Preamble.

Introduction
The purpose of this Code is to establish and maintain standards for Addiction
Counsellors, who are members of the Addiction Counsellors of Ireland, and to
inform and protect members of the public seeking and using their services.
In joining the Addiction Counsellors of Ireland, Members commit themselves
to comply with the Code of Practice and Ethics for their professional activities
as well as any behaviour which may impinge on these activities.
Whilst this Code cannot resolve all ethical and practice related issues, it aims
to provide a framework for addressing such issues. Depending on the issue
involved, Counsellors may find that parts of the Code may be in conflict. In
such circumstances, Counsellors may find they have to choose which part of
the Code best applies.
All Members of the Addiction Counsellors of Ireland are subject to the Irish
Law and where applicable, to EU Law and their practice must conform to
these.
The Association of Addiction Counsellors has a Complaints procedure in
place.

Statement of Working Principles for Counselling
This statement of Working Principles for Counselling unifies all the Codes for
Counsellors, Trainers and Supervisors. It is applicable to counselling
research, the use of counselling skills, and the management of these services
within the Addiction Counsellors of Ireland and is intended to inform the
practice of each Member.

In this statement the term “counsellor” is used generically to refer to
anyone with responsibility for the provision of counselling and
counselling services. The client may be an individual, group or other
specifiable social unit. It is accepted that names may be substituted for
“counsellor” and “client” in the practice-setting according to local
understanding.

Practitioners are required to use a formal procedure in examining
ethical aspects of their work and ethical principles are well suited to
examining the justification for particular decisions and actions.
However, reliance on principles alone may detract from the importance
of the Counsellor’s personal qualities and their ethical significance in
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the counselling or therapeutic relationship. The provision of a
culturally sensitive and appropriate service is also a fundamental ethical
concern. Cultural factors are often more easily understood and
responded to in terms of value. Professional values, therefore, are
becoming an increasingly significant way of expressing ethical
commitment.

Definition of Counselling

Addiction counselling seeks to provide the client, which may include
concerned persons, with opportunities to explore, discover and clarify
ways of recovery from addictive substances/behaviours. The overall
aim is to provide an opportunity for the client to work towards living in
a more satisfying and resourceful way.

Addiction counselling includes the giving of time, attention and respect
in a confidential, therapeutic relationship. This includes work with
individuals, couples or groups known as “clients.”

The Counsellor’s role is to facilitate the client’s growth in ways which
respect the person’s values, personal resources and capacity for selfdetermination, leading to lifelong recovery.

Only when both parties explicitly agree to enter into a counselling
relationship and a contract is agreed between the counsellor and client
does it become counselling.

Regardless of the theoretical approaches used by individual
Counsellors, there are ethical issues which are common to all
counselling situations.

Values of Addiction Counselling
The fundamental values of counselling include a commitment to:
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Respect for human rights and promotion of each
person’s dignity

Ensure the
relationship

Enhance the quality of professional knowledge and its
application

Alleviate personal distress and suffering

Foster a sense of self that is meaningful to the
person(s) relationships
integrity
of
the
counsellor-client

Appreciate the variety of human experience and
culture

Striving for the fair and adequate provision of
counselling services.
Values inform principles and represent an important way of expressing a
general ethical commitment that becomes more precisely defined and action
orientated when expressed as a principle.

