EDF5061 · Advanced ethics and professional issues in counselling

Overview

This unit develops an advanced understanding of the ethical, legal, and regulatory dimensions of professional counselling practice. You will use your knowledge of the ethical foundations of the profession to gain insight into managing the complex issues and dilemmas faced by counsellors in practice in line with current professional codes and guidelines. Topics addressed include implementing ethical principles and codes of practice, legal responsibilities, personal, social, and professional values, diversity, managing client and practitioner safety, confidentiality and privacy, managing dual relationships and professional boundaries, and working collaboratively with other professionals and key stakeholders (e.g., parents of clients). You will also explore the key ethical considerations of working in various contexts such as online counselling, schools, private practice, and community agencies.

Offerings

Assessment

The Handbook does not list a final examination among the assessment items. That is not a guarantee there is none.

Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.

Requisites

Learning outcomes

1. describe and apply the professional, ethical, social, and legal obligations of counsellors to counselling practice
2. describe and apply the ethical requirements of the societies and professional organisations in the locations in which you plan to practice, across a range of counselling settings
3. demonstrate self-awareness of one's own values, positionality, experiences, and biases and the potential impact of these on ethical practice
4. utilise a formal structure to demonstrate ethical decision making and argue a defensible, well informed ethical position on complex or mixed ethical dilemmas arising in counselling
5. reflect upon your own professional competencies and limits of proficiency, in a range of situations

Workload

The minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per teaching period comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. Usually, you can expect to engage with: Clayton campus • 12 hours of scheduled learning delivered on campus via weekly/regular directed learning activities, 12 hours of scheduled learning delivered online via a combination of synchronous and asynchronous directed learning activities, and the remaining hours to be allocated towards self-directed/independent study OR • 24 hours of scheduled learning delivered online via a combination of synchronous and asynchronous directed learning activities, and the remaining hours to be allocated towards self-directed/independent study^ ^ International students studying in Australia are not permitted to undertake this scheduled learning delivery mode. Kaplan off-shore • 24 hours of scheduled learning delivered online via synchronous activities and the remaining hours to be allocated towards self-directed/independent study

Student experience, not official rules. Nothing here changes what the Handbook says.