Exploring the ethical challenges of working with young people

Working with young people, particularly within schools, is complex work for psychologists and counsellors, both ethically and legally. Little is known about the process by which psychologists and counsellors determine the capacity for young people to provide their own consent for services, such as the role that context and client characteristics plays. This paper presents findings from a study of 108 practitioners working Australia including 56 registered psychologists (51.9%), 32 provisional psychologists (29.6%), and 20 counsellors/social workers (18.5%). Respondents were 90 females (83.3%), 17 males (15.7%), and 1 other (0.9%). Ages ranged from 23 to 70 years (M = 35.87, SD = 10.55). 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 practitioner reasoning and decision-making processes when facing ethical dilemmas with young people as clients. This paper will explore current practice, highlight common challenges for practitioners, and integrate with current guidelines and policy.