08/20/2025
Ethics in Practice: Navigating Termination with Clients
Ending services with a client is rarely simple.
Whether it’s due to life transitions, financial challenges, a move, or readiness for closure, social workers are guided by the NASW Code of Ethics to approach termination with care, integrity, and accountability.
Several sections of the Code provide important direction here:
1.15 Interruption of Services: We are called to make reasonable efforts to ensure continuity of services when circumstances beyond our control interrupt care.
1.16 Referral for Services: If a client’s needs fall outside our scope, competence, or availability, ethical practice includes providing appropriate referrals and facilitating a smooth transition.
1.17 Termination of Services: We should terminate services only when they are no longer needed, no longer serve the client’s interests, or when professional boundaries or other ethical issues require it. Abrupt or unexplained termination can cause harm; and our Code emphasizes avoiding that.
3.04 Client Records: Recordkeeping is part of ethical responsibility. Subsection (d) reminds us to ensure the proper storage and retention of client records even after termination, safeguarding both continuity and confidentiality.
Termination is not just an administrative step; it’s a deeply human process that, when done thoughtfully, honors the client’s dignity and trust. (Ethics Value: Dignity and Worth of the Person)
I’ll be diving into this and other real-world ethics dilemmas in my free 30-minute Ethics Clarity Session on Wednesday, September 11 at 7:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. CT.
Space is limited to 5 (there are currently only 2 spots left), so if you’d like to join the conversation, here’s the link:
https://www.crainecounseling.com/event-details/ethics-clarity-group-session
How do you approach the balance between professional obligations and client well-being when navigating termination?
Social work is deeply meaningful. It is often ethically complex. Whether you're navigating confidentiality concerns, agency pressures, or boundary questions, you deserve a space to reflect, regroup, and feel supported.
