by Allan Barsky, JD, MSW, PhD
As social staff, we all know that we must always usually keep away from twin (or a number of) relationships, significantly when there are dangers of exploitation or hurt to shoppers (NASW Code of Ethics, Requirements 1.06(a) and (c)). We also needs to keep away from twin relationships with college students, supervisees, and others who could also be in susceptible conditions which might be because of energy differentials and private circumstances. Avoiding twin relationships helps social work values reminiscent of honesty, integrity, and constancy (dedication to serve individuals in want). As well as, we ought to be conscious that if we have interaction in twin relationships, then we’re liable for taking steps to reduce any conflicts of pursuits (Customary 1.06(d)). As a result of {our relationships} with shoppers are based mostly on belief, we could bear duty for any hurt that befalls our shoppers on account of our twin relationships and conflicts of curiosity.
Though avoiding twin relationships is commonly probably the most prudent plan of action, the NASW Code doesn’t place an outright ban on twin relationships. It acknowledges that some twin relationships could also be unavoidable, unintentional, and even fascinating. In a small town or a community, as an illustration, it might be unreasonable to count on that staff would by no means see shoppers outdoors their skilled capacities; staff could develop relationships with shoppers via interactions of their neighborhoods, colleges, homes of worship, cultural organizations, on-line social networking, or different neighborhood actions. If you’re the only social employee in a small, distant city, then refusing to serve explicit shoppers due to prior relationships might imply that these shoppers could be denied entry to social work providers.
As social work pioneer Jane Addams famous, there are various advantages of residing in the identical communities because the individuals we serve. After we reside and work in the identical communities because the individuals we serve, we will get to know their wants, pursuits, needs, and hopes in a extra direct and insightful method. The query, then, isn’t merely how you can keep away from twin relationships, but additionally, how we must always handle potential conflicts of curiosity after we anticipate participating in twin relationships. On this article, let’s think about the several types of twin relationships after which discover how you can handle dangers in anticipation of coming into future twin relationships.
Varieties of Twin Relationships
Twin relationships could also be “concurrent” or “sequential.” In concurrent twin relationships, we’ve two or extra relationships with our shoppers on the similar time. In the event you had been to behave as an actual property agent for certainly one of your present social work shoppers, as an illustration, you’d be participating in a concurrent twin relationship. In the event you performed a psychosocial evaluation with a good friend, you’d be participating in a concurrent twin relationship. Sequential twin relationships are relationships that happen one after the opposite. In the event you had a sexual relationship with a former shopper, as an illustration, you’d be participating in a sequential twin relationship. In social work, we frequently abide by the motto, “As soon as a shopper, at all times a shopper.” Accordingly, the NASW Code prohibits sexual relationships with each present and former shoppers (Customary 1.09). The rationale for prohibiting sexual relationships with former shoppers is that shoppers could proceed to be susceptible even after they terminate their skilled social work relationships.
The NASW Code doesn’t have such stringent prohibitions towards different forms of relationships with former shoppers. As an example, there isn’t any absolute ban on participating in enterprise transactions with former shoppers. Nonetheless, we ought to be cautious about potential conflicts of curiosity with each present and former shoppers. Assume that you just rent a former shopper to babysit your youngsters. Even in the event you deal with the shopper kindly and pretty as a babysitter, others could understand that you’re profiting from the previous shopper. If troubles come up throughout babysitting, the previous shopper may additionally declare that you just exploited your position as a social employee.
Twin relationships could also be “intentional” or “unintentional.” In an intentional twin relationship, we all know that we’re coming into into two or extra relationships with the identical individual. In an unintentional twin relationship, we’ve not deliberate to enter into the second relationship with the shopper; the twin relationship arises on account of unexpected or unintentional circumstances. Assume, as an illustration, that you’re facilitating a bunch for individuals with nervousness and, unbeknown to you, certainly one of your group members begins so far your grownup little one. At this level, you’ll want to resolve how you can handle the potential conflicts of curiosity that come up given this twin relationship. Although the twin relationship is unintentional, you and the shopper could resolve to terminate your social work providers. As with different types of twin relationships, you do not need potential biases from nonprofessional relationships to intrude together with your skilled position as a social employee. The shopper could also be higher served by knowledgeable who doesn’t have a twin relationship.
“Anticipatory” twin relationships come up after we presently have one kind of relationship and we foresee the potential of participating in a second relationship that might increase conflict-of-interest points. Let’s think about 4 examples of anticipatory twin relationships:
- A social employee, Albert, is considering asking a shopper (who’s a licensed legal professional) for authorized recommendation.
- Prof. Batiste presently teaches a social work pupil in a category and is considering hiring that pupil as a analysis assistant.
- An dependancy therapy program plans to rent a former shopper (Claire) as a case aide for this system.
- A gender-queer social work pupil (Deon) helps their area company develop a funding proposal for a program for gender-queer shoppers that might rent Deon upon their commencement.
