A Self-Care Alignment for the Spine of Social Work: NASW and CSWE

The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) and the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) are the spine of social work. NASW and CSWE play important roles in the lifespan of social workers, from cultivating students to shaping professionals. However, there is one misalignment between the two organizations regarding the area of self-care, which must be adjusted. NASW clearly asserts in the Code of Ethics and Social Work Speaks that self-care is imperative not just for professionals, but also for social work students. However, self-care is not included in any of the practice competencies outlined in CSWE’s Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS). To systematically ensure that self-care is included in social work education, we argue that CSWE should include professional self-care as the 10th competency in the next revision of the EPAS. Specific verbiage for this much needed 10th competency is described, and curricular activities are provided. This revision will help move self-care from an optional imperative to an ethical imperative in social work education, better preparing students to proactively engage in self-care as professionals.