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Counselling ethics children and young people NZ Essay

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Introduction
This essay will discuss the legal and ethical concerns when working with children and young people. Confidentiality and safety issues will be discussed with relevant consideration as to how these issues may be addressed when forming a relationship with a child and their parents or caregivers. The influences of power, gender, ethnicity and cultural differences when counselling children and young people will be mentioned, with relevant aspects of key human development theories outlined. There are many things to consider when building a therapeutic relationship with a child or young person and potential challenges will be analysed and discussed. Finally, there are many skills needed to effectively communicate children and young …show more content…

Ludbrook highlights that the code of ethics of the association of child and adolescent psychotherapists includes a broad requirement that “its members do not abuse their position by taking advantage of clients for purposes of personal, institutional, political, financial or sexual gain.” (Ludbrook, 2012, p77). The Code of Health and Disability Support Services Consumers’ Rights 1996 outlines that all clients have a right to be respected in relation to their ethnicity, religious values, gender, and cultural differences. When counselling Māori children or young people, then the counsellor must uphold the principles within the treaty of Waitangi. Ludbrook emphasises that in order for counsellors to effectively provide bicultural practice, they must have an understanding of Māori language, traditions and cultural values. (Ludbrook, 2012, p78).

There have been several Humanistic and Existential human development theories which are of great use when counselling children and young people. Some key theorists in these fields include Carl Rogers, who believed in the inherent nature of the individual to find their own answers to the problems through non-directive counselling. Virginia Axline, who, like Rogers, believed in the ability of the child to solve their own problems through non-directive play in a safe environment. Fritz Perls, who emphasised the experience of bodily sensations, thoughts and

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