Dual relationships in child welfare practice: A framework for ethical decision making

This article provides guidelines for ethical decision making with regard to two professional boundary issues that arise in child welfare practice: the extent to which child welfare social workers should be considered as permanent family resources for children in foster care; and the extent to which child welfare social workers should engage clients in presentations for public audiences, advocacy on child welfare issues, and technical assistance to agencies desiring to strengthen their child welfare practices. The authors illustrate the guidelines with case examples.