Professinal_Framework_Report

Professional Framework Report 1. A qualified counsellor is a person who has taken a diploma in counselling, and has a recognized qualification (BACP). They would have regular supervision; have the relevant training, and also lots of experience. Someone who has just counselling skills cannot offer one to one sessions without supervision on a long or short term basis, are not experienced enough to deal with emotional situations and problems, and can open up emotional wounds and then not have the skills to help the client deal with it. . The difference between a counsellor and someone who uses counselling skills in other occupations is that counsellors don’t give advice like for example, nurses, social workers, or teachers. A non qualified counsellor should not describe themselves as a counsellor because they do not have the qualification or skills to provide a therapeutic counselling session. A non qualified counsellor will not have the experience necessary to offer a productive counselling session as they may not have the complete knowledge of health and safety issues, opening and ending a session, time boundaries etc and they also may not have developed enough the correct attitude to offer the three core conditions of Empathy, UPR and Congruence. 2. Main elements of BACP Ethical Framework are: Fidelity: honoring the trust placed in the practitioner Being trustworthy is regarded as fundamental to understanding and resolving ethical issues. Autonomy: respect for the client’s right to be self-governing This principle emphasizes the importance of the client’s commitment to participating in counseling or psychotherapy, usually on a voluntary basis. Beneficence: a commitment to promoting the client’s well-being The principle of beneficence means acting in the best interests of the client based on professional assessment. Non-maleficence: a commitment to avoiding harm to the client Non-maleficence involves: avoiding sexual, financial, emotional or any other form of client exploitation: avoiding incompetence or malpractice: not providing services when unfit to do so due to illness, personal circumstances or intoxication. Justice: the fair and impartial treatment of all clients and the provision of adequate services The principle of justice requires being just and fair to all clients and respecting their human rights and dignity. Self-respect: fostering the practitioner’s self-knowledge and care for self The principle of self-respect means that the practitioner appropriately applies all the above principles as entitlements for self. ’ BACP. “Ethics for counseling and psychotherapy”. BACP: Ethical Framework. http://www.bacp.co.uk/ethical_framework/ (06/05/08). A framework of ethics is needed to ensure good practice, and good quality of care. These are all important because there needs to be boundaries for safety for both counselor/client and counselors need to know their limitations. 3. All professional ethical codes differ slightly. The difference between a counsellors and a doctor’s ethical framework is fidelity and self-respect. Also doctors can break confidentiality in a number of circumstances including if you tell them of any involvment in a serious crime (this can include drug dealing, committing sexual assault, committing physical assault, causing grievous bodily harm and so on) they might be required to report this. Patient confidentiality can be breached for any of the following reasons: · If there are reasonable grounds (to protect the patient, their family, or community) · If it is considered democratically necessary (particularly where it might affect others) · If it is proportionate to the need. A counsellor can only break it if there is a danger of harm to the clients themselves, or if the client were to put someone else in danger. An ethical dilemma that could occur could be you have two clients that you are treating in the same period, one you like very much, the other you don’t feel as close a connection too. You could easily give the client you like the very best of yourself in each session, and the other not so, but to follow your ethical code, would be to give your very best to each client you see, regardless of personal feelings. This would be ‘Justice: the fair and impartial treatment of all clients and the provision of adequate services.’ BACP. “Ethics for counseling and psychotherapy”. BACP: Ethical Framework. http://www.bacp.co.uk/ethical_framework/ (06/05/08). 4. Professional Conduct: How we carry ourselves in our work environment, knowing our boundaries, and delivering a good service. Example: If someone upsets you in work, knowing that it’s not very professional to scream, shout and argue in the office at that person in front of other employee’s. Rather, you should conduct yourself in a professional manner and take them aside to talk, or take it to your Line Manager to discuss. Ethical issues: Working at your level of knowledge, competence and integrity. Knowing your company policies and your boundaries within them. For example: I was talking to a friend who was having problems and she knew I was doing my counselling course, so she asked me to give her some counselling sessions. Knowing that I am not qualified and in no position to offer one to one sessions yet, I told her that as much as I wanted to help her I wasn't qualified enough yet and ethically it wasn't right for me to take place as her counsellor. I gave her a few numbers of some qualified counsellors and advised her to call them to arrange some sessions. ‘Making good ethical decisions requires a trained sensitivity to ethical issues and a practiced method for exploring the ethical aspects of a decision and weighing the considerations that should impact our choice of a course of action. Having a method for ethical decision-making is absolutely essential. When practiced regularly, the method becomes so familiar that we work through it automatically without consulting the specific steps.’ Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University. “A Framework for Thinking Ethically”. Markkula Center for applied ethics http://www.scu.edu/ethics/ (05/05/08). Confidentiality: In each session, everything that is spoken about stays between the two people in the room, (client/counsellor) and goes no further unless there is a danger of harm to the client or those around them. Example: knowing when to take something serious to a higher level if someone is in danger, and not having a ‘chat’ to other people about what goes on in any of your counselling sessions. Boundaries: Creates safety in sessions, set's limits, and means having responsibilities. Example: Setting up contracts with clear responsibilities for both counsellor and client. Knowing exactly how each session has it limits. Legal responsibilities: Having a duty to obey the law in each session. Example: Knowing the law surrounding you profession and keeping your legal responsibilities at all times. Negligence: ‘Failure to exercise the care toward others which would reasonably be expected of a person in the circumstances, or taking action which a reasonable person would not.’ Definitions of negligence on the Web www.belluckfox.com/mesothelioma/mesothelioma_glossary.html http://www.google.co.uk/search'hl=en&defl=en&q=define:negligence&sa=X&oi=glossary_definition&ct=title Example: Not taking care of your own needs as the counsellor, or that of your client’s needs, for example, not having a contract in place when you first start a course of counselling sessions with a new client. Having a contract in place will ensure that both the client and counsellor know exactly where they stand right from the start, therefore taking care of the needs of the client and the counsellor. 5. Physical, emotional and mental safety is as equally important for both counsellor and client so each know their limits and boundaries. Counsellors need to feel safe in their environment and with their client, which is why contracts should be introduced at the start of the first counselling session. Setting up boundaries right from the start gives security and safety for both in their environment. Contracts should include: location, cost, time (start time and how long is each session will last), how many sessions, fire instructions, missed sessions, physical abuse, continual lateness, if the client shows up under the influence of alcohol/drugs, and a confidentiality agreement. Clients need emotional safety in sessions so they can be free to express emotions and open up honestly. Offering congruence, empathy and UPR creates the emotional safety to do this. The counsellor should also be aware of their safety in each session and so should consider seating arrangements, fire exits and location of where the sessions will be held. 6. Casework supervision is your supervisor looking specifically at the counselling sessions you are giving. What happens in each session, how it is going for you and what, if any personal issues are coming up for you' A counsellor needs this supervision, as it's just as important for them to air their problems as it is for their client. A counsellor's own personal growth is never fully complete on themselves, and so they may find that issues also come up for them in some of the sessions. These need to be looked at and spoken about so the counsellor can be sure they are giving absolutely the best they possibly can in every session. Regular supervision is just as important for the counsellor as regular counselling is for the client. Good casework supervision will encourage the counsellor to share their own problems they experience in sessions, helping them grow in self. Bad supervision can lead to the counsellor getting into a situation that is not comfortable for either them or their client. If a client brings a problem to their counselling session and the counsellor is unsure how to deal with it the idea is that they will be able to take it to their supervision to help them work through it. If that supervision is not there or is badly managed, the counsellor will be stuck and unable to help their client, and the client will then be bringing their problems with which they need help, and then not getting the help that is required, therefore resulting in no progression. Managerial supervision is your manager/line manager looking at the job you do as a whole. How you conduct yourself in work, are you following procedures, and what's happening in the work environment. Training needs or organizational problems can be looked at, thus giving the counsellor every best opportunity to give their all to their job. This also needs to happen on a regular basis so problems can be solved quickly if they arise, and extra training can be arranged if needed. Good managerial supervision will give the counsellor the chance to keep on top of their job and give the best that they possibly can because they will be able to speak of the things they need. Bad supervision can lead to bad work from the counsellor if they have problems or are not happy in work, and as a result are not giving the best of themselves to their work environment. Having bad supervision all round will lead to a person using counselling skills not growing themselves in their job, and not giving their all in their work. It could also lead to not getting the recognized qualification they need to become a counsellor, as there is a chance training needs could not be met. Good supervision will encourage growth and the best a counsellor/employee can give, and also maybe the diploma in counseling they need! Bibliography BACP. “Ethics for counseling and psychotherapy”. BACP: Ethical Framework. http://www.bacp.co.uk/ethical_framework/ (06/05/08). Definitions of negligence on the Web www.belluckfox.com/mesothelioma/mesothelioma_glossary.html http://www.google.co.uk/search'hl=en&defl=en&q=define:negligence&sa=X&oi=glossary_definition&ct=title Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University. “A Framework for Thinking Ethically”. Markkula Center for applied ethics http://www.scu.edu/ethics/ (05/05/08). Word Count: 1,421