Ethical principles of addiction counselling
Principles direct the attention to important ethical responsibilities. Each
principle is described below and followed by examples of good practice that have
been developed in response to that principle. Ethical decisions that are strongly
supported by one or more of these principles without any contradiction from
others may be regarded as reasonably well founded. However, practitioners will
encounter circumstances in which it is impossible to reconcile all the applicable
principles and choosing between principles may be required. A counsellor’s
obligation is to consider all the relevant circumstance with as much care as is
reasonably possible and to be appropriately accountable for decisions made.
Fidelity: honouring the trust placed in the counsellor
Being trustworthy is regarded as fundamental to understanding and resolving
ethical issues. Counsellors who adopt this principle, act in accordance with
the trust placed in them; regard confidentiality as an obligation arising from
the client’s trust and restrict any disclosure of confidential information about
clients to furthering the purposes for which it was originally disclosed.
Autonomy: respect for the client’s right to be self-governing
This principle emphasises the importance of the client’s commitment to
participating in counselling, usually on a voluntary basis. Counsellors who
respect their client’s autonomy ensure accuracy in advertising or information
given in advance of services offered; seek freely given and adequately
informed consent; engage in explicit contracting in advance of any
commitment by the client; protect privacy; protect confidentiality; normally
make any disclosures of confidential information conditional on the consent
of the person concerned and inform the client in advance of foreseeable
conflicts of interest.
Beneficence: a commitment to promoting the client’s well-being
The principle of beneficence means acting in the best interests of the client
based on professional assessment. It directs attention to working strictly
within one’s limits of competence and providing service on the basis of
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adequate training or experience. There is an obligation to use regular and ongoing supervision to enhance the quality of the service provided and to
commit to updating practice by continuing professional development. An
obligation to act in the best interests of a client may become paramount when
working with clients whose capacity for autonomy is diminished because of
immaturity, lack of understanding, extreme distress, serious disturbance or
other significant personal constraints.
Non-maleficence: a commitment to avoiding harm to the client
Non-maleficence involves: avoiding sexual, financial, emotional, or any other
form of client exploitation; avoiding incompetence or malpractice; not
providing services when unfit to do so due to illness, personal circumstances
or intoxication. The Counsellor has an ethical responsibility to strive to
mitigate any harm caused to a client even when the harm is unavoidable or
unintended. Counsellors have a personal responsibility to challenge, where
appropriate, the incompetence or malpractice of others; and to contribute to
any investigation and/or adjudication concerning professional practice which
falls below that of a reasonably competent Counsellor and/or risks bringing
discredit upon the profession.
Justice: the fair and impartial treatment of all clients and the
provision of adequate services
The principle of justice requires being just and fair to all clients and
respecting their human rights and dignity. Justice in the distribution of
services requires the ability to determine impartially the provision of services
for clients and the ability to appreciate differences between people; to be
committed to equality of opportunity, and avoiding discrimination against
people or groups contrary to their legitimate personal or social characteristics.
Counsellors have a duty to strive to ensure a fair provision of counselling
services, accessible and appropriate to the needs of potential clients.
Self-respect: fostering the Counsellor’s self-knowledge and care for
self
The principles of self-respect mean that the Counsellor appropriately applies
all the above principles as entitlements for self. This includes seeking
counselling or therapy and other opportunities for personal development as
required. There is an ethical responsibility to use supervision for appropriate
personal and professional support and development, and to seek training and
other opportunities for continuing personal development. The principle of
self-respect encourages active engagement in life-enhancing activities and
relationships that are independent of relationships in counselling.

Personal qualities: personal qualities to which counsellors are
strongly encouraged to aspire to include:
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Empathy: the ability to communicate understanding of another
person’s experience from that person’s perspective

Sincerity: a personal commitment to consistency between what is
professed and what is done

Integrity: personal straightforwardness, honesty and congruence

Resilience: the capacity to work with the client’s concerns without
being personally diminished

Respect: showing appropriate esteem to others and their
understanding of themselves

Humility: the ability to assess accurately and acknowledge one’s
own strengths and weaknesses

Competence: the effective deployment of the skills and knowledge
needed to do what is required

Fairness: the consistent application of appropriate criteria to
inform decisions and actions

Wisdom: possession of sound judgement that informs practice

Courage: the capacity to act in spite of known fears, risks and
uncertainty
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Code of Ethics

Counselling is a non-exploitative activity and, as such, is underpinned by
integrity, impartiality and respect. Counsellors are obliged to work ethically
whether the counselling is paid for by the client or offered free by an
Organisation or the Counsellor.

Counsellors shall have regard for the client’s beliefs and values. The service
offered shall not be minimised or diminished by any bias regarding gender,
sexual orientation, disability, race, religion or politics, ethnicity, social standing
or class.

The Counsellor shall take all reasonable steps to ensure the client’s safety during
counselling.

Counsellors must not abuse their client’s trust in order to gain sexual, emotional,
financial or any other kind of personal advantage.

