Ethical Dilemmas In School Counseling

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In this article, Springer (2016) discusses the ethical and legal dilemmas when school counselors are presented with a delicate situation. School counselors may be fronted with issues of which the next step needs justification or permission from the law and code of ethics. School counselors are trained individuals that are responsible for decisions and prevention efforts that could better the lives of students within the school community. It is also important for school counselors to abide by the American Counseling Association (ACA) Code of Ethics (2014) and the American School Counselor Association's (ASCA) Ethical Standards for School Counselors (2010), clinical supervision and consultation represent ways to support responsibility for ethical …show more content…
Kast went on to consult with another trained professional, the school’s psychologist. The psychologist expressed concerns for the situation of the opinion that Mrs. Kast should inform the principal. The principal instructed Mrs. Kast to not immediately call Child Protective Services. The principal then proposed an alternative: an after-school meeting with the counselor, the school psychologist, classroom teacher as well the principal to discuss the situation and take the appropriate measures. Mrs. Kast is now presented with two ethical dilemmas, breach client confidentiality and share information with the others or not calling authorities regarding Jane’s safety. Mrs. Kast went ahead and scheduled a meeting with the staff and after further consultation, the principal supported her decision to call Child Protective …show more content…
This gives them an outlet to share ideas and receive consultations. While counseling students receive ethical decision-making training in graduate school, continuous updates should be discussed because no one case is ever the same and may need similar or new ethical procedures depending on the time and case. When studying in graduate school, counseling students receive significant amount of supervision on campus from lecturers and professionals alike. This level of support facilitates more opportunities to connect and process these issues with a more critical lens while practicing in the school setting. Likewise, practicing school counselors can use cases and problem-based studies during consultative meetings to assist in the development of ethical decision-making skills, strengthen professional identity, and encourage professional advocacy if school counseling supervision is not readily

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