 limiting bartering arrangements to circumstances when they are considered (1) an accepted practice for professionals in the local community, (2) essential for the provision of services, (3) negotiated without coercion, (4) entered into for the benefit of service users and (5) with their informed consent;

5.5.11 not accepting goods or services from the service user or a third party in exchange for services except when it is initiated by the service user, and is accepted practice in the community or in the service user’s culture, and assurance can be made that the arrangement will not be exploitative of the service user;

5.5.12 ensuring that their practice advertised on websites, telecommunications, telehealth web-based platforms and social media is accurate, current and does not elicit testimonials or endorsements from service users who have received services.

In addition, social workers who are in private practice and are also employed at an agency or organization (e.g., employed full-or part-time) shall limit:

5.5.13 soliciting service users for their private practice from their colleagues or their place of employment;

5.5.14 accepting referrals from their employer only when the organization does not provide a similar service and in accordance with established policies regarding such referrals.