ETHICAL PRACTICE
The practice of Person-centred Art Therapy Skills brings the person-centred facilitative approach, based on the philosophy of Carl Rogers, to images expressed in art form, with the purpose of promoting integration, healing and growth and helping people become more self-directed.
Members of the Person Centred Art Therapy Association (PCATA) originally devised this code, aware that members come from a wide range of work settings and have their own codes of ethical practice in place. For example, those who work as counsellors may also adhere to the BACP/ UKCP/ NCS Code of Ethics. Nurses and other Health Care Professionals, teachers, social workers, life coaches and others using Person Centred Art Therapy Skills (PCAT) in their workplace, will also abide by a relevant professional Code of Practice specific to their area of work.
APCCA practitioners will have achieved the Certificate in Person Centred Art Therapy Skills.
APCCA CODE OF ETHICAL PRACTICE
1. Confidentiality
APCCA practitioners must safeguard confidential information relating to clients or patients.
The disclosure of confidential information may be permissible when:
* a patient or client gives consent
* there is legal requirement
*there is a risk of harm to the client or others
2.Management of Work
An explicit contract should be made with the client about the purpose, time and duration of sessions; fees, boundaries and appropriate confidentiality.
Clients need to be advised that although an image may give up its message quickly, the issues disclosed may need further exploration. This may take place in the same or a different therapeutic setting.
3. Safety
APCCA practitioners need to engage in responsible, on-going self-appraisal to ensure their optimum well-being and competence in the work place. This may require personal therapy or counselling at times.
4. Professional Integrity
APCCA practitioners must not make any false claim as regards their experience, qualifications or APCCA membership. Practitioners shall, as part of the initial meeting, inform clients of their professional membership(s), qualifications, experience and philosophy of practice.
5. Relationships
APCCA practitioners must not work with clients with whom he/she would then have a dual relationship. This includes friends, relatives, employers or employees (other than that occurring within a recognised employee assistance programme), or any person who has an intimate relationship with any of the aforementioned. In certain instances, a practitioner may be working with more than one member of a family. Social contact with a client must be appropriately managed.
6. Supervision and Professional Development
To ensure a high standard of care for the client, the practitioner will be committed to regular supervision as befits the area in which he/she is working. This is so that the practitioner, through monitoring of the usefulness and effectiveness of the work, can ensure best practice and take responsibility for appropriate continuing professional development.
7. Equal Opportunities
APCCA practitioners do not discriminate against clients in terms of ethnic origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, belief system, marital status or disability.
8. Records
APCCA practitioners are advised to keep adequate notes which are appropriate to their setting and are accessible to the client on request.
9. Ethical Issues
APCCA practitioners may find themselves caught between conflicting ethical principles. In such circumstances they are urged to discuss the matter with their supervisor and, where necessary, refer the matter to a relevant professional body (such as BACP, UKCP or NCS ).