When working in a social care environment, ethical practice plays a major role in all aspects of your work. This essay will explain what ethical practice is, how it affects the human service sector, and some examples of how it could play an important role in everyday work. Ethical practice is difficult to define correctly. “Caseworkers, supervisors and other staff should be guided by a comprehensive set of ethical standards that inform their decision-making and conduct when working with children, young people and families. Relations with clients and colleagues should be based on mutual respect, commitment and honesty, and should take into account cultural differences and the right to privacy. (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2003, Childwelfare.gov)In Ireland, the 2011 Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics for Social Workers, which “specifies the standards of ethics, conduct, and performance expected Registered Social Workers", divides ethical practice of social workers into five categories: • Respect for the inherent dignity and worth of people • Pursuit of social justice • Integrity of professional practice • Confidentiality in professional practice • Competence in the professional practice (Government of Ireland, 2011, p7) The Irish Association of Social Workers have their own set of ethical guidelines, including: must be honest, trustworthy, reliable and dependable whilst prioritizing professional responsibility over personal interest in the exercise of their duties and must report to work in a state of mental and physical health. However, the guidelines established in the regulation on the Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics for Social Workers have a more in-depth approach and more stable guidelines...... middle of document ......The work and the Ethics of care. Social work and society, 2 (1), pp. 5-8. Available at: http://www.gptsw.net/papers/mghrprtn7103.pdf [Accessed: November 29, 2013].6. National Association of Social Workers. 2013. Code of Ethics (English and Spanish). [online] Available at: http://www.socialworkers.org/pubs/Code/code.asp [Accessed: November 27, 2013].7. National Association of Social Workers. 1997. Untitled. [online] Available at: http://www.naswma.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=114 [Accessed: November 27, 2013].8. Reamer, F. 2008. When ethics and law collide. Social Work Today, 8 (5), available at: http://www.socialworktoday.com/archive/EoESepOct08.shtml [Accessed: November 28, 2013].9. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 2003. Ethical Practice and Client Rights. [online] Available at: https://www.childwelfare.gov/management/ethical/ [Accessed: November 26 2013].