Imacs 2016 imecs 2016 Proceedings (Preliminary version) of the 4
ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITY OF SOCIAL SERVICE MANAGER
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- 350.Introduction
- 351.Conclusion
- 352.References
ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITY OF SOCIAL SERVICE MANAGER349.Peter Slovák – Angelika DudžákováAbstract Ethical responsibility we perceive as a moral responsibility manager in social services and counseling, which is necessarily required for the application of professional management. Preserving ethical aspects in the context of professional intervention in client care at facility, means respecting the individuality of the individual, specific personality traits and behavior. Our research investigation were focused on learning about awareness and actual enforcement of moral responsibility of managers of social services. Based on comparison of theoretical approaches to solving real issues and implementing approaches the object of this paper identify important factors determining the behavior of manager in terms of respect for ethical responsibility. In addressing the issues set we use logic and cognitive methods and various procedures that allow to understand the specific aspects of the management of social services. Through semi-structured interviews, we complement the important informations to research issues. Based on the transcription and segmentation we created categories that according to the results of research investigations have meaningful interpretation value given to research objectives. The conclusions are applicable in the context of continuous monitoring of the implementation of the rules of ethics in practice managers of social services and counseling, as well as in the training of future professionals. Key words: Ethical responsibility. Manager. Social service facility. JEL Code: D63, D64, D69 350.IntroductionA social worker as an expert in the area of social services and counsellingperforms managerial tasks and tackles problems that occur in this sphere. In common usage, this term refers to a wide variety of positions ranging from social work assistants to counsellors, therapists up to managers of social care facilities. This wide range of positions clearly shows a social worker as a human potential managerat different levels. Therefore, it appears to be important that professional social workers do not only demonstrate theoretical knowledge of ethical norms and principles but they are also able to take personal responsibility for adopting them into practice. In this case we talk about multi-spectral moral responsibility of a social service manager. It means moral responsibility for a person who is vulnerable in their social situation and greatly dependent on a professional social worker. Managers of social care facilities also have to assume responsibility towards the founder, professional community, and naturally towards themselves when doing their job. A specific ethics indicator in the management of social care facilities orhome care agencies is how this management is perceived by their clients. (Dúbravská - Mura - Kotulič - Novotný, 2015). Therefore we focused on this aspect in our research.A socialservice manager is a professional who works with people and is still in close contact with them. As a result, besides ethical responsibility, a social service manager must possess specific moral qualitieslike honesty, fairness, truthfulness, willingness to work hard and help others, trustworthiness, politeness, responsibility and patience. A social service manager is also supposed to demonstrate empathy, which is an ability to sense other people´s emotions and experiences. Empathyhelps managers better understand processes that occur in individuals, clients as well as employees who ensure the running of the whole facility. However, social service managers need to show their own initiative and bear ethical responsibility. A social service manager job can be described through a broad range of duties that involve activities like assisting people in creating a balance between possibilities and requirements of their social environment, promoting the adoption of positive attitudes to life and socially acceptable behaviour, teaching individuals to develop and improve their ability to solve problems and helping them to develop a sense of social responsibility. This job is not done in a vacuum. A social service manager has to fulfill requirements imposed by the society, its laws, rules, needs and changes that occur in the specific socio-cultural environment. Then there are requirements imposed by clients, their relatives or interest groups as well as employees who work under them. (Hambálek, 2010). Social service managers need to possess cognitive behavioral skills, demonstrate intellectual abilities and emotional intelligence to do their job in a professional way. Social work is always demanding for many reasons, the most important of which are necessary cooperation with clients, decision making and meeting targets.Itis naturally based on the principle that every professional social service manager sets their targets with regard to clients and their environment.It means, as Strieženec suggests, in social work we have to set targets in compliance with social conditions. Besides, these targets have to be formulated clearly and comprehensively. They cannot be ambiguous. (Strieženec, 2001). Managers of social care facilities are also required to gain systematic and scientific knowledge of social sphere, in which they work. The combination of practical and up-to-date theoretical knowledgethroughresearch is necessary in order to achieve quality in management. Out research was conducted in a facility for senior citizens. The results were compared with the views of clients who receive care in the home environment. Ethical responsibility of a professional social worker was perceived mainly through ensuring proper living conditions. The fundamental question was if managers of social care facilities or home care agencies should take primary responsibility for the quality of life of their clients.
100,00%
65,82% 81,51%
34,18% 18,49%
0% 20%
40% 60%
80% 100%
in facilities for senior citizens all respondents yes
no Source: author As many as 81.51% respondents are convinced that a social service manager bears primary responsibility for the quality of life of their clients. Only 18.49% of all the respondents do not associate responsibility for the quality of life with this job. All the respondents living in facilities for senior citizens consider it to be a necessary attribute for a professional social worker holding a managerial position (100%), whereas the number of respondents whoreceive carein the home environment and share the same opinionis smaller. Only 65.82% of the respondents living in the home environmentconsider it to be an essential attribute in agency management. 34.18% of these respondents believe thata carer with whomthey come into contact on a daily basis should take professional responsibility. Therefore, the manager´s responsibility starts with the choice ofsuitable carers who manage to meet criteria of ethical conduct and proper approach towards clients. How do you feel aboutthe respect for the rules of ethical conduct and ethical approach adopted by managers of facilities for senior citizens or home care agencies in relation toyou, your personality and your requirements?
