I principi del servizio sociale. Dalla storia alle sfide attuali

Social work has an intrinsic ethical dimension, clearly evident from its beginnings. It is even more relevant today, in the contest of generalised crisis. Ethics requires specific attention: social workers should recognize professional values and principles because they have to act them in fieldwork. The article presents the historical development of professional principles and examines the most relevant international documents in force today, in order to show which values consitute current professional basis. Finally, the article suggest an additional principle: the reciprocity. This is the core of relational theory and should be integrated in social work ethical reflection