CODES OF ETHICS FOR COUNSELLING AND PSYCHOTHERAPY
ANNEX B ~ BICA Guidelines on Good Practice
BICA requires all counsellors to adhere to a recognised code of practice and ethics. BICA does not
prescribe which code is appropriate as individual counsellors will normally register with a primary
accreditation body for generic counselling practice. For the purposes of this Guideline, this Annex
presents the sort of issues which an acceptable Code would cover; this follows closely the format of that
used by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. The code of conduct concerning
complaints is available separately at Annex F.
This is not an actual code of ethics but an illustration for the guidance of non-counsellors of the issues
which a professional code should cover. The original on which this is based is the BACP Ethical
Framework; copyright of BACP, which is a registered trademark.
One of the characteristics of contemporary society is the coexistence of different approaches to ethics.
This statement reflects this ethical diversity by considering:
 Values
 Principles
 Personal moral qualities
There isa diversity of approaches to describing ethical practice. This is one approach. The provision of
culturally sensitive and appropriate services is also a fundamental ethical concern. Cultural factors are
often more easily understood and responded to in terms of values. Therefore, professional values are
becoming an increasingly significant way of expressing ethical commitment.
Values of counselling and psychotherapy
The fundamental values of counselling and psychotherapy include a commitment to:
a) Respecting human rights and dignity
b) Ensuring the integrity of practitioner-client relationships
c) Enhancing the quality of professional knowledge and its application
d) Alleviating personal distress and suffering
e) Fostering a sense of self that is meaningful to the person(s) concerned
f) Increasing personal effectiveness
g) Enhancing the quality of relationships between people
h) Appreciating the variety of human experience and culture
i) Striving for the fair and adequate provision of counselling and psychotherapy services
Values inform principles. They 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 counselling and psychotherapy
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
Fidelity: honouring the trust placed in the practitioner
Autonomy: respect for the client’s right to be self-governing
Beneficence: a commitment to promoting the client’s well-being
Non-maleficence: a commitment to avoiding harm to the client
Justice: the fair and impartial treatment of all clients and the provision of adequate services
Self-respect: fostering the practitioner’s self-knowledge and care for self
Personal moral qualities
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
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: commitment to being moral in dealings with others, personal straightforwardness,
honesty and coherence.
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.
f)
g)
h)
i)
j)
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.
Guidance on good practice in counselling and psychotherapy
All clients are entitled to good standards of practice and care from their practitioners in counselling and
psychotherapy. Good standards of practice and care require professional competence; good
relationships with clients and colleagues; and commitment to and observance of professional ethics.
Amongst the important issues, an acceptable and comprehensive code of ethics will ensure that the
following issues are addressed:
Good quality of care
Maintaining competent practice
Keeping trust
Teaching and training
Supervising and managing
Researching
Fitness to practise
If things go wrong with own clients
Responsibilities to all clients
Working with colleagues
Working in teams
Awareness of context
Making and receiving referrals
Probity in professional practice
Providing clients with adequate information
Financial arrangements
Conflicts of interest
Care of self as a practitioner
BICA is grateful to the BACP for permission to use these headings to illustrate the importance of a
comprehensive and adequate ethical framework for counsellors. The full version of their Ethical
Framework may be found at:
http://www.bacp.co.uk/ethical_framework/