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Ethics and Counselling

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Submitted By NaphMatt
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INTRODUCTION
According to the oxford dictionary Ethics are moral principles that govern a person’s behaviour or the conducting of an activity. And it is also identified as the branch of knowledge that deals with moral principles. Now a question may come up as if ethics are moral principles then what a code of ethics is? Moral principles differ from one person to another. But in an organization, a profession, a firm or etcetera the moral principles of each of the workers should match in order to carry out an effective service. A code of ethics is a written set of guidelines issued by an organization to its workers and management to help them conduct their actions in accordance with its primary values and ethical standards. It also can be explained as a particular kind of policy statement. A properly framed code is, in effect, a form of legislation within the company binding on its employees, with specific penalty for violation of the code.
A counsellor is a highly trained person who is able to use a vast rand of counselling approaches with their clients. Counsellors are also individuals that make an impact in people directly. Therefore it is essential that the counsellors have a guided framework in order to provide their service efficiently. When one starts working as a counsellor, ethical dilemmas are inevitable. Therefore having a code of ethics guides the counsellor to conduct their work in an ethical manner which is effective. It will also assist the counsellor to guide the client in a positive yet professional way in order help the client with their need.
Here I will be discussing the importance of having a code of ethics in counselling, using the ACA (American Counselling Association) Code of Ethics. Afterwards I will elucidate the relevance of having a Code of Ethics in the Sri Lankan context.
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All the human beings are inter-connected. Whatever they

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