Ethical and Legal Principles to the Practice of Clinical Supervision

Running head: CLINICAL SUPERVISION 1
Clinical Supervision
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation

CLINICAL SUPERVISION 2
Critical Reflection
Ethical and Legal Principles to the Practice of Clinical Supervision
It is satisfying to recognize that clinical supervisors don’t just carry out their roles as they
wish, instead they have a set of ethical and legal principles that guide them in their daily practice.
I believe that having these set of principles on ethics and legality make them act and carry out
themselves ethically in their daily interactions in their area of jurisdiction together with the
supervisees (Moked & Drach‐Zahavy, 2016). Similarly, these ethical and legal principles that in
my assumption and intellectual capacity I regard appropriate helps safeguard the supervisees
client’s wellbeing and the organization that employs them by one, maintaining a sound
understanding of the ethical and professional codes of conduct that cut across all the workers for
example the federal laws, the state and local laws in conjunction with those that apply to workers
within professionals, for example, the Australian Association of social workers code of ethics.
Two, following proper steps to make sure that the conduct of the supervisors remains in the
jurisdiction of the ethical and professional parameters. It is also exciting to note that there are
ethical and legal issues that are especially relevant for clinical supervisors, they include first,
vicarious ability which means that a clinical supervisor has the duty of care in relation to the
clients of the supervisees. Secondly, we have dual relationships and boundary concerns, the
clinical supervisors are expected to maintain proper boundaries in relation to their supervisees
and to be knowledgeable on the signs that the boundaries of the supervisees with other clients
when crossing into vague or problem risky territories. Thirdly, the informed consent should be
part and parcel of the relationship in the supervision, just in the same way, it is part of the
relationship of the client and counsellor. Informed consent should be addressed in setting goals
of supervision, evaluation of goals and the specific time frames and integration of various

CLINICAL SUPERVISION 3
theoretical models. Fourthly, there is what we call due process, this includes written procedure to
be followed when a certain grievance or issue has been raised against the supervisor, counselor
or the administration. Lastly, we have the confidentiality, various parameters of confidentiality
should be clearly outlined to all workers working as clinical supervisors and included in the
contract of supervision.
Professional Codes and Standards to the Practice of Clinical Supervision
According to Cutcliffe and Sloan (2018, most of the professional codes of ethics are
about what we should not do. It is important for an organization to develop the positive values
and virtues by which they want to live to in their specific work places, and that is why
Dimitriadou, Papastavrou, Efstathiou and Theodorou (2015), had a notion of ethical maturity
which means having reflective, rational and emotional capacity to determine and identify on
what actions are appropriate and which ones are wrong, having the confidence to become
accountable of the decision one makes.
Amsrud, Lyberg & Severinsson (2015), also states that there comes a time when
difficulties and problems in ethics arise occasionally in the practice of supervision. In
establishing a way forward in handling and solving various dilemmas in ethics that are posed in
supervision, Blomberg et al (2016), recommend the following five overall principles of ethical
decision making. They include the principle that people have right to freedom and action, the
principle that there should be reasonability of every action taken, keeping to the made promises,
treating individuals fairly and striving hard to prevent harm or danger. Pålsson, Mårtensson,
Swenne, Ädel and Engström (2017) adds that there is a necessity for supervision in the field of
substance abuse treatment to enhance the care of various clients, establish clinical personnel
expertise, and performance by maintaining ethical standard in the sector. In the resent years