Core Professional Values: CUSEN
CUSEN
Earley (2011) explained that CUSEN is an acronym for the following core professional terms: Confidentiality, unconditional positive regard, self-determination, empathy, and nonjudgment.
Confidentiality in professional relationships guarantees that what the client shares with the worker will be confidential unless sharing is “necessary to prevent serious, foreseeable, and imminent harm to a client or others. It can also be required by law or court order. If you find yourself in this situation: inform the client before you disclose any information; disclose only relevant information required to achieve the desired purpose; and ensure the information is transmitted through confidential channels” (Canadian Association of Social Workers, n.d., para. 3). According to TitanFile (2023), “client confidentiality is a fundamental rule among institutions and individuals stating that they must not share a client’s information with a third party without the consent of the client or a legal reason” (para. 1).
Unconditional positive regard, according to the Earley (2011), “is being genuine, caring, supportive, and client-centred; showing respect, starting where the client is; working in the best interests of the client and doing no harm; believing in in second chances and that everyone can change” (p. 38).
Self-determination is the belief that the client has the right to freedom in making their own choices. Allowing the client to come to their own conclusions with thorough information is empowering, and respects their right to self-determination. This may be challenging for people who have been involved in systems where decisions have been made for them and their autonomy has been lost. Encouraging the client’s input and helping them weigh out the pros and cons of decisions will be a very helpful skill that can be strengthened with support.
Empathy means that professionals imagine themselves in their clients’ situations and how the circumstances feel to the client. By communicating this understanding to the client, the CSW will be able to support them as much as possible while the client supports themself.
Lastly, maintaining a nonjudgmental attitude is vital to enable professionals to reflect and think critically without moving too quickly to conclusions or solutions. Being able to separate the client from their behaviour or circumstances and remaining objective allows for the building of trust with the client.
These core professional values ensure freedom of choice for clients, demonstrate understanding of clients’ feelings and perspectives, aid in development of trust, show respect and professionalism, and avoid the imposition of personal values.
Informed Consent
As a CSW, you hold a level of power in your position. The CUSEN value of self-determination can be linked to informed consent. Varkey (2020) explained that informed consent requires that patients be competent to interpret the actions and services that they receive, and that they receive full disclosure, understand the disclosure, act freely, and consent to the proposed action. Informed consent means that CSWs are obliged to inform clients of their options for treatment or services. This not only enables clients to ask questions before they receive services or treatment, but also ensures that CSWs provide quality answers to enable clients to accept or refuse the services.
References
Canadian Association of Social Workers. (n.d.). 5.1.1 Confidentiality. CASW Acts. https://www.casw-acts.ca/en/511-confidentiality
Earley, P. (2011). Recordkeeping for social workers and social service workers: An essential framework for professional practice.
TitanFile. (2023). 6 best practices for protecting client confidentiality. https://www.titanfile.com/blog/6-best-practices-for-client-confidentiality/
Varkey, B. (2021). Principles of clinical ethics and their application to practice. Medical Principles and Practice, 30(1), 17–28. https://doi.org/10.1159/000509119
Image Credit
Figure 3: CUSEN by Lane Lacourciere for NorQuest College. Used with permission.
