Ethical challenges of working with young people: Considering practitioner, teacher and parent perspectives on consent & confidentiality

Working with young people, particularly within schools, is complex work for psychologists both ethically and legally. Little is known about the process by which psychologists determine a young person’s capacity to provide their own consent for services. Factors such as the role of context and client characteristics may influence decision-making. Further, less is known about parent and teacher expectations of practitioners who work with young people in schools regarding the disclosure of information to them by psychologists.
This paper presents findings from a study of 108 psychologists working Australia and 107 parents/teachers working with young people. Participants responded to vignettes of young people engaging in therapy who may or may not have the capacity to consent for themselves, and where information may need to be disclosed to other parties. Responses provided insight into differences in practitioner reasoning and decision-making processes when facing ethical dilemmas with young people as clients. Responses also highlighted teacher and parent attitudes to young people's autonomy in the counselling process. This paper will explore current practice, highlight common challenges for practitioners, and integrate with current guidelines and policy.