Page 12 - OSCA Ethical Guidelines - 2009.pdf

Section B
1. Counsellors are obliged to respect the integrity and promote the welfare of the counsellees with whom they are working. (e.g., through the development and implementation of the Annual Education Plan.)
Acceptable Cases
a) A pamphlet is mailed to the Guidance Office inviting students to attend a Conference related to the prevention of Sexual Abuse. A covering letter requests that the event be advertised in the school. The organization is telephoned. An agenda is supplied as well as a detailed account of what role the students would play in the conference and what age group would benefit from the experience. References are provided by the conference planners. District School Board Social Work Services is notified. The conference is advertised to the students in the school.
b) A counsellor learns that a counsellee who is not doing well academically has serious home problems. The student’s father is an alcoholic and money is scarce for the family. With the permission of the counsellee, the counsellor makes a commitment to support the counsellee in the school setting, to explain relevant aspects of the situation to his teachers and to put him in touch with relevant community service agencies.
c) Astudent,newtothearea,comestoregisteratahigh school. On the basis of transcripts brought by the student, the counsellor considers another school’s program to be more suitable. After explaining her rationale to the student and his parents and obtaining their consent, she arranges an appointment for the student and parents at the appropriate school and ensures that the other school has the necessary preliminary information.
d) Knowing that an Annual Education Plan will help students take responsibility for their education, a guidance counsellor encourages her counsellees to consider all post secondary destinations carefully. In the planning process, students
set short and long-term goals, evaluate the achievement of
those goals and review their academic progress.
e) A Guidance Specialist has developed a series of lessons
about the development and maintenance of the career portfolio. He is assisting the Program Advisory Team to integrate this approach to portfolios into the Guidance Program Plan.
f) A counsellor has been working, for a period of time, with a student who has become very dependent on her. The counsellor believes the student has gained enough skills to function independently and takes steps to terminate
the relationship humanely by referring the student to the appropriate social agency.
Unacceptable Cases
a) Ayoungwomancomestoacounsellorconcerninga problem with her ex-boyfriend. To resolve the problem, the counsellor is convinced that the two should be brought together to discuss the matter. The girl does not agree. Despite her objections, the counsellor has the boy come to the office with the girl still present.
b) A counsellor is assigned students taking Applied courses as well as students taking mainly Academic courses. She treats the former in a perfunctory manner, justifying her approach with the contention that their career possibilities are much more limited than those of students taking mainly Academic courses.
c) Acounsellorperceivesthatachild’sdietisinadequateand begins to take him home for lunch. The counsellor gradually assumes the role of a guardian thus blocking access to appropriate agencies in the community who could help the child.
Legally Speaking
There have been instances of counsellors losing positions
or being transferred on the basis of incidents with students occurring in the context of what had supposedly become personal, in some cases, romantic, relationships. As aspects
of the counselling relationship vary from those normally associated with one which is professional and proper, the counsellor increases the risk that the nature of the relationship will be perceived as personal rather than professional. Thus, the counsellor may well be considered to be breaching rather than respecting the student’s integrity. (See Professional Advisory, Ontario College of Teachers, Appendix E.)
The second half of this ethical principle – “promote the welfare of the counsellees” – is fraught with legal implications. Civil actions based on charges of negligence or liability may stem from such allegations as improper placement of a student or incorrect information being conveyed by counsellors. Since there are no precedents of such actions in Ontario, it can only be stated that the possibilities exist. On the other hand, it should be stated that the success of such actions would be questionable indeed.
2. In group situations, particularly those oriented to self- understanding or growth, the counsellor is obligated to make clear to the group members the purposes, goals, techniques, rules, and limitations of the procedures
Ethical Principles, Illustrative Cases, and Legal Comments
Section B:
Counsellor-Counsellee Relationship
12 ■ OSCA Ethical Guidelines for Ontario School Counsellors 2010 • www.osca.ca