43,28%
11,54% 29,41%
41,79% 48,08%
44,54% 14,93%
40,38% 26,05%
0% 20%
40% 60%
80% 100%
in facilities for senior citizens in the home environment all respondents strongly positive positive average
negative strongly negative Source: author On the whole the respondents,using their own experience,positively evaluatedthe respect for the rules of ethical conduct by managers. Almost three quarters of all the participants rated the activities of managers in social services and counselling as positive. 29.41% of all the respondents generally felt strongly positive about their work and 44.54%positively responded to their activities. None of the respondents held a negative view of their activities in social services. 26.05% of all the research participants evaluated their activities as average. The division of respondents into two groups - those receiving care in the home environment and those living in social care facilities enables an analogous interpretation of the research results. However, frequency of meetings and direct contact with managers of social care facilities or home care agencies also play an important role. Another significant factor that has to be considered in connection withprofessional conduct is preserving clientrights. As the Code of Ethics states, with regard to natural rights, social workers are committed to serve their clients in the way that shows commitment, loyalty and proves great professional skills and competencies. Professional social workers do not discriminate against any person on the grounds of race, sex, sexual orientation, age, religion, nationality, social status, political orientation, mental or physical disability, etc. (Bočáková – Kubičková, 2015). They provide clients with precise and detailed information on the extent and nature of services as well as their potential risks. Besides, they are supposed to ensure the continuity of services and support for a client ifthey stop providing these services and there is still need for them. When implementing the rights into a client´s life, basic ethical principles like beneficence, nonmaleficence, autonomy, fairness, trustworthiness and truthfulness are applied. (Mojtová et al., 2008). Within the context of these principles the clients were asked to express their opinion on how their rights are preserved. Their opinions were formed on the basis of personal communication and interaction with a social service manager.
16,07%
67,44% 61,54%
66,07% 11,63%
30,77% 16,07%
7,69% 1,79%
0% 20%
40% 60%
80% 100%
In facilities for senior citizens In the home enviroment All respondents strongly positive positive average
negative strongly negative Source: author In terms of the preservation of client rights and satisfaction of their interests the respondents viewed the communication and interaction with managers of social care facilities or home care agencies mostly positively. 82.14% of all the respondents positively valued the help provided by social service manager. 16.07% of these respondents felt highly positive about it and 66.07% took a positive view. Only 1.79% of all the respondents rated the assistance provided by social service manager as negative and 16.07% of all the participants evaluated their assistance as average. Satisfaction of client needs is considered as a key component of ethical responsibility of social service manager. In the USA the term best practice is used within the context of social services provision. This term refers to integrated practice based on experience and results, with respect for ethical principles. (Matoušek et al., 2013). However, it does not mean unlimited and instant satisfaction of client needs. On the basis of personal experience and current results a social service managerchooses the way which ensures the maintenance of personal integrity. With regard to personality and individual differences clients cannot be forced to accept activities or satisfaction of such needs they are not particularly interested in as they have never considered them as their priority. To what extent were your requirements observed by managers of social care facilities or home care agencies when satisfying your needs?
43,59%
24,56% 47,62%
30,77% 12,28%
47,62% 21,79%
1,75% 4,76%
2,56% 1,75%
1,28% 0% 20% 40% 60%
80% 100%
In facilities for senior citizens
In the home enviroment All respondents strongly positive positive
average negative
strongly negative Source: author The respondents positively evaluated the activities of social service manager in connection with satisfaction of their needs. 74.36%positively responded to their assistance in satisfying client primary and secondary needs. 43.59% of these respondents held a highly positive view and 30.77% felt positive about their assistance in satisfying client needs. Their assistance was rated as negative by only 3.85% of all the respondents. 2.56% of these respondents held a negative view of their assistance and 1.28 % rated it as very negative. This negative view can be explained by the fact, that in some cases quality care is associated with an authoritarian approach to when, where and what needs have to be satisfied without regard to specific client needs. 21.79% of all the respondents rated the assistance of social service manager in this area as average. Obviously clients receiving care in the home environment have higher expectations.The results obtained on the basis of dividing the respondents into two groups (those receiving care in the home environment and those living in facilities for senior citizens) can be interpreted in this ways. The job of a social service professional, social worker, social advisor, mainly in the managerial position, involves adequate intervention in compliance with ethical principles and improvement in client satisfaction if clients are unable to meet their needs through their own efforts or their environment. Adequate need satisfaction prevents the occurrence of unfavourable social situations, strengthens relationships and interactions of clients in the social environment, encourages a client to adopt proper attitudes and helps to overcome problems associated with adaptation. A social service manager is supposed to meet a complex set of client needs with respect to their personality and specific needs. When working with social service clients it is important to monitor activities performed by a multi-disciplinary team that includes health care workers, carers, social pedagogues, priests and other specialists. Each member of this team has their own area of ethical responsibility towards a client. All of them participate in applying ethical principles in practice and a social service manager in particular takes responsibility for continuous evaluation of the observation of ethical values. A social service manager should primarily be a professional, capable of reflection on the basis of which they apply such ethical categories that a specific interaction requires. (Mura, 2015).
