After the Preamble lays out the heart of social work, the NASW Code of Ethics offers a second foundational piece: its Purpose. While this section may seem straightforward, it plays a crucial role in how social workers apply ethics in daily practice—and it’s highly testable on the ASWB exam.
The Code isn’t just a list of do’s and don’ts. It serves multiple purposes, all of which shape how social workers think, act, and respond to complex situations. According to the NASW, the Code is intended to:
Identify the profession’s core values
Summarize broad ethical principles that reflect those values
Guide professional conduct across all areas of practice
Help the profession hold itself accountable
Provide ethical standards to which the public can hold social workers
Serve as a foundation for adjudicating ethics violations
This isn’t just about avoiding wrongdoing. It’s about living out the values of the profession—even in ambiguous or high-stakes situations. When facing uncertainty, social workers are expected to use the Code as a reference point for ethical reasoning, not just rule-following.
When a social worker is navigating a gray area—like disclosing confidential information or responding to unethical behavior in an agency—the Code doesn’t always offer a yes/no answer. Instead, it helps social workers reason through the decision based on professional values. That’s why understanding the Code’s purpose is important.
For the ASWB exam, questions related to this section often test your ability to:
Recognize the role of the Code as a guidance tool, especially in ethical gray areas
Understand the Code as a public document, not just an internal professional resource
Identify that the Code is used for accountability, both within the profession and by outside parties
See how it functions in decision-making when no clear answer exists
If you're asked about what a social worker should do when the right course of action isn't obvious, a strong answer will often reference the Code of Ethics—not necessarily for a clear rule, but for a process or principle.
Which of the following statements MOST accurately reflects the role of the NASW Code of Ethics?
A. The Code is used exclusively by licensed clinical social workers
B. The Code is enforced by state governments through statutory regulation
C. The Code serves as a foundation for ethical adjudication and professional self-regulation
D. The Code applies only in agency settings where NASW membership is required
Know how you'd answer?
The Code is used by NASW and licensing boards to guide investigations into ethical violations and to promote self-regulation within the profession. A, B, and D are common misconceptions: the Code is not limited by licensure type, state enforcement, or NASW membership—it functions as a professional standard, not a legal one. The correct answer is C.
Coming next: Ethical Principles—the bridge between our core values and the decisions we make in practice.
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