What is the expected responsibility of social workers regarding the use of sexual advances with clients?

The expected responsibility of social workers regarding sexual advances with clients is to avoid making any sexual advances. This principle is rooted in the ethical standards set forth by the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics, which emphasizes the importance of maintaining professional boundaries in the client-social worker relationship.

Social workers are tasked with providing a safe and supportive environment for their clients. Engaging in sexual advances would violate the trust that is essential to the therapeutic relationship and could exploit the inherent power imbalance. Professional ethics dictate that social workers recognize and uphold the vulnerabilities of their clients, and any sexual conduct would be deemed unethical and detrimental to the client's well-being.

Within this framework, a friendly and relaxed environment is important for relationship-building; however, it must never compromise professional boundaries. Gauging a client's comfort level could also be misinterpreted as an invitation to explore inappropriate behavior, which runs contrary to ethical standards. Prioritizing personal feelings can cloud judgment and lead to unethical conduct, and it does not serve the client's best interests. Thus, the clear expectation is to maintain a boundary that prohibits sexual advances altogether.