Ethics Topic OneEthics Topic One

April 2011April 2011

Year Two Practicum ClassYear Two Practicum Class

By AA MacKenzieBy AA MacKenzie

Introduction to Agency WorkIntroduction to Agency Work

NZAC 7.1 Responsibility to Colleagues:NZAC 7.1 Responsibility to Colleagues: (a) Counsellors should treat colleagues (a) Counsellors should treat colleagues

with respect, fairness and honestywith respect, fairness and honesty (b) Counsellors shall not solicit clients (b) Counsellors shall not solicit clients

away from other counsellorsaway from other counsellors (c) Counsellor shall avoid establishing a (c) Counsellor shall avoid establishing a

professional relationship with clients of professional relationship with clients of other counsellors without appropriate other counsellors without appropriate communication with the counsellor or communication with the counsellor or agency involvedagency involved

NZCCANZCCA

3.2 Counsellors recognise the boundaries 3.2 Counsellors recognise the boundaries of their own competence and provide only of their own competence and provide only services for which they are qualified by services for which they are qualified by training and/or experience. They refer training and/or experience. They refer matters outside their areas of experience matters outside their areas of experience and training to appropriately qualified and training to appropriately qualified persons. persons.

3.5 Counsellors do not exploit their 3.5 Counsellors do not exploit their professional relationships with employers, professional relationships with employers, supervisors or other colleaguessupervisors or other colleagues

Responsibility to NZACResponsibility to NZAC 7.2: Counsellors should take action when 7.2: Counsellors should take action when

they consider another counsellor's they consider another counsellor's behaviour could be judged as professional behaviour could be judged as professional misconduct, conduct unbecoming a misconduct, conduct unbecoming a member, or conduct prejudicial to the member, or conduct prejudicial to the interests of the Association.interests of the Association.

Such action may include:Such action may include: Bringing concerns to the attention of the Bringing concerns to the attention of the

counsellorcounsellor Notifying the counsellor's supervisor, Notifying the counsellor's supervisor,

teacher or employerteacher or employer Using a formal complaints processUsing a formal complaints process

Other responsibilitiesOther responsibilities

7.3 responsibility to the profession7.3 responsibility to the profession 7.4 Collaboration with Counselling 7.4 Collaboration with Counselling

Colleagues and Other ProfessionsColleagues and Other Professions 8.1 Counsellors and the Law8.1 Counsellors and the Law (a) Counsellors shall work within the (a) Counsellors shall work within the

law.law. 8.2 Relationship with Employers and 8.2 Relationship with Employers and

Third Party FundersThird Party Funders What does this mean for you?What does this mean for you?

Ethical PracticeEthical Practice

Applies to every part of what we do Applies to every part of what we do and who we areand who we are

Not limited to what happens in the Not limited to what happens in the counselling roomcounselling room

Applies to all other professional Applies to all other professional relationshipsrelationships

Bersoff’s perspective (1996)Bersoff’s perspective (1996)

From sound characterFrom sound character

GrowsGrows

Ethical Conduct = knowledge + clear Ethical Conduct = knowledge + clear understandingsunderstandings

Where the counsellor can RESPOND withWhere the counsellor can RESPOND with

Maturity, judgement, discretion, wisdom, Maturity, judgement, discretion, wisdom, prudenceprudence

GOAL: to develop Virtue EthicsGOAL: to develop Virtue Ethics

Principle EthicsPrinciple Ethics

Principle Ethics “Is this situation Principle Ethics “Is this situation unethical?”unethical?”

Based on obligation and methods Based on obligation and methods which focuses on solving a problemwhich focuses on solving a problem

Focuses on acts and choices “What Focuses on acts and choices “What shall I do?”shall I do?”

Influenced by laws & ethical codes Influenced by laws & ethical codes Need to begin here & develop into Need to begin here & develop into

virtue ethicsvirtue ethics

Virtue ethics:" Am I doing the Virtue ethics:" Am I doing the best for my client?”best for my client?”

Focussed on character traits of the Focussed on character traits of the counsellor and non obligatory ideals counsellor and non obligatory ideals to which professional aspireto which professional aspire

Even without an ethical dilemma are Even without an ethical dilemma are compelled to work ethicallycompelled to work ethically

Five characteristicsFive characteristics

1.1. Motivated to do what is right and for Motivated to do what is right and for the right reasons (judge it to be right the right reasons (judge it to be right vs. rules and law).vs. rules and law).

2.2. Possess vision & discernment – Possess vision & discernment – sensitivity- know what principles to sensitivity- know what principles to apply to a situation and how to apply apply to a situation and how to apply themthem

3.3. Possess compassion, a regard for Possess compassion, a regard for welfare of others and sensitivity to welfare of others and sensitivity to suffering. Able to take action to reduce suffering. Able to take action to reduce suffering.suffering.

4.4. Possess self-awareness – capacity for Possess self-awareness – capacity for self-observation – know how assumptions self-observation – know how assumptions convictions & biases are likely to affect convictions & biases are likely to affect their interactions with otherstheir interactions with others

5.5. Connected with and understand the Connected with and understand the mores of their community and the mores of their community and the importance of community on moral importance of community on moral decision making. They understand the decision making. They understand the ideals and expectations of their ideals and expectations of their community.community.

So what would virtue ethics look So what would virtue ethics look like?like?

Talk in your group about Talk in your group about responsibilities to your colleagues, responsibilities to your colleagues, profession, funding agencies & the profession, funding agencies & the wider communitywider community

So what would virtue ethics look like?So what would virtue ethics look like?