We need to realize that social service managers come into contact not only with clients but also their relatives, the primary environment from which a client comes. (Garaj – Machyniaková, 2015). Therefore ethical responsibility of a social service manager has to be associated with the respect for specific social situations influenced by age, mental and somatic state of clients and their relationship to their environment.The growing dependence of a client on the other person´s help can result in underestimating the observation of primary ethical principles by social service managers.In social care facilities – in the sense of ethical responsibility – the principle of participation in adaptation of a client in the new environment and new situations is applied. Futher it is quality social work and counselling, socio-legal protection, the opportunity to have contact with their families and other social interactions as well as help that is offered if clients need to claim their rights and legally protected interests. Intervention in the home environment involves dealing with losses in life which requires professional social and psychological support. Direct service care lies in training simple daily activities, helping clients with personal hygiene, the use of tools and aids, maintenance of cleanliness, supporting self-reliance, the development of basic social contacts and satisfying psychosocial needs, provided that freedom in decision-making and personal autonomy are maintained in compliance with ethical principles. The same applies to health and social care provision and the related activities in which individual, human approach is a basic ethical rule. Managerial monitoring of anti-oppressive practice in complex care is an important factor in maintaining an ethical approach towards social service clients. Anti-oppressive practice means that under no circumstances should a contact worker favour any single individual when satisfying their needs, providing personal and health care or other forms of social care. 352.ReferencesBočáková, O., Kubičková, D., 2015. Health and social aspects of quality of life of seniors. In SGEM 2015, Book 1, vol. I., 2nd International multidiscliplinary scientific conference on social sciences & arts SGEM 2015. ALBENA. Sofia:STEF92 Technology Ltd, 2015. 1108 s. ISBN 978-619-7105-44-5. ss. 559-566. Dúbravská., M., Mura, L., Kotulič, R., Novotný, J., 2015. Internationalization of Entrepreneurship - Motivating Factors: Case Study of the Slovak Republic. In: Acta Polytechnica Hungarica, Vol. 12, No. 5, 2015, pp. 121-133. ISSN 1785-8860 Garaj, M., Machyniaková, L., 2015. Active ageing of senior citizens and national strategy of Slovakia. In SGEM 2015, Book 1, vol. I., 2nd International multidiscliplinary scientific conference on social sciences & arts SGEM 2015. ALBENA. Sofia:STEF92 Technology Ltd, 2015. 1108 s. ISBN 978-619-7105-44-5. ss. 289-296. Matoušek, O., et al. 2013. Encyklopedie sociální práce. Praha: Portál, 2013. 576 s. ISBN 978-80-262-0366-7. Mura, L., 2015. Etika pre pomáhajúce profesie. Brno: Tribun EU, 133 s. 2015. ISBN 978-80-263-0812-6
Mojtová, M., et al. 2008. Vybrané kapitoly z etiky pre študentov zdravotníckych a sociálnych odborov. Bratislava: VŠZSP sv. Alžbety, 2008. 126 s. ISBN 978-8089271-40-5. Strieženec, Š., 2001. Úvod do sociálnej práce. 2. vyd. Trnava: Tripsoft , 2001. 197 s. ISBN 80-968294-6-7.
Peter Slovák, PhDr. PhD. University of Ss. Cyril and Methodius, Faculty of Social Sciences Bučianska street 4/A, 917 01 Trnava, Slovakia Mail: peter.slovak@ucm.sk
University of Ss. Cyril and Methodius, Faculty of Social Sciences Bučianska street 4/A, 917 01 Trnava, Slovakia Mail: angelika.dudzakova@ucm.sk Directory: wp-content -> uploads -> 2015 2015 -> Police Militarization 2015 -> 2015 ihbb championships: hs history Bowl Round 4 – Prelims First Quarter 2015 -> Wrtp/big step · 3841 W. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee, wi 53208 2015 -> Rao bulletin 1 December 2015 html edition this bulletin contains the following articles 2015 -> Darton College 2015 -> Training Workshop on Planning and Implementation of Multi-Sectoral Development Programme (MsDP) in Bihar Date : 6th 2015 -> Rao bulletin 15 June 2015 html edition this bulletin contains the following articles 2015 -> Rao bulletin 1 September 2015 html edition this bulletin contains the following articles 2015 -> Rao bulletin 1 August 2015 html edition this bulletin contains the following articles 2015 -> Science, and transportation united states senate Download 2.73 Mb. Share with your friends:
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