Our ACCA members are professionals in the community who support community members with their mental health and wellbeing, using their unique skillset to do so.  Some of our registered members support community members using their professional counselling skills. Other registered members support community members by supporting them with their physical health needs, or case management needs. Regardless of the support our registered members give to our community members, each and every member is obligated to familiarise themselves with their professions code of ethics and professional conduct.

Getting to the nuts and bolts of all codes of ethics are the ethical principles by which any given profession’s own code of ethics and scopes of practice are based.  These ethical principles are written to guide its members using a set of agreed rules outlining the responsibilities and proper practices.

What are the Ethical Principles?

If you scroll down to the bottom of the ACCA’s website, you will note the ACCA’s Code of Ethics and Conduct (also linked here).  Detailed in ACCA’s Code of Conduct is a comprehensive summary of the registered members conduct whilst working in their chosen profession, including: 

Autonomy: Respecting the client’s capacity to make informed, uncoerced decisions for themselves

Beneficence: Working with the welfare and benefit of the client as highest priority.

Non-maleficence: Working in a manner in which the helper “does no harm”.  Harm in this case can mean something as little as “being uncomfortable”.

Justice: Working in a manner that is fair for all, and any community member has right to receive services from a helper, regardless of their age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, etc.

Fidelity: Working in a truthful and transparent manner, without deception or omission.

Where can I find the codes of ethics and conduct of my own profession?

Although ACCA’s code of ethics are a good guide for your professional conduct, there are other codes of ethics and professional conduct that you are encouraged to be familiar with.  See below a comprehensive table linking you to various helpers’ code of ethics and conduct in Australia, for your further information.

Author: Katrina Andrews

Katrina Andrews

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