Okuzeka
Social Work vocabulary · Ethics and Confidentiality

Informed consent

Meaning in social work, with examples

nounCore term

In social work, informed consent means: Permission given by a person who understands what they are agreeing to, including the purpose, risks, alternatives and their right to say no.

In Turkish: aydınlatılmış onam, bilgilendirilmiş onay

How it is used

Needed before sharing information, making a referral, recording an interview or taking part in research. You seek, obtain, give or withdraw consent. Consent must be voluntary and can be withdrawn later.

Example sentences

  1. We need her informed consent before we share the assessment with the housing office.

  2. Participants gave informed consent and could leave the study at any time.

Common collocations

  • obtain informed consent
  • give informed consent
  • withdraw consent
  • written consent
  • consent form
  • confidentialityThe duty to keep information about clients private and to share it only with their consent or when there is a clear professional or legal reason.
  • self-determinationA person's right to make their own choices and decisions about their life, even when others might disagree with them.
  • mental capacityA person's ability to understand, remember and weigh up information about a particular decision and to communicate their choice.
  • information sharingPassing relevant information about a person between professionals or agencies so that the person can be protected and receive the right help.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Ethics and Confidentiality

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