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The importance of school counselors
Ethical issues in educational counselling
The importance of school counselors
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Boundary Decisions School counselors must recognize that there are certain ethical codes they cannot depart from. Practicing within the boundaries of their professionalism, education, training, and supervision, will enable counselors to be accurate in their practices. ACA’s ethical code C.2.a., Herlihy & Corey (2015), p. 68, explains how counselors need to keep their boundaries of competence. A clear example of this practice is shown as follows. María is a new school counselor, she is working at the local high school. The school is a medium size of 1,700 students, and has a culturally diverse population. María recognizes that she has very little knowledge of some cultural groups within the students, she decides to attend cultural events
Huey, W. C. (1986). Ethical Concerns in School Counseling. Journal Of Counseling & Development, 64(5), 321.
Whether in school settings or other contexts, dealing with ethical and legal issues can be challenging for counselors. In many instances, the practitioner meets individuals from different backgrounds in terms of age, culture, religion, economy, and education among other factors. Each of these people have problems or needs that may be unique to their origins or not. In order to come up with effective solutions, a counselor needs to interpret the problem using the different world views including those of the clients. The counselor also needs to incorporate the underlying principles, policies or procedures in these interpretations as well as in the generation of the possible courses of actions. In fact, the proposed solutions need to be evaluated
In this paper, it will be explored the meaning behind the ASCA national model, its importance, and how it will shape the counselors to be. As a counselor in training, it was understood the ASCA national model is a guideline for professional school counselors to be more productive and sufficient in the workplace. Therefore, as a trainee it is vital to grasp and implement these four components: foundation, management system, delivery system, and accountability.
The ASCA reminds school counselors that they are to guide and assist students who are victims by supplying appropriate services (ASCA, 2016). When abuse is suspected, a guidance counselor must personally report the abuse to child protective services (CPS). Cuff vs. Grossmont Union High School District reminds us how vital it is to follow all reporting procedures. In the state of Virginia, teachers, and those working in public and private schools, are mandated reporters and must report within 24 hours of the suspected neglect or abuse; even if the abuse occurred in the past (DSS.VA.GOV). Failure to report will result in criminal actions. Although school counselors are held to confidentiality terms, cases such as these warrant a duty to warn and an ethical obligation to protect. The American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC) state that as Christian counselors, one should always disclose confidential information when a life is endangered, this includes events such as suicidal ideations, bullying, and abuse (AACC, 2014). Although the ASCA and the AACC provides guidance to crisis responses, there are still legal and ethical issues that may not be
In 2005, the American Counseling Association (ACA) published a document titled the ACA Code of Ethics which was designed to aid counselors in the ethical decision making process and, in response, “expand the capacity of people to grow and develop” (p. 3). The ACA Code of Ethics provides regulatory guidelines for all counselors to follow in ethical decision-making and practice. Of a more specific nature, the American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC) has also published a document stating the ethical practices and procedures for the Christian counseling field. The two documents contain many similarities, but, due to differing goals and principals, also containing may differences. This paper compares these two documents and more specifically focuses on the similarities and differences in the areas of confidentiality, fees, and records.
2. Exhibit, apply and adhere to the ethical and legal standard as a professional counselor.
American Counseling Association (2005). ACA Code of Ethics. Alexandria, VA: Author. - See more at: http://www.counseling.org/knowledge-center/ethics#sthash.13ImD8Lb.dpuf
... that school counselors and professionals are aware of the ethical and legal procedures that are required to efficiently help students in many factors that affect their personal, social, and academic development. School counselors should always considered their ethical standards when helping students, in accordance with their school policies. However, school counselor should be aware if their school policies represent an ethical dilemma with their ethical standards and current laws.
It is important for school counselors to serve parents and also protect the needs of the child. According to the Ethical Standards for School Counselors, school counselors are to have a primary obligation to the students who are to be treated with dignity and respect as unique individuals. Professional school counselors are concerned with the educational, academic, career, personal, and social needs and encouraging the maximum development of every student. Professional school counselors should maintain confidential relationships with students in counseling situations but must understand the limits of confidentiality and recognize the parent as the primary decision maker in a child’s life (ASCA, 2010).
This model identifies five moral principles which are: justice, autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and fidelity. These fundamental guidelines are used to clarify issues that involve any given situation. Ethical guidelines may not address all situations, but will allow a counselor to explore ethical dilemmas and conflicting issues. Counselors are responsible to encourage clients to make their own appropriate decisions and to act on their own values. Two important things to consider when counseling client are: autonomous encouragement helps clients understand how their decisions and values that may or may not receive within the context of the society; they live in or may impinge on the rights of others (Kitchener,
The topic of this paper focuses on the battles school counselors face as the law and ethical standards collide. School counselors face a number of legal and ethical issues and recognizing a clear decision isn’t always easy. School counselors have to work with a large number of students, parents, and administrators while conforming to ethical codes, state laws, and school board guidelines. This topic is of great relevance to me as I will be going into the school counseling profession. It is also a meaningful topic to me because life-changing decisions are made every day in reference to legal and ethical issues. Researching this topic has shed some light on the difficulty for school counselors to fulfill both legal and ethical requirements. The main reason for this is that laws and ethical codes may sometimes provide differing and contradictory messages regarding the same subject. This can lead to legal ramifications, even while following ethical norms as we will look at in the example case of Woodlock v. Orange Ulster B.O.C.E.S. (2006/2008).
The ACA code of ethics “reflects the counseling profession’s understanding of changes in the role of the professional or changes in the society counselors serve” (Ponton & Duba, 2009, p. 119). The ACA code of ethics discusses many things counselors need to keep in mind when counseling an individual or a group. Some topics addressed are informed consent, confidentiality, and group work (ACA code of ethics, 2006, pp. 236-238). All three of these topics are all issues counselors will encounter in counseling a group or an individual.
Boundaries are extremely important in a counseling session. Setting boundaries and limits in therapy sessions represents an ethical decision that is set by each counselor, when entering a therapeutic relationship. In this presentation, I will discuss pertinent boundary issues that the staff has encountered, since working at this agency. Finally, I will describe how these boundaries are addressed and resolved at this site.
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.
School psychologists have many legal and ethical obligations to students and there parents. When conducting counseling sessions and other therapeutic interventions in schools there may be some concerns with confidentiality and privacy for the student. Before conducting and providing treatment services, they must inform the parents or legal guardians of the child to approve of the services planned by the school psychologists. When working with children explaining to them their rights and then explaining to them their lack of rights if their parents want information can be very difficult. What is fortunate is that most families will respect their privacy of their children and not question the school psychologists were there is a small percentage of parents who may.