Madeline is at a school function with her son when she recognizes a young boy involved in one of her social work cases. The child appears to be one of her son's close friends and immediately remembers Madeline. Before the social worker can avoid the conversation, the child says, "You're the lady that comes to my house all the time." This immediately brings up questions from Madeline's son. What should she do?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The social worker recognizes this situation as a conflict of interest under the NASW Code of Ethics. Instead of alienating her son's friendship with the child, she should acknowledge the child and redirect the conversation to a less sensitive topic. Madeline needs to make her administrator aware of the problem and transition the family to another qualified professional.

Madeline Is at a School Function with Her Son When