ASWB Bachelor Practice Exam 2025 - Free ASWB Practice Questions and Study Guide

Maintaining confidentiality is a fundamental ethical obligation for social workers and is central to the trust-based relationship between a client and a professional. When a request for client records is made by an external party, such as an attorney, it is essential to prioritize the client's right to privacy. This obligation is grounded in ethical standards and legal regulations that protect client information from unauthorized access.

In this scenario, the ethical course of action is to safeguard the client's information, as disclosing records without explicit consent could violate both ethical guidelines and confidentiality laws, such as HIPAA. Furthermore, maintaining confidentiality helps to uphold the integrity of the profession and protect the client's welfare, ensuring they can engage in honest communication without fear of their information being shared without consent.

Other options may involve actions that could compromise the client's privacy or are not sufficient on their own to address the ethical duty of confidentiality. Therefore, the most appropriate response that aligns with the ethical responsibilities of a social worker is to maintain confidentiality.