Ethics, Professional Conduct, and Scope of Practice
Ethics, Professional Conduct, and Scope of Practice tests whether you can act in the client's best interest, obtain consent, maintain confidentiality, and stay within competence. It emphasizes positive behavior support and least restrictive procedures.
Core rules
- Core principles include beneficence, nonmaleficence, autonomy, fidelity, justice, and dignity.
- Obtain informed consent from the client or guardian and seek assent from the client when possible; consent is ongoing, not a one-time signature.
- Use the least restrictive, evidence-based procedure likely to be effective; restrictive procedures require stringent safeguards and review.
- Practice only within your competence and refer when needed; avoid multiple relationships that could harm the client.
- Protect confidentiality and follow mandated reporting and organizational policies.
Worked example
A parent asks you to use a prone restraint for a child who refuses to complete work. The behavior is not an imminent safety emergency, and the request is outside a positive support plan. You decline, explain the risk, propose a functional behavior assessment and a function-based plan, document the discussion, and involve the team. If a safety risk exists, you follow trained crisis procedures and legal requirements.
Traps
Treating consent as permanent; ignoring assent; practicing outside scope; using restrictive procedures without review; and discussing clients on social media.