Standards of Care in Social Work: Ethical and Risk Management Implications

Social workers are sometimes named as defendants in malpractice lawsuits. These lawsuits allege negligence, specifically that social work defendants owed a duty to the plaintiff, breached this duty, and the defendant's actions caused harm. Plaintiffs in litigation cases typically allege that social workers violated or failed to meet prevailing standards of care in the profession. It is essential that social workers understand the legal concept of standard of care and its implications for professional practice. This article reviews the concept of standard of care; discusses the ways in which social work ethics standards, federal and state laws, national practice standards, expert witness testimony, and professional literature determine the standard of care; and presents practical steps social workers can take to comply with prevailing standards of care, protect clients, and protect themselves. The author focuses especially on complex cases where social workers may not agree on relevant standards of care.