The need for explicit argumentation in ethical decision-making in social work

Abstract

This article addresses the need for social workers' explicit argumentation in ethical decision-making, i.e. the justification offered in adopting a particular course of action with their clients. It is the main assumption of this article that social workers need to be aware and explicit of the personal and professional ideas, concepts, values, and assumptions that guide their practice. In the following sections we clarify central concepts such as argumentation and its explicitness, present a conceptual framework for analyzing ethical decisions in social work, illustrate its applicability on social work dilemmas, and discuss possible implications for social work practice and education. Finally, we recommend that social work education put emphasis on: (1) developing more awareness for inner deliberations and making these explicit and amenable for evaluation; and (2) developing specific skills for explicit argumentation in ethical decision-making.