The terms on which counselling is being offered must be made clear to clients
before counselling begins. Regular reviews must be agreed at this stage.

The counsellor-client relationship is the foremost ethical concern. This
relationship also reflects upon colleagues, other Associations and members of
the wider community. These will be considered in this Code under different
headings.

The practice of counselling depends on gaining and honouring the trust of
clients. Keeping trust requires:

Attentiveness to the quality of listening and respect offered to clients

Culturally appropriate ways of communicating that are courteous and
clear

Respect for privacy and dignity

Careful attention to client consent and confidentiality.
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2. Confidentiality

Confidentiality is a means of providing the client with safety and privacy.

As a general principle Counsellors must not reveal confidential material
concerning clients. Confidentiality can only be broken where required by law, or
if the Counsellor has reason to believe the client(s) will cause physical harm to
themselves or others or be themselves in danger of such harm. Before such
disclosure is made, every effort shall be made to get the client’s consent, and the
Counsellor should consult their supervisor or experienced colleague. Minimise
any breach of confidentiality by conveying only the information that is relevant
and necessary. However, in emergencies, Counsellors shall make their own
judgement as to what action is best.

Communications made on the basis of client consent do not constitute a breach
of confidentiality. Client consent is the preferred way of resolving any dilemmas
over confidentiality.

Confidential information about clients may be shared within teams where the
client has consented or knowingly accepted a service on this basis. The
disclosure enhances the quality of service available to clients or improves service
quality.

Care must be taken to ensure that personally identifiable information is not
transmitted through overlapping networks of confidential relationships.

Any agreement between the Counsellor and client may be reviewed and
changed by joint negotiations.

Agreements between Counsellor and client about confidentiality continue after
the client’s death unless there are overriding legal or ethical considerations.

Special care is required when writing about specific counselling situations for
case studies or publication.

When a report is requested by a doctor, probation officers, courts etc., a mutual
agreement is negotiated with the client and a signed consent is obtained.

Every possible care must be taken to protect the rights of children where a
counsellor has knowledge or suspicion that a child is being abused or is at risk at
home. Where a client reports sexual abuse as presently occurring, then the
safety of the child must take priority and steps outlined in the current Children
First (2011) guidelines issued by the Department of Health & Children, must be
followed. (See link to Children First Guidelines/Legislation).

When working with minors, Counsellors are legally obliged to have Garda
clearance and operate fully and consistently within the terms of the current
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Children First (2011) guidelines issued by the Department of Health & Children.
(See link to Children First Guidelines/Legislation).

Counsellors have a responsibility to inform themselves of the current statutory
obligations (and any changes therein) in Child Protection legislation.

Discuss the limits of confidentiality with the client, including the implications for
confidentiality of the supervisory relationship, at the time of initial contracting.

In a situation where a Counsellor is in any doubt about their legal
rights/obligations, or where a current crime is disclosed, the Counsellor should
seek legal advice and/or contact their Supervisor and/or their Association for
guidance.
3. Competence

Counsellors should have received adequate training before commencing
counselling, and should maintain on-going professional development (See link to
CPD training).

It is an indication of the competence of counsellors that, where applicable, they
recognise their lack of training or expertise to work with a client and make an
appropriate referral.

Counsellors shall take all reasonable steps to monitor and develop their own
competence and ensure they work within the level of that competency. This
includes having on-going supervision from a Supervisor who is appropriately
trained and experienced.

Counsellors must cease work when their functioning is impaired due to illness,
alcohol, drugs, gambling or any other process or behavioural addictions. Where
personal problems or emotional difficulties impinge on their ability to function,
they should seek advice from appropriate professionals to help them decide if
they should limit, suspend or terminate their counselling activity. In some
circumstances, the decision to limit or suspend practice may lie with the
Counsellor’s Clinical Supervisor or the employing organisation.

Commitment to good practice requires Counsellors to keep up-to-date with
latest knowledge and respond to changing circumstances. They are expected to
monitor their own need for continuing professional development and engage in
appropriate educational practices.
4. Responsibilities

To review and evaluate the effectiveness of their professional activities.
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Behave in professional activities in such a manner as not to undermine public
confidence in the profession.

