Reflections on the ethical principle of freedom in the professional practice of social workers

Abstract

This paper aims to reflect on the defense of freedom in the daily professional practice of social workers. The research that generated this paper was carried out through a bibliographical selection relevant to the theme. Two on-line questionnaires were adopted as the instrument of investigation. They were directed to social workers of the Municipal Secretariat of Social Assistance (SMAS) of Cascavel/PR. The first questionnaire was sent to the total number of social workers from the SMAS, and the second one was sent to those who gave the first questionnaire feedback. Some elements about the conception of freedom are presented in this paper, based on the assumption of the ontology of the social being. Subsequently, the fundamentals of the Social Worker's Code of Ethics and the Fundamental Principle of freedom were exposed. Afterwards, the partial information/data obtained through this research are exposed. They are essential for the reflection about freedom in professional practice. The final considerations indicate freedom as an ethical value and as a social category. It is a concrete existence of possibilities of choices in the daily life of social workers regarding their own professional relative autonomy, and the social policies users' autonomy. In the diversity in which they present themselves, these users express needs and project possibilities for overcoming them.