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Confidentiality And Child Abuse Essay

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Confidentiality And Child Abuse Essay
Two ethical and legal issues arising from working with children is Confidentiality and reporting abuse /neglect. Although, it may seem that one issue is more serious than the other, both can become for challenging when counselors are involved with services to minors. In spite of the difficult challenges it may be, working with theses particular group of clients. Often times it may appear ambiguous, or ill-defined, following ethical codes and legal statutes are crucial.
Confidentiality
Laws in each state vary concerning Ethical and Legal Conflicts. The law of confidentiality varies depending on the state the counselor practices in. Depending on the state a counselor works in requires counselors to maintain confidentiality with clients as young …show more content…
(Lawrence & Kurpius, 2000). Reporting such abuse upsets the therapeutic process as well as the client/counselor relationship and can "disrupt and irrevocably destabilize the family in which the abuse occurs" (Lawrence & Kurpius, 2000, para. 41). Nonetheless, reporting child abuse may be difficult for a counselor due to the possibility of additional trauma for the child and or family; by law in most states it is imperative to report such abuse. Currently there are 48 states in the United states that require child abuse and neglect are to be reported by the following professionals: Social workers ,teachers, principals, Physicians, nurses, and other health-care workers ƒ counselors, therapists, other mental health professionals, Child care providers , Medical examiners or and Law enforcement officers (Child Welfare Information Gateway, 2016) . The ACA (2014) Standard B.2.a. requires a breach of confidentiality when the counselor believes such disclosure will protect the client from serious and foreseeable harm. Therefore, when a counselor is counseling a minor child and child abuse or neglect is suspected, he or she must report their findings to the appropriate agency and or
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