Ethical mindfulness and professional development in local education authority psychology services

Abstract

This article takes as its focus the place of ethics within the profession of educational psychology. It argues that ethics within educational psychology is very much an embryonic field of inquiry, even though in their distinctive ways, ethics and educational psychology have much in common as critiques of human behaviour. Generic “at risk” situations which may lead to ethical complications are identified – unforeseen dilemmas, inadequate anticipation, unavoidable dilemmas, unclear dilemmas, inadequate sources of guidance and loyalty clashes. Drawing upon the literature and professional experiences it is then suggested that there are common ethically troubling issues and situations which educational psychologists have to confront – confidentiality, questionable interventions, competence, testing and assessment, resource allocation, collusive practice, conduct of colleagues and provision. Ways and means to promote greater ethical mindfulness among individual educational psychologists (EPs) and within local education authority (LEA) psychology services are suggested. These include planned continuing professional development (CPD) which takes as its foci the importance of ethical insight, ethical principles and ethical decision-making. It is also proposed that psychology services consider a range of organisational arrangements to heighten ethical mindfulness – the formal adoption of professional codes of conduct, ethics education during induction, the establishment of an ethics committee, a charter of users’ rights, the use of an ethical ombudsman and mentors, and the establishment of ethical case conferences along with the elevation of professional supervision to increase the opportunities for conscious consideration of ethical issues.