LEGAL AND ETHICAL RESPONSIBLITIES

Legal and Ethical Responsiblities in Counselling Practice

Introduction

In a counsellor-client relationship, the most sensitive factor is related to the protection of the client in several ways. Because of this reason some principles of ethics and law have been set out to maintain the healthy counsellor-client relationship.

Principles of Ethics

Counsellors regard worth, self-respect and humanity of their clients and put forward this practise in their work. They perceive and respect diversity between their clients and endure discrimination and assertive behaviour.

Ethical Responsibilities

Competence

Competence involves ability of recognizing when it is suitable to refer the client somewhere else. The counsellors must identify the need of ongoing education for their profession to keep level of professional awareness of updated professional and scientific information and also in their education in their specific fields of performance. The counsellors should keenly observe their own competence by means of counselling guidance and should be willing to take into consideration any view that has been expressed by the counsellors or by the clients. The counsellors should have achieved the level of competence before the commencement of counselling and should uphold continuing professional growth as well as ongoing and regular supervision. Reasonable steps should be taken by the counsellors in strive for supervision for the evaluation of their counselling efficiency from time to time.

Responsibility to the Wider Community Law

The counsellors are dedicated for the protection of their clients against dishonourable and inefficient practises and are eager to challenge those practises. The counsellors should take reasonable steps to get aware about the current law applicable to the current practices of the counselling.

Responsibility to Colleagues and Others

Counsellors must regard the needs, autonomy and the protection of their clients as well as confidentiality contract decided with the client. In addition to this the counsellors are responsible for their assistance to employers, colleagues and funding bodies. Not anyone should be directed to believe the wrong service which is actually not being offered as in this way client may get deprived of the service

Responsibilities to the client

Realistic steps are taken by the counsellors for the prevention of their clients from harm that can affect them during the counselling session. Counsellor faces the situations which extends their competence boundary and believe in referral to the other professionals. If any harm occurs during the counselling period, they take restitution responsibility. In this context professional compensation should be considered.

Autonomy of clients is encouraged by counsellors and they encourage for making decisions on their own. They take into consideration the client's social context and their connections with other people.

Responsibility to other Counsellors

The counsellor must avoid their involvement in such actions of counselling which may result to lessen confidence of society either in their role of counselling or in other work activities related to counselling

Confidentiality

Confidentiality should be maintained for keeping the records of personal information of the clients, any other counsellor other than the referred counsellor of the client should not treat the patient and patient should avoid being taking any treatment from ...