Page 10 - OSCA Ethical Guidelines - 2009.pdf

Section A
actual counselling, in the proper sense of the term, would be occurring. The counsellor explains the ethical implications of such a program and her resultant inability to accept the offer. She does, however, express a willingness to provide information and general guidance for callers regarding education, career development and community resources.
b) Along-timefriendofacounselloraskshimforadvice regarding her son who does not attend the counsellor’s school. The advice requested pertains to course selection as well as some specific assistance with career planning. The counsellor provides some general information, but encourages his friend to discuss her questions with the counsellor at her son’s school.
c) A counsellor realizes that his office is arranged in such a
way as to provide absolute privacy for clients. However, in light of sexual harassment and physical/sexual abuse charges increasingly occurring, he decides to protect himself. He arranges with the principal to have glass installed in his office door, and rearranges the furniture so that he can be viewed at all times from outside the office while the client cannot
be fully viewed from outside. (See Professional Advisory: Professional Misconduct Related to Sexual Abuse and Sexual Misconduct, Ontario College of Teachers, Appendix E.)
Unacceptable Cases
a) A Students’ Council group arranges for regular space in a newspaper to be allotted for responses by a counsellor to letters from students who are experiencing difficulties in school. The counsellor who is approached agrees to actually advise appropriate courses of action for individual students. Thus, the counsellor has agreed to use this context for individual counselling.
b) In an effort to assist members of the community who might be intimidated by the school setting, a counsellor places an ad in the local paper offering the opportunity to complete an interest inventory and aptitude test through the mail. It is made clear that scoring and interpretation would be done by the counsellor and the results would be mailed to the person if that was his/her wish.
Legally Speaking
Counsellors who choose to operate outside the bounds of a professional school relationship increase the possibility of their being found individually liable.
Those not functioning through the medium of a recognized agency and using remote means of communication are in a “double-jeopardy” situation. This is intended to mean that such a counsellor would be vulnerable, not only because of independent status with no support services, but also because of the non-immediate means of communication which would tend to hinder effective communication.
The counsellor is not breaching any obligation of confidentiality by re-arranging the office furniture so as to protect against unjustified accusations of sexual harassment/assault.
Doug Wilson, as Registrar of the College of Teachers in 2003, indicated that the Professional Advisory, Professional Misconduct Related to Sexual Abuse and Sexual Misconduct, Ontario College of Teachers, is intended for all members
of the College of Teachers and was not intended to single
out Guidance counsellors or to change the way they work with students. Counsellors often work with individual students, and discussions may well be of an emotional and confidential nature. Guidance counsellors need to be aware that the Advisory exists and should continue to exercise
good judgement in working with individual students in such situations. (See Advisory, Appendix E.)
6. Counsellors with recognized competencies may establish career counselling/consultation practices outside school hours, but must not charge fees to students or parents from their own school.
Acceptable Cases
a) A counsellor agrees to work evenings with a private career counselling service on a fee for service basis. As part of the agreement, the counsellor will not refer clients from his/her home school to the service and asks his colleagues to refrain from the same practice.
b) Counsellors in a small rural community identify a need for additional family services. They lobby a reputable agency from a nearby community to establish a family counselling service that operates weeknights and weekends.
Unacceptable Cases
a) Astudentwithseverepersonaldifficultiesismaking increased demands on a counsellor’s time. Since the counsellor needs time to see other students, and is teaching two Career Studies credit course sections, she suggests that the student see her in the evening at her private practice. She sends the student a bill for $150.00.
b) A counsellor is invited to work with a government agency in the development of new career education resources. Meetings are usually held during school hours. After several weeks the counsellor is offered, and accepts, the opportunity to present workshops about these resources during school hours. He accepts an hourly wage for each workshop.
Legally Speaking
The counsellor should ensure that there is no District School Board policy preventing the practice outside of school
hours in relation to any pupil of the Board, regardless of the school attended. If none exists the counsellor may proceed accordingly. However, it would be unethical to charge fees to parents/students from the counsellor’s home school.
7. Counsellorsshallhaveaclearunderstandingofthe Ministry of Education Curriculum and Policy Documents:
10 ■ OSCA Ethical Guidelines for Ontario School Counsellors 2010 • www.osca.ca