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Ethical issues in counseling practice
Ethical issues in counseling practice
Ethical issues in counseling practice
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Ethical Decision-Making in Counseling
Step 5: Consider Consequences and Determine Course of Action Florida statues 39.201.b. states, “Any person who knows, or who has reasonable cause to suspect, that a child is abused by an adult other than a parent, legal custodian, caregiver, or other person responsible for the child’s welfare, as defined in this chapter, shall report such knowledge or suspicion to the department in the manner prescribed in subsection (2)” (“Florida Department”, 2014, para. 2). Statues 39.307.4 also states, “The department shall operate and maintain a central abuse hotline to receive all reports made pursuant to this section in writing, via fax, via web-based reporting, via web-based chat, or through a single statewide
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The other possible course of action discussed in the previous section would need to be dismissed. Not only would the counselor violate or professional duties to put her client’s welfare first, the counselor would also be violating her duties as a counselor to alert the proper authorities of the matter. If the counselor were to try to initiate a meeting with the father, this could in turn cause the client to lose trust in the counselor. Another negative outcome is that the step-mother or father’s presence could intimidate the client into retracting her prior statements. It is never in the best interest of a minor to be put back into the same proximity of the person they are accusing of harm. Another option mentioned above was to contact CPS to evaluate the client’s home for any signs or indications of abuse. By following this procedure, the counselor would again be violating her legal duty to report the abuse to the indicated …show more content…
The first is justice, which determines if the course of action is fair to all who are involved. In Leanne’s case justice is being served for her as the person who sexually abused her in the past is being removed from her home; she will no longer be in harm’s way when it comes to her father. Leanne’s father will also have justice, although not in the way he may have wanted, but will serve again to the best interest of the client. Second he mentions publicity, which examines if the counselor’s decision would impact them in a positive or negative light if the case were published. In this case, the counselor would be confident in her decision because she followed protocol and did what was in the best interest of her client. Third, Stadler suggest the test of universality in which the counselor would examine if they would take the same course of action with a different client who found themselves in the same situation. In any case where abuse is involved the course of action should always be the same; report the abuser and protect the
There are so many people who could be considered as third parties who are obligated by state laws to report any type of neglect or abuse to the proper authorities. To get to the point some of the third parties who have a commitment to report child abuse or neglect which happens to be in the professional field are doctors, dentists, teachers, police officers, day care workers, clergymen, lawyers, therapists or counselors and etc... Sometimes professionals who are considered to be third parties have the advantage to whether or not if they report child abuse or neglect to the proper authorities. Others people that can be considered as third parties are family members, friends of the family and associates, but most times these groups of people may find it difficult to do so because of family ties to the abuser (Hess & Orthmann, 2010).
Obviously, working with survivors of child sexual abuse, neglect, and trauma: The approach taken by the social worker in the Brandon’s case shall begin with “assessment and beginning treatment of the family because child abuse is one of a wide range practice situation in which systems concepts can be applied to help to understand the dynamics involved” in the road for healing and recovery from the physical and psychological effect of the trauma by providing adequate resources available for counseling and therapy due to the devastating impacts of child sexual abuse can be heartbreaking for the victim and the family. However, social worker approach to understanding and responds efficiently by being empathetic to the complex situation as a result; the perpetrator is the father such as in the case of Brandon (Plummer, Makris, & Brocksen, 2014).
The agency provides seniors with a host of resources that service individuals whom have been victims of abuse. Counseling, mental health, legal assistance, case management, witness assistance, shelters, crisis lines and support groups are just the beginning of what they offer (The National Committee for the Protection of Elder Abuse, 2008). This would be the perfect agency for Sandra and her family as they offer every type of assistance that Sandra and her family needs. Not only would this agency find Sandra the perfect legal assistance to safely leave her abuser but it would also allow the children to have a voice as witness. If things were to get worse for Sandra she could call the crisis line or even stay at a shelter. Also, checking out the support groups would be great for the entire family so that they know that they are not
As such, they cannot legally give consent to be counseled. It is still a counselor’s duty to hold the same confidentiality rules to protect the information shared by the minor. The fact that the student is a minor would not nullify the confidentiality statute that would normally take effect upon consent during any other counseling session. After assessing the magnitude of the issue(s) at hand, the school counselor would then decide whether or not to involve the parents or other school educators who can help. This action is solely a professional judgment call and does not adhere to any pre-set rules or regulations on how to take action.
