Unit 3
Using an Ethical Framework for Counselling Skills
ethical framework a set of moral principles that provide guidelines for carrying out work with other people i.e. the
counselling relationship with clients.
British Association for Counselling + Psychotherapy (BACP):
- provides an ethical framework for counsellors, trainers + supervisors of counsellors.
- intended to guide the good practice of counselling + psychotherapy.
- intended to inform the practice of closely-related roles that are delivered in association with counselling +
psychotherapy.
fundamental values of counselling + psychotherapy include a commitment to:
- respecting human rights + dignity.
- alleviating symptoms of personal distress + suffering.
- enhancing people’s wellbeing + capabilities.
- improving the quality of relationships between people.
- increasing personal resilience + effectiveness.
- facilitating a sense of self that is meaningful to the person concerned within their personal + cultural context.
- appreciating the variety of human experience + culture.
- protecting the safety of clients.
- ensuring the integrity of practitioner-client relationships.
- enhancing the quality of professional knowledge + its’ application.
- striving for the fair + adequate provision of services.
… these values provide the basis for the following set of ethical principles.
ethical principles of counselling + psychotherapy:
being trustworthy honouring the trust placed in the practitioner + is fundamental to understanding + resolving ethical
issues.
practitioners who adopt this principle:
- act in accordance with the trust placed in them.
- strive to ensure clients’ expectations are ones that have reasonable prospects of being met.
- honour their agreements + promises.
- regard confidentiality as an obligation arising from the client’s trust.
- restrict any disclosure of confidential info about clients to no further than purposes for
which it was originally disclosed.
autonomy having respect for the client’s right to be self-governing.
emphasises the importance of developing a client’s ability to be self-directing within therapy + all
aspects of life.
practitioners who respect their clients’ autonomy:
- ensure accuracy in any advertising or info given in advance of services offered.
- seek freely given + adequately informed consent.
- emphasise the value of voluntary participation in the services being offered.
- engage in explicit contracting in advance of any commitment by the client.
- protect privacy + confidentiality.
- normally make any disclosures of confidential info conditional on the consent of the person
concerned.
- inform the client in advance of foreseeable conflicts of interest, or as soon as possible after
such conflicts become apparent.
beneficence having a commitment to promoting the client’s wellbeing.
acting in the best interests of the client based on professional assessment.
working strictly within one’s limits of competence + providing services on the basis of adequate
training or experience.
counsellors are obligated to use regular + ongoing supervision, + to update practice by continuing
professional development (CPD).
Using an Ethical Framework for Counselling Skills
ethical framework a set of moral principles that provide guidelines for carrying out work with other people i.e. the
counselling relationship with clients.
British Association for Counselling + Psychotherapy (BACP):
- provides an ethical framework for counsellors, trainers + supervisors of counsellors.
- intended to guide the good practice of counselling + psychotherapy.
- intended to inform the practice of closely-related roles that are delivered in association with counselling +
psychotherapy.
fundamental values of counselling + psychotherapy include a commitment to:
- respecting human rights + dignity.
- alleviating symptoms of personal distress + suffering.
- enhancing people’s wellbeing + capabilities.
- improving the quality of relationships between people.
- increasing personal resilience + effectiveness.
- facilitating a sense of self that is meaningful to the person concerned within their personal + cultural context.
- appreciating the variety of human experience + culture.
- protecting the safety of clients.
- ensuring the integrity of practitioner-client relationships.
- enhancing the quality of professional knowledge + its’ application.
- striving for the fair + adequate provision of services.
… these values provide the basis for the following set of ethical principles.
ethical principles of counselling + psychotherapy:
being trustworthy honouring the trust placed in the practitioner + is fundamental to understanding + resolving ethical
issues.
practitioners who adopt this principle:
- act in accordance with the trust placed in them.
- strive to ensure clients’ expectations are ones that have reasonable prospects of being met.
- honour their agreements + promises.
- regard confidentiality as an obligation arising from the client’s trust.
- restrict any disclosure of confidential info about clients to no further than purposes for
which it was originally disclosed.
autonomy having respect for the client’s right to be self-governing.
emphasises the importance of developing a client’s ability to be self-directing within therapy + all
aspects of life.
practitioners who respect their clients’ autonomy:
- ensure accuracy in any advertising or info given in advance of services offered.
- seek freely given + adequately informed consent.
- emphasise the value of voluntary participation in the services being offered.
- engage in explicit contracting in advance of any commitment by the client.
- protect privacy + confidentiality.
- normally make any disclosures of confidential info conditional on the consent of the person
concerned.
- inform the client in advance of foreseeable conflicts of interest, or as soon as possible after
such conflicts become apparent.
beneficence having a commitment to promoting the client’s wellbeing.
acting in the best interests of the client based on professional assessment.
working strictly within one’s limits of competence + providing services on the basis of adequate
training or experience.
counsellors are obligated to use regular + ongoing supervision, + to update practice by continuing
professional development (CPD).
