Understanding Self-Determination in Social Work

What is self-determination in social work?

Self-determination is one of the core values that drives ethical social work practice. Self-determination means supporting a person's right to make their own decisions, even when those decisions might not align with what others think is best.

Self-determination in social work means trusting clients to lead their own lives while providing support in a socially responsible manner consistent with ethical standards.

For social workers like you, this means balancing empathy and respect with ethical standards and professional responsibility. It’s not always easy, but it’s essential.

In social work, self-determination isn’t just about letting your clients do what they want. It’s about ensuring the decision-making process is informed, collaborative, and grounded in ethical principles. It recognizes the importance of client values, autonomy, and dignity.

According to the NASW Code of Ethics, social workers are committed to treating clients in a caring and respectful fashion, mindful of individual differences and cultural and ethnic diversity. They promote clients' socially responsible self-determination and seek to enhance clients' capacity and opportunity to change and to address their own needs (National Association of Social Workers, 2021).

The self-determination theory adds to this by suggesting that people thrive when they feel in control of their own lives and decisions. As social workers, it is a need to promote this sense of autonomy while navigating ethical dilemmas and professional boundaries.

Self-determination in social work means trusting clients to lead their own lives while providing support in a socially responsible manner consistent with ethical standards.

Case examples for self-determination in social work

Let’s take a look at some real-world examples:

• Example 1: A social worker supports a teenager in foster care who wants to reconnect with a biological parent. While the system has concerns, the social worker advocates for a family meeting supporting the teen’s autonomy while ensuring safety measures are in place.
• Example 2: A terminally ill client discusses advance directives. The social worker ensures the client understands their options and helps them make informed decisions based on their values and own needs, not anyone else’s agenda.

These examples show how social workers treat each person as an individual and aim to enhance clients’ capacity to make their own choices.

Barriers to self-determination

Unfortunately, self-determination isn’t always easy to uphold. There are many barriers, including:

• Lack of access to education and resources: Without proper support, clients may struggle to make informed decisions.
• Mental health challenges or cognitive impairments: These can affect a client’s ability to understand or communicate their needs.
• Cultural and ethnic diversity misunderstandings: When a social worker is unaware of or untrained in cultural competency, they may unintentionally undermine a client’s interests.
• Organizational constraints or systemic issues: Laws, procedures, and policies may limit a client’s rights.

These barriers complicate the ethical decision making process and can lead to situations where client self determination must be weighed carefully against risk and responsibility.

Promoting a client's right to self-determination

Here are some key ways you can help promote the right to self-determination:

Educate clients about their rights

Empower clients by helping them understand their rights, available services, and what self-determination looks like in practice.

Foster open and honest communication

Make space for clients to express their needs, goals, and values. Social workers seek to communicate in a respectful fashion that honors the individual differences of each person.

Support informed decision-making

Share information clearly and provide resources. Clients should feel confident in the decision making process, whether it's related to treatment, services provided, or life choices.

Encourage self-reflection and growth

Help clients connect with their values, strengths, and goals. Promote self care and self-respect as part of their autonomy journey.

Work collaboratively with other professionals

When needed, bring in consultation and support from other professionals to ensure your client is fully supported, especially during ethical dilemmas.

When to limit a client's right to self-determination?

Sometimes, as social workers, you have to intervene. This typically happens when a client’s choices may lead to serious harm, either to themselves or others. For example, a client experiencing severe psychosis may need temporary guardianship or protective services.

In these cases, you must resolve conflicts between respecting client values and protecting broader society. It’s essential to follow the code of professional ethics and engage in decision making, while still treating the client with dignity and respect.

This balancing act reflects social work’s dual responsibility: to uphold individual self-determination and protect the well being of the broader society.

How social workers encourage a client’s own self-determination

Supporting a client’s own self-determination means recognizing their ability to lead their life according to their values even when those choices don’t align with what you might recommend. Here's how you can encourage them:

Meeting clients where they are

Supporting self-determination starts with understanding where your client is coming from. Their past experiences, trauma, culture, relationships, and the systems they’re part of all shape how they think, feel, and choose.

When a client’s decision seems risky or “off track,” take a step back. Ask yourself: What might be influencing this choice? Sometimes, it’s fear. Sometimes, it’s loyalty to family expectations. Sometimes, it’s survival.

The goal isn’t to steer but to understand.

Navigating external pressures together

Clients are often caught between what they want and what others expect whether it’s pressure from family, their community, a court system, or a housing agency.

Your role is to help them explore those tensions. Use open-ended questions to invite reflection:

• “What feels most important to you right now?”
• “How does this decision line up with your values?”
• “What would you choose if you didn’t feel pressure from others?”

These conversations help clients peel back the layers and reconnect with what they actually want and not just what’s been expected of them.

Slowing down the process

When clients feel rushed, they often fall back on automatic or fear-driven decisions. Give them room to pause and reflect. You don’t need to push for quick answers. Sometimes, the most meaningful support is simply sitting with the uncertainty and letting the client arrive at their own pace.

That’s how trust builds and how self-trust grows.

Building confidence, one decision at a time

When clients feel respected and heard, their own self-determination becomes a powerful tool for healing, change, and growth.

Every time a client makes a decision that aligns with their values, even in a small way, it reinforces their sense of agency. These aren’t always dramatic life changes. Sometimes it’s choosing to attend a support group, setting a boundary with a parent, or filling out a housing application on their own.

As a social worker, you’re there to witness those moments, validate them, and remind clients that they are capable of choosing for themselves, even when the path is hard.

When clients feel respected and heard, their own self-determination becomes a powerful tool for healing, change, and growth.

Main takeaways

• Empowering clients in various aspects of their lives isn't just best practice. It’s at the heart of ethical social work.
• Supporting self-determination means respecting people’s right to define their own path, make decisions that reflect their values, and take ownership of their lives.
• When you respect clients’ right to make their own choices, they validate their lived experiences and honor their capacity for growth, resilience, and change.
• Self-determination doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Social workers must carefully balance their role in promoting autonomy with their duty to protect client safety, follow professional guidelines, and meet ethical obligations.
• Ultimately, trust, communication, and collaboration are the building blocks of successful self-determination in practice.

Reference

National Association of Social Workers. (2021). Code of Ethics of the National Association of Social Workers. https://www.socialworkers.org/About/Ethics/Code-of-Ethics/Code-of-Ethics-English