It is significant for social workers to hug the clients. The role of social workers is to ensure that each client is treated with care and respect and as a way of enhancing human relationship; the social workers need to approach clients as their partners. Within the theory of the importance of the human relationship, it is recognized that social workers, should enhance the well-being of individuals as a way of strengthening relationships (NASW Delegate Assembly, 2008).
On the other hand, it is important to recognize that social workers have limits to who they can hug. In certain cultures, hugging or any physical contact can be considered as immoral and therefore in recognizing diversity, the social workers must understand who can and cannot be hugged. It is thus an ethical responsibility to understand the conflict of interest (NASW Delegate Assembly, 2008).
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In hugging clients, some ethical considerations must be understood well by the social worker as a way of avoiding any misunderstanding between the two parties. Some of these include cultural competence and social diversity as a means of avoiding impartial judgment and social discretion (NASW Delegate Assembly, 2008). Every culture is different, and though in the western culture it is a regular thing to hug each other, this might not apply to the Asian culture. The other aspect includes sexual relationships as different people have different values regarding physical contact.
Yes, I will be hugging clients; however, the practice cannot be extended to everyone because of the different perspectives that people hold towards physical contact. As a way of enhancing human relationships, I will be hugging only those who are accepting the practice but will restrain myself from jeopardizing my career and integrity by going against certain cultural values.
References
NASW Delegate Assembly. (2008). Code of Ethics of the National Association of Social Workers . National Association of Social Worker’s Code of Ethics . Retrieved 19 September 2017, from https://www.socialworkers.org/pubs/code/code.asp
