Therapist Development Center Practice Exam 1

What is an important consideration for a social worker when handling client confidentiality?

1. Discussing the case with friends for support.

2. Consulting supervisors to gain a different perspective.

3. Sharing client details on social media for awareness.

4. Evaluating client capacity for informed consent.

The correct answer is: Evaluating client capacity for informed consent.

An important consideration for a social worker when handling client confidentiality is evaluating the client's capacity for informed consent. This means that the social worker must assess whether the client is able to understand the information being shared with them, including the implications of confidentiality and any potential exceptions to it. Informed consent is essential for establishing trust and ensuring that clients are aware of how their information will be used and the limits of confidentiality. Assessing a client's capacity for informed consent helps the social worker to navigate ethical and legal responsibilities while respecting the client's autonomy. This includes ensuring that the client comprehends the nature of the services being offered, any risks associated with sharing their information, and when confidentiality might need to be breached (such as in cases of harm to self or others). This consideration ultimately supports ethical practice and the safeguarding of client rights and welfare. In contrast, discussing cases with friends or sharing details on social media undermines confidentiality and could lead to breaches of trust. Consulting supervisors is a responsible practice but does not inherently connect to the aspect of evaluating client capacity—while it is an essential part of supervision, it does not directly relate to maintaining client confidentiality as much as understanding consent does.