The Code of Ethics for members of the Institute of Career Guidance

Introduction

The Institute of Career Guidance (the ICG) maintains that effective career guidance is an essential service to the public that has profound economic and social benefits for society and individuals.

The ICG also recognises that providing a service to the public demands the highest possible standards from all involved in that service provision. Consequently, the ICG mission is to promote access to high quality guidance services, delivered by professionally qualified staff working within an appropriate ethical framework.

To underpin this commitment the Institute, in developing this Code of Ethics, has drawn on the seven Nolan Principles of Public Life (principles of selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership proposed by the Nolan Committee in their First Report on Standards in Public Life in May 1995) with the express purpose of supporting members in their professional practice and providing safeguards for their clients. Professional and ethical practice will only be assured when members subscribe to a core set of values that promote ethical behaviour. Adherence to this Code of Ethics is an absolute requirement for membership of the ICG and entry to the ICG register of qualified guidance practitioners.

Approach
This Code of Ethics builds on all previous statements of ethical practice and conduct and provides a set of professional standards and values for the membership of the ICG. The Ethics and Standards Committee acknowledges that there is no single approach to the range of ethical dilemmas that members face in their daily practice. However, this document offers some guidance on how members can address the needs and aspirations of individual clients within an ethical framework.

This document comprises of:

• A set of ethical principles (click here)  

Terminology
'Members' are defined as all those in membership of ICG, whatever their role or work context. Members should apply the Code of Ethics in their own occupational setting.

'Client' refers to any person/s to whom these guidance services are provided. Clients may include young people currently in/not in education or training, adults in/not in paid employment or training, employers, groups and/or organisations.

Acknowledgement
The ICG would like to gratefully acknowledge the cooperation and generosity of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) in allowing us to use and adapt some of the excellent and pertinent material from their document: BACP 2009 "An Ethical Framework for Good Practice in Counselling and Psychotherapy".

Download the Code here.