NAEGA's Principles for Ethical Practice
Posted: 7 March 2007
We have recently adopted new Principles for Ethical Practice. These set out guidelines for practitioners and employing organisations and will become part of our forthcoming CPD strategy.
NAEGA's vision
NAEGA seeks to promote universally available, high quality, information, advice and guidance services for adults delivered by competent and reflective practitioners.
Continuous Professional Development (CPD)
NAEGA expects all members to ensure that their skills and knowledge for delivering the service are relevant, accurate and up to date.
- Practitioners should demonstrate their commitment to maintaining skills and knowledge to deliver accurate and effective services by reflecting on practice and engaging in CPD activities to maintain and extend their professional skills and knowledge.
- Organisations should enable and support practitioners in adhering to the NAEGA Principles of Ethical Practice within the context of their own organisation. Organisations should ensure that staff delivering provision are competent and have access to CPD activities and qualifications as appropriate to develop and maintain competence.
Five Principles for Ethical Practice
All members of NAEGA will promote NAEGA's vision and operate within the five Principles for Ethical Practice which are:
Client-Centred
Members will ensure that their practice places the user's interests first.
Practitioners will use skills and communications media appropriate to the individual based on their needs, requirements, interests, aspirations and abilities.
Organisations will ensure that the requirements of their service users are paramount within the context of their organisation and its mission.
Equality and Diversity
Members will ensure that their practice promotes equality and diversity.
Practitioners will always demonstrate a commitment to equality of opportunity and diversity and maximising the life-chances of all service users.
Organisations' services should be underpinned by a commitment to diversity and equality of opportunity for all and, wherever possible, to redressing the impact of educational and social disadvantage.
Impartiality
Members will ensure that the delivery of information, advice and guidance services is free from bias.
Practitioners will make clear any limitations and boundaries of their professional knowledge or in the context in which they operate and will refer clients appropriately. Practitioners should provide complete information about the range of options available in order to allow the service user to make an informed decision.
Organisations should make clear their stance on impartiality and indicate any constraints, which may limit the range of options they put before service users.
Confidentiality
Members will ensure that the service users' confidentiality is respected.
Practitioners should make clear their commitment to confidentiality and inform service users of any limitations to confidentiality at the earliest possible stage.
Organisations' services should be delivered with respect for the privacy of individuals, disclosing confidential information only with informed consent, except where there is clear evidence of serious risk to the individual or to the welfare of others.
Ethical Practice
Members will ensure that their practice has an ethical base.
Practitioners will always demonstrate professional integrity and high standards of ethical practice.
Organisations' services should be underpinned by a commitment to ethical practice and standards and support practitioners' professional integrity
Above text as adopted January 2007