Counsellors are expected to take all reasonable steps to ensure that the client
suffers neither physical nor psychological harm during counselling.

Counsellors are responsible for setting and monitoring boundaries in the
counselling relationship, and making these explicit to the client.

Clients should be offered privacy for counselling sessions and should not be
observed by anyone other than the Counsellor without the client having given
informed consent.

Counselling occurs in an environment that is supportive, so attention must be
paid to physical space.

It is a condition of Accreditation by the Addiction Counsellors of Ireland that
the applicant is covered by Professional Indemnity Insurance as well as Public
Liability Insurance.

If a Counsellor suspects misconduct by another Counsellor which cannot be
resolved or remedied after discussion with the Counsellor concerned, there is
a responsibility to ensure that necessary steps are taken to resolve the
matter. This may involve implementing the Complaints Procedure without
breaches of confidentiality other than those necessary to resolve the
complaint.

Counsellors are responsible for communicating the terms on which
counselling is being offered, including availability, the degree of
confidentiality offered, and their expectation of clients regarding fees and
cancelled appointments. The communication of terms and negotiation over
these should be agreed by the client and Counsellor before the client incurs
any financial liability. An assessment fee may be charged.

Counsellors are obliged to be aware of and understand any legal
requirements concerning their work; consider these consciously and be legally
and professionally accountable for their practice.

Records of counselling sessions are kept filed and subject to the statutory
regulations under the Data Protection Act and Freedom of Information Act
and clients should be made aware of this. At the client’s request, information
should be given about access to these records, their availability to other
people, and the degree of security with which they are kept.
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
Client Autonomy
This principle respects the client’s right to be self-governing. It emphasises the
importance of the client’s commitment to participating in counselling, usually on a
voluntary basis.
6.

Counsellors are responsible for working in ways which promote the client’s
control over his/her own life; respects the client’s ability to make decisions
and change in the light of his/her own beliefs and values and to make decision
and/or changes which promote the client’s desire to enter/maintain recovery.

It is the client’s choice whether or not to participate in counselling.
Reasonable steps should be taken in the course of the counselling relationship
to ensure that the Counsellor and client are given the opportunity to mutually
review the terms on which counselling is being offered.

Any publicity material and all written and oral information must accurately
reflect the nature of the service on offer, as well as the training, qualifications
and relevant experience of the Counsellor. Only Accredited Counsellors may
claim membership of the Association of Addiction Counsellors of Ireland
relationship.

Counsellor will not be involved with the client in friendship, formal business
relationship, sexual relationship or training relationship while the counselling
is current.

Counsellors must avoid unnecessary conflicts of interest and are expected to
make explicit to the client any such conflicts.

If the client is currently engaged in any other therapeutic or similar
relationship, the Counsellor must obtain the client’s permission before
conferring with them.

Counsellors remain accountable for relationships with former clients and
must exercise caution over entering into friendships, formal business
relationships or sexual relationships. The Counsellor is expected to wait at
least two years before entering into a friendship, formal business relationship
or sexual relationship.
Counselling Supervision/Consultative Support
6.1.1
It is a breach of the requirements of the Addiction Counsellors of Ireland for
Counsellors to practice without regular Counselling Supervision.

Counselling Supervision refers to a formal arrangement which enables
Counsellors/Therapists to discuss their counselling on a regular basis with one
or more people who have an understanding of Counselling Supervision. Its
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purpose is to ensure the efficacy of the counsellor-client relationship. This
relationship carries an appropriate confidentiality.

Counsellors who also have line managers owe them appropriate managerial
accountability for their work. The counselling supervisor role should be
independent of the line manager role. However, where the counselling
supervisor is also the line manager, the Counsellor should also have access to
independent consultative support.

The discussion of cases within supervision/consultative support should take
place without revealing the personal identity of the client.

Advertising/public Statements

When announcing counselling services, counsellors should limit the
information to name, relevant qualifications, address, contact details, hours
available, and a brief listing of the services offered and theoretical
orientation. All such information should be accurate in every detail.

Counsellors should not display an affiliation with this Association in a manner
which falsely implies the endorsement or verification of this Association.
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