Which statement best describes the duty to warn in social work ethics?

• A. The obligation to inform third parties when a client is a danger to others
• B. The obligation to maintain client confidentiality at all times
• C. The duty to inform the client about their rights
• D. The duty to warn only in family disputes

Answer: (A)

When a client poses a credible threat to others, there is an ethical and often legal obligation to take steps to prevent harm, which usually means warning the potential victim and/or notifying authorities. This duty to warn is an exception to confidentiality: safeguarding others takes precedence when there is imminent risk. It’s not a blanket breach of privacy—evaluations are needed to determine seriousness and imminence, and the goal is to minimize harm while keeping disclosures as limited as possible. This is why the statement about informing third parties when there is danger to others best captures the duty. By contrast, simply maintaining confidentiality at all times ignores the safety exception, informing the client about rights covers informed consent rather than danger protection, and limiting warnings to family disputes misstates the scope and timing of the duty.