In every of those conditions, we might keep away from potential conflicts of curiosity by not participating within the second relationship. In State of affairs 1, as an illustration, Albert might merely rent one other individual to offer authorized recommendation. This selection might be the most secure one for the social employee and the shopper. Why enter right into a twin relationship when the employee has completely different choices for authorized recommendation? Within the different conditions, nevertheless, there could also be ethically justifiable causes to enter into the second relationship. In State of affairs 2, Prof. Batiste can profit from the coed’s help, and the coed can profit from each the analysis expertise and the wage for being a analysis assistant. Inside college contexts, professors are inspired to rent college students, given these mutual advantages. Universities additionally profit, as analysis assistantships can be utilized to draw and retain college students of their packages. If the dangers of exploitation or hurt to college students are minimal, then arguably, hiring college students results in optimistic penalties for everybody concerned. The query arises, nevertheless, about how you can determine and handle potential dangers from coming into into the anticipated second relationship.
Figuring out and Managing Potential Dangers
When assessing the ethicality of coming into an anticipated second relationship, we have to think about the doable advantages and dangers. This evaluation ought to embody each possible and fewer doubtless advantages and dangers. By figuring out all advantages and dangers, we’re in a greater place to make knowledgeable selections, together with how you can reduce dangers. In State of affairs 2, as an illustration, one threat is that different college students could suspect that the professor is favoring the coed employed as a analysis assistant. To handle this threat, the professor might wait till the course is over after which resolve which pupil to rent.
State of affairs 3 arguably entails higher dangers than State of affairs 2, given {that a} shopper in an dependancy therapy program could also be psychologically susceptible. Although this system isn’t planning to rent Claire till she completes this system, she could proceed to be liable to relapse and may have additional providers. Prudent follow means that this system mustn’t rent Claire till she has a major interval of abstinence upon return to the neighborhood. The hiring employees may additionally assess Claire’s state of affairs to make sure that she is prepared and capable of act as a case aide. If she has challenges sustaining applicable boundaries, as an illustration, then she may be liable to oversharing or overidentifying with future shoppers. Along with assessing Claire’s capability to function a case aide, this system also can scale back dangers by offering her with correct coaching and supervision. She wants to know, as an illustration, how her position as a case aide is completely different from her prior position as a shopper. If she has relationships with different shoppers on the program, then she might want to know how you can navigate future interactions with them in her work capability. Claire could deliver many strengths to her position as a case aide. Nonetheless, she could profit from help in transitioning to her new position.
In Case 4, the state of affairs doesn’t increase dangers to shoppers per se. A possible battle of curiosity arises, nevertheless, as a result of Deon is growing a funding proposal which will lead the company to hiring Deon. Some individuals would possibly view Deon’s involvement within the proposal as self-serving. Think about whether or not the funding proposal is for the great of gender-queer shoppers or whether or not it’s primarily a car for Deon to get a job. Deon and the company could have good motivations; nonetheless, they could must cope with perceptions about conflicting pursuits. One of many major strategies of coping with the potential battle is transparency. Deon and the company ought to be open and sincere in regards to the chance that they could use the brand new funding to rent Deon. They aren’t making an attempt to cover something. Within the funding proposal, they may determine Deon because the social employee to be employed for this new place, highlighting their related abilities and information. Alternatively, the funding proposal might present for a aggressive and open hiring course of. With this various, this system would wish to make sure that the hiring course of really is open and honest. Additional, Deon would possibly wish to create some social distance between themself and the individuals conducting the hiring course of. Ideally, the hiring committee is seen as a physique that makes hiring selections based mostly on the deserves somewhat than based mostly on prior relationships or friendships.
Conclusion
When anticipating the potential of coming into right into a twin relationship, we have to think about a variety of elements, together with the potential conflicts of curiosity and dangers to the individuals we’re serving. As well as, we must always think about what the NASW Code of Ethics, laws, legal guidelines, and company insurance policies say relating to the forms of twin relationships that we’re contemplating. We now have a duty to reduce the dangers of twin relationships, even when coming into twin relationships which might be unavoidable. Methods for managing dangers embody:
- in search of session or supervision about how you can deal with the dangers,
- documenting the moral justifications for participating in a twin relationship,
- providing shoppers completely different choices for providers,
- making certain that the shopper is conscious of the potential battle of curiosity and supplies knowledgeable consent to providers, and
- monitoring providers for any dangers of hurt to the affected person or others and performing in a well timed method to deal with such dangers.
Coming into twin relationships with shoppers could pose a variety of dangers to shoppers, together with the dangers of emotional, monetary, and social hurt. As social staff, we must be vigilant about our integrity {and professional} obligations to shoppers and others in susceptible conditions. Doing what is true for a possible shopper could imply referring that shopper to a different skilled for help. By anticipating potential twin relationships and conflicts of curiosity, we will plan how you can navigate the moral points somewhat than merely reacting to issues after they come up.
Allan Barsky, PhD, JD, MSW, is Professor of Social Work at Florida Atlantic College and creator of Social Work Values and Ethics (Oxford College Press).
The views expressed on this article don’t essentially characterize the views of any of the organizations to which the creator is affiliated, or the views of The New Social Employee journal or White Hat Communications.
*Dr. Barsky thanks Dr. Heather Thompson, Director of the Sandler College of Social Work, for suggesting the concept of “anticipatory twin relationships” for this text.