Every person that comes into contact with either children or adults in their everyday work has a duty to safeguard and raise concerns if abuse is suspected. According to Stretch & Whitehouse, (2010) there is a six stage process for safeguarding vulnerable adults if there is evidence of suspected or actual abuse; alert, referral, decision making, assessment, review & monitoring and recording. During this process there are of number of potential actions to take. Approaches to communication are essential when dealing with a vulnerable adult. If a service user chooses to disclose an allegation of abuse its essential to listen carefully to all details, show signs that you are interested, make notes of everything that was discussed, report the incident to the nominated safeguarding officer as soon as possible and most importantly praise the service user for choosing to disclose as it takes a great deal of courage to speak up. There are also a number of actions to avoid. You should never make a promise to keep a secret regarding abuse, you must ensure that the service user knows that any action that you take is to support them. Never ask any leading questions that could potentially jeopardize the litigation, try to avoid putting yourself in a position for
Confidentiality and trust between the client and social worker is an important part of the therapeutic process. Confidentiality is discussed frequently with the client, in trainings, and in supervisions. When a client first begins services there are multiple forms to fill out, many of which explain the agency’s confidentiality policies and provide client’s the opportunity to agree to share information with certain parties (i.e. their PCP, psychiatrist, specialty providers) or not share any information at all. Despite this focus on confidentiality there are some areas where “the rights of others take precedence over a client’s right to confidentiality” (Hepworth, Rooney, Rooney, & Gottfried, 2017, p. 76). In situations where child abuse or neglect is suspected by the social worker, the social worker will breach confidentiality in order to protect the child. In fact, “all 50 states have statutes making it mandatory for professional to report suspected or known child abuse. Moreover,
Using the IMED the counselor would first recognize that CRW elements exist within the ethical dilemma and then identify them. For example, Ana got a bad grade on the math test after she had been given supports, and that may make her father feel as if she is bringing shame to the family. Next, the counselor would take into account the school policies and procedures, and ethical and legal issues such as that any abuse or suspected abuse must be reported to child protective services (State of Hawaii, 2007). Additionally, the counselor must take into consideration the ethical codes that would apply to this case. The counselor would consider the limits of confidentiality, such as American Counseling Association ([ACA] 2014) ethical standard B.2.a, and American School Counselor Association ([ASCA] 2010) ethical standards A.2.c and A.2.d, which all ethically support a counselor’s breach of confidentiality when there is foreseeable harm to the student. The counselor must also recognize the student’s developmental and chronological age when determining the risk of harm to the student (standard A.2.c [ASCA, 2010]). Next, the
The Kitchener Critical Evaluation Model came about in the 1980’s and is considered the building block for other models. This model believed there was a need to deeper the understanding of ethics beyond a counselor’s moral judgment (Cottone & Claus, 2000). Kitchener created five principles for counselors to follow that create a guide for what is ethically expected. The first principle is autonomy, which is given to the client for them to find their freedom. The second principle is beneficence, which is the counselor’s duty to seek out the good. The third principle is nonmaleficence, which is the counselor’s responsibility to do no harm to the client. The fourth principle is justice, which is counselors dedicating fairness to clients. The final principle is fidelity, where counselors are loyal to their clients (Herlihy & Corey, 2015). Kitchener viewed right and wrong on a critical evaluation level. Depending upon each situation there is
Psychologists' Ways of Dealing With Ethical Issues There are different ways that psychologists deal with ethical issues. One way is through use of ethical guidelines. These are concrete, quasi-legal documents that help to guide conduct within psychology by establishing principles for standard practice and competence. Another way is through the use of an ethical committee. This is a group of people within a research institution that must approve a study before it begins.
Participating in the Mandated Reporter Training is a helpful tool for understanding the role of a social worker as a professional if and when one learns information concerning abuse of a minor. The goal of a social worker is to improve the quality of life for all individuals and if one learns about any type of abuse-physical, sexual, emotional, and/or neglect- it is their responsibility to bring this information to the proper authorities. The training stated that, “Research has shown that when multidisciplinary protocols are followed arrest and prosecution rates increase and trauma to the child decreases” (Arizona Child Abuse Info Center).
