1. BACP ETHICAL FRAMEWORK FOR THE COUNSELLING PROFESSIONS
A ROUGH GUIDE
TO THE
BACP ETHICAL FRAMEWORK FOR THE COUNSELLING PROFESSIONS
BACP PRIVATE PRACTICE NETWORK MEETING
Maureen Slattery-Marsh
FRIDAY 3 FEB 2017

2. Outline My subjective stance A Word about Worldviews
My Personal Worldview
My Professional Worldview
BACP Worldview
New BACP Ethical Framework
A whistlestop tour of the Main Sections:
Putting Clients First
Ethics
Good Practice

4. worldview
A worldview is a theory of the world, used for living in the world. 
A world view is a mental model of reality
a framework of ideas & attitudes about the world, ourselves, and life, a comprehensive system of beliefs — with answers to various degrees of conviction for a wide range of questions.

5. Alternative and Competing worldviews

7. George Orwell 1984

8. worldview
Worldview is commonly understood as an individual’s underlying assumptions about life and reality. These assumptions are shaped by the individual’s personal-cultural- historical context and produce a global outlook on the world and on life

10. Personal Worldview
“We cannot help but have certain beliefs and ideas about how everything in life fits together. This is our worldview. It orients us in the world, defines our attitudes towards it and allows us to create meaning.”
Deurzen, E & Adams, M (2011) Skills in Existential Counselling & Psychotherapy, London:Sage p.20

11. Personal Worldview
Worldview encompasses a person’s ethics, values and beliefs, philosophy – faith - spirituality, and motivation.
A person’s worldview may positively or negatively influence his or her reasoning

13. PERSONAL WORLDVIEW
A Value I cherish is… A Principle I uphold is…. A Personal moral quality I aspire to embody and abide in is…

14. Professional Worldview
6 sources for the ethical narrative and practice of our Professional Worldview:
Personal Ethics
Ethics implicit in our chosen therapeutic model
Professional Body Ethical Framework
Moral Philosophy
The Law
Organisational policy
Bond ( 2015) Standards and Ethics for Counselling in Action, London:Sage

15. BACP – Worldview?

16. Counselling Changes Lives
BACP – Worldview
Counselling Changes Lives
 We will advocate the role and relevance of the practice of the counselling professions in improving psychological wellbeing and mental health, and promoting social justice, in our contemporary and diverse communities.

17. BACP Worldview
You and your clients are at the heart of everything we do and supporting you is central to our philosophy and values. We work hard to enable you to access resources to help you develop and maintain effective and competent practice.
We seek to ensure people have access to the best, evidence-based, standards of practice in the counselling professions. By renewing our commitment to raising the profile of our members in the media, with commissioners, policy makers and the public, we hope to improve your professional credibility and employment prospects.

18. BACP ETHICAL FRAMEWORK
Extensive & inclusive consultation process.
Published in Came into effect in July 2016
Impetus for Changes
Growth in the range of expertise within the profession
Changes in society and BACP membership
Approaches to Safeguarding : Duty of Candour responsibilities to vulnerable members of society.
Implications of Law across 4 nations
Need for greater interface with clients
See:

19. Our Commitment to Clients
Shift from the language of Duties to Commitments
Expressing our ethical responsibilities as commitments rather than duties to our clients
Emphasises importance of personal and professional ownership of the ethics we deploying the way we work with our clients
Commitment is something we invest in the process rather than obedience to an external authority

20. Minding the Gap between Aspiration and Action
The gap between aspirations and actions is addressed through the ‘Our Commitment to Clients’ statements

21. Our commitment to Clients
Put clients first by…
Work to professional standards by...
Show respect by …
Build an appropriate relationship by….
Maintain integrity by….
Demonstrate accountability and candour by…

22. Ethics
Ethics are based on values, principles and personal moral qualities that underpin and inform the interpretation and application of Our Commitment to Clients and Good Practice.
NEW (2015)
11 Values
6 Principles
11 Personal Moral
Qualities
OLD (2013)
10 Values
6 Principles
10 Personal Moral
Qualities

23. Virtues and values
The Spiritual Virtues: Love, Hope and Faith, as defined by St. Paul (who placed love as the greatest of them all).
The four Cardinal Virtues: Prudence, Temperance, Courage and Justice.
The Seven Bushido Virtues:
Right decisions, Valour, Benevolence, Respect, Honesty, Honour, and Loyalty.
The Seven Contrary Virtues which are specific opposites to the Seven Deadly Sins: Humility against pride, Kindness against envy, Abstinence against gluttony, Chastity against lust, Patience against anger, Liberality against greed, and Diligence against sloth.

24. Personal Moral Qualities
Empathy
Sincerity
Integrity
Resilience
Respect
Humility
Competence
Fairness
Wisdom
Courage
Care
Diligence
Courage
Empathy
Identity
Humility
Integrity
Resilience
Respect
Sincerity
Wisdom
2015

25. Personal Moral Qualities
Empathy
Sincerity
Integrity
Resilience
Respect
Humility
Competence
Fairness
Wisdom
Courage
(2013)
Care
Diligence
Courage
Empathy
Identity
Humility
Integrity
Resilience
Respect
Sincerity
Wisdom
(2015)

26. Good Practice
Fleshes out the implications obligations of the Ethics and Our commitment to clients sections of the Ethical Framework

27. Relevance to me
What are my most Commonly asked questions about the Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions
When would it be most relevant to me?
What do I know of the Good Practice resources?