Introductory description

This module provides students with a framework for evaluating and critiquing ethical decision making and the processes and procedures for ethical and legal decisions and practice within the counselling relationship, particularly in relation to working with mental health and different client groups. Students will apply this learning in their practice within counselling organisations, and this professional backdrop will help facilitate and consolidate their learning. Fundamental practical issues will be addressed including confidentiality, informed consent, multiple relationships, professional assessment, safeguarding within practice, working within the mental health spectrum and with different client groups, sharing information, and multidisciplinary learning from placements. The BACP Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions is again central to this module in preparing students for qualified practice as a counsellor. This module develops employability skills in students through building a current awareness of key professional and ethical issues for students working within multidisciplinary teams and within various organisational settings. This module is delivered through a mixture of learning and teaching methods, including didactic presentations, small group work and discussion, and case studies/scenarios. Topical issues recounted in the media are utilised to enable students to put the theoretical concepts in context. Formative and summative assessments aim to facilitate students’ ability to deliver a critical understanding of key concepts and issues; enabling them to consolidate at L6 further autonomous learning, problem solving, research skills and to work effectively with others. Formative feedback will be provided for essay plans and case study material. Summative assessments include a written assignment and a case study in which students consider ethical issues, good practice and processes within an organisational setting.

Module aims

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

BACP Ethical Framework. Legal issues within counselling practice. Multi agency working and joint working. Understanding conceptualisations of mental health and wellbeing. Professional Issues in regard to mental health. Working with different client groups. Contracting and Professional Boundaries. Referral pathways. Self Care for Counsellor and Compassion Fatigue resilience. Developing reflective practice

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• Demonstrate ability to make informed ethical decisions in professional practice based on the BACP Ethical framework and awareness of own values and beliefs
• Critical analyse a variety of different conceptualisations of mental health and well being and explore the implications for own practice
• Explore and describe own responses to working with various different client groups with reference to own assumptions, biases and personal identities
• Demonstrate reflective practice through ability to critical appraise and reflect on own professional practice
• Reflect on own experience of and attitudes towards mental health and well being
• Apply learning about various theoretical approaches to developing a personal theoretical approach

Indicative reading list

Reading lists can be found in Talis

Research element

Drawing on and critically evaluating relevant research on ethical, legal, professional and mental health issues.

Subject specific skills

• Thorough knowledge of legal, ethical and professional requirements and principles and application • Contracting including for mental health and contract review, in the therapeutic dyad • Confident articulation of legal and ethical principles for counselling including for mental health issues • Clear assessment and formulation of client needs including mental health, referring to BACP ethical framework • Clear formulation of therapeutic approach including for mental health in relation to the BACP ethical framework • Critical evaluation and application of theory and professional guidance in relation to the BACP ethical framework. Ability to explore own responses to mental health

Transferable skills

• Refined capacity to understand and evaluate debates about ethical, legal and professional issues in counselling • Refined ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing - including in articulating principal concepts of working with complex challenges and to self-reflect on these in written communications where appropriate • Consolidated capacity for ethical decision making in complex mental health situations, sometimes with incomplete information • Ability to nourish and learn from good, supportive, challenging and trusting relationships with others in which sensitive personal material can be considered • Capacity to learn from the process of challenge, self-reflection and change and apply to work with clients with complex mental health needs.