Accurately identifying a suspected child abuse case can facilitate appropriate evaluation, referral, investigation, and outcome for a child and their family. Children usually sustain abuse at the hands of a caregiver who misinterprets and responds inappropriately to the child’s behavior. For example, caregivers who had smothered, shook, or slapped their infant within the first 6 months of life were more likely to be worried about crying and believed that their infants cried excessively. Careful medical assessment, detection of suspicious injuries, and reporting of abuse may prevent further abusive trauma in infants and adults. The physician should also ensure that the child’s immediate medical and safety needs are met. Many regions do not have specialized child abuse teams and also have physicians that use their expertise in specifically child abuse. For children who do not require emergency transportation by ambulance, child protective services may facilitate transportation of a suspected child victim from one facility to another, and will assist in notifying the caregivers and law enforcement, and also provide an emergency safety plan on hospital discharge and clinic dismissal. Information regarding the child’s behavior before, during, and after injury occurred, including feeding times and levels of responsiveness, should be gathered (Kellogg, N.D.2017). Evidence
Child Protective Services For 30 years, advocates, program administrators, and politicians have joined forces to encourage even more reports of suspected child abuse and neglect. Their efforts have been successful, with about three million cases of suspected child abuse having been reported in 1993. Large numbers of endangered children still go unreported, but a serious problem has developed: Upon investigation, as many as 65 percent of the reports now being made are determined to be "unsubstantiated", raising serious civil liberties concerns and placing a huge burden on investigative staff. Unreported Cases Most experts agree that reports have increased over the past 30 years because professionals have become more likely to report apparently abusive and neglectful situations. But the question remains: How many more cases still go unreported?
Ethical issues in a counseling practice lay the foundation of a therapist in practice. Ethics are at the center of how the counseling process functions and operates in a successful manner for the clients who seek help in such a setting. In order for the counseling profession to be ethical and hold professional recognition, there are many facets that need to be examined and outlined to make sure all counselors and practitioners are functioning at the highest level and withholding their duties required by the counseling profession. The first introduction so to speak of the area of ethics also happens to be one of the first steps in counseling, which is the informed consent. The informed consent provides the basis of what happens or will be happening in a counseling setting and serves to inform the client to their rights, responsibilities, and what to expect. Most importantly, the informed consent is in place for the client’s benefit. It also is important to understand that culture and environment play a role in the treatment of a client and how theories can positively or negatively impact this treatment. Therapists need to understand how to work within the context of a theory while being able to understand the individual in their own environment. Although theories are put into place to serve as a framework, there are also alternative ways to approach counseling, one example being evidence-based practice. Such an approach is very specific, which presents a series of solutions for counseling as a whole, but also brings forth many problems. Every approach or theory introduces ethical concerns that need to be taken into consideration by the entire counseling community and how each can positively and negatively affect clients and the pr...
Ethics is important for both group and individual counseling, especially group counseling. Both are beneficial; however, group counseling allows a counselor to work with a small-to-medium size group of people who share similar struggles. Members have the ability to learn from one another. Ethics in group counseling is crucial because the counselor or group leader is not only responsible for one person’s personal struggles, but the struggles of multiple people within the group. Counselors and group leaders must emphasize confidentiality in group counseling sessions, unless what a person is sharing is a danger to themselves or others, or against the law. Group counseling has many positives; however, it is important
Ethics in the counselling and psychotherapy protects the client and the therapist involved in the therapeutic relationship and the therapeutic process as a whole; with the concepts that act as a guide for the therapists in provision of good practice and care for the client. The framework is built on values of counselling and psychotherapy; principles of trustworthiness, autonomy, fidelity, justice, beneficence, non-maleficence and self-respect, and provides standards of good practice and care for the practitioner (BACP, 2010). Ethical framework contributes to the development of the therapeutic relationship and process by assisting therapist’s decisions, and guides their behaviour and proceedings within their legal rights and duties. The ethical frame is structured on the boundaries of the therapeutic relationship and the therapists should be aware of their categories and be responsible for their forms. Monitoring and being aware of what goes on in and out of the room physically, emotionally and psychologically is primarily the duty of the therapist.