SocialWorkSynergy

When Chief of Staff John Kelly was interviewed by NPR last year, the Zero Tolerance policy was referenced: “They’ll be put into foster care….or something”.  The quote went viral.

As social workers, we may detect a few layers of implied meaning in this statement. First: In this instance, social work practice is presumed to function as a mere cog to further larger policy goals. Second:  those policy goals run counter to ethical practice. Third: that these policy goals may not be deeply considered (the “or something” in this statement). Foster care is a part of a complex system of child and family support, not an ends to a means (in this case, attempt to deter immigration by breaking families apart).

Earlier this summer, our #MacroSW chat focused on the ongoing crisis of U.S. Immigration Policy. Specifically, we discussed the humanitarian crisis of separating children from their families. Regardless of political affiliation or identity, it’s clear that social workers, particularly those dedicated to the mission as outlined in our Code of Ethics, oppose this practice, regardless of the fact that its the policy of currently practiced by a country some of us call our home. The National Association of Social Workers worked to intervene in this crisis by supporting social work volunteers to help immigrant children separated from their families. NASW also produced a social justice brief on the subject. This is an important stance, particularly as reports emerged in June that social work intervention with children who cross the border may be manipulated to cause further harm….
Continue reading here: https://macrosw.com/2018/07/10/macrosw-chat-for-7-12-2018-at-9-pm-eastern-social-work-leadership-in-the-face-of-ethical-policy-conflicts/