Competence isn’t about knowing everything—it’s about knowing your limits, and acting responsibly within them. Section 1.04 of the NASW Code of Ethics reminds social workers that good intentions aren’t enough. We’re ethically obligated to provide services only when we’re truly qualified to do so.
Here’s the full standard:
1.04 Competence
(a) Social workers should provide services and represent themselves as competent only within the boundaries of their education, training, license, certification, consultation received, supervised experience, or other relevant professional experience.
(b) Social workers should provide services in substantive areas or use intervention techniques or approaches that are new to them only after engaging in appropriate study, training, consultation, and supervision from people who are competent in those interventions or techniques.
(c) When generally recognized standards do not exist with respect to an emerging area of practice, social workers should exercise careful judgment and take responsible steps (including appropriate education, research, training, consultation, and supervision) to ensure the competence of their work and to protect clients from harm.
(d) Social workers who use technology in the provision of social work services should ensure that they have the necessary knowledge and skills to provide such services in a competent manner. This includes an understanding of the special communication challenges when using technology and the ability to implement strategies to address these challenges.
(e) Social workers who use technology in providing social work services should comply with the laws governing technology and social work practice in the jurisdiction in which they are regulated and located and, as applicable, in the jurisdiction in which the client is located.
Competence means you don’t offer what you don’t know. And when you want to offer something you’re not yet trained in—you do the work first. It’s not just ethical, it’s protective: for your clients, your license, and your credibility.
You can only provide services in areas where you’re qualified. That might include:
Your formal education and degree focus
Licensure level (e.g., LMSW vs. LCSW)
Certifications or specialized training
Direct supervised or consultative experience
If you’ve never done clinical work, don’t call yourself a therapist. If you’ve never worked with trauma or addictions, don’t take clients in those areas without appropriate preparation.
Trying a new therapy model? Starting a new role in crisis work?
You must pursue training, consultation, and supervision before applying these approaches in real practice—not after something goes wrong.
Emerging fields (e.g., psychedelic therapy, AI-assisted mental health tools) often lack clear standards. That doesn’t mean you’re free to experiment—you still must:
Study available research
Consult experts
Supervise your practice
Document your judgment and process
Ethical flexibility doesn’t mean a free-for-all.
Providing services via video, text, or app? Competence now includes:
Knowing how to use the platforms securely and reliably
Understanding the loss of nuance in nonverbal cues
Addressing issues like time delay, disconnection, digital boundaries
You’re responsible for managing tech-specific risks just like clinical ones.
Different states (and countries) have different rules. If you’re in one jurisdiction and your client is in another, you must know:
Whether cross-border telehealth is legal
What license you need in each location
How data protection and client rights vary by location
Ignorance of the law is not an ethical defense.
A recently licensed social worker with experience in case management is offered a telehealth position providing EMDR therapy. The worker has never been trained in EMDR. What should they do first?
A. Accept the position and learn EMDR on the job
B. Begin seeing clients and consult as questions arise
C. Enroll in EMDR training and delay client contact until complete
D. Refuse the position, as EMDR is too advanced for new social workers
You've got this one, right?
Competence requires appropriate training before providing the service. It’s ethical to grow your scope—but not to skip the prep. The correct answer is C.
Competence is dynamic, not static. It grows with training, reflection, and experience—but always with caution and humility. When in doubt, seek supervision. When out of scope, step back. That’s not weakness—it’s ethical strength.
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