PAChAP Codex

Ethical Standards and Principles of Professional Conduct for Members of the PAChAP

The Code of Psychological Ethics defines the professional interaction between the child, their parents or legal guardians, and the child psychologist throughout the entire period of psychological work and for three years following its completion.

1. Ethical standards:

1.1. Responsibility and competence.

Members of the Association:

• Аre personally responsible for their professional activities and operate strictly within the limits of their competence. Striving to achieve and maintain a high level of competence is an obligation accepted by all PAChAP members in the interests of both society and the profession as a whole.
• Provide only those services and employ only those techniques that correspond to their professional education and experience.
• Provide information about their competence, education, training, and experience. A child psychologists have the right to choose certain conditions and techniques for psychological practice. They must inform the parents and the child about how the psychotherapeutic work will be carried out. A child psychologists have the right to refuse to work with a child if they believe that the goal set may be harmful or unrealistic for the client, society, or the psychologists themselves.
• They do not have the right to use psychopharmacotherapy (prescribe medication, make psychiatric diagnoses, conduct an examination of the client’s sanity, etc.).
• In situations where a particular issue of diagnosis and psychological practice is beyond their competence, members of the Association are obliged to consult with colleagues from related fields of psychotherapeutic knowledge and practice. Systematic consultation with colleagues is always carried out in the interests of the client, not the psychologist.
• Must use every opportunity for supervision in all cases where this can improve the quality of work. In the event of termination or interruption of psychological practice (illness or termination of contract with a child), the psychologists may only transfer their functions to persons who are sufficiently qualified based on their professional experience.

1.2. Respect for the individual and non-discrimination.
Psychologists should try to exclude the influence of factors such as age, ethnicity, gender, race, physical attractiveness or unattractiveness, religious affiliation, and socioeconomic status of the client on their psychological practice.

1.3. Confidentiality
PAChAP members are responsible for creating conditions that ensure both a psychologically safe environment and the physical safety of the child.
An important part of a child psychologist’s practice with a child is maintaining confidentiality. The child must be informed about the principles of confidentiality regarding their psychological sessions, including the specific conditions under which it may be breached. Breach of confidentiality by the psychologist without the written consent of the parents or official guardians is a gross violation of professional ethics. In all other cases, information about the client obtained by the psychologist in the course of psychological work must be presented (in professional reports, supervisions, etc.) in such a way that the client cannot be identified. The only exceptions are cases where, in the psychologist’s opinion, maintaining confidentiality poses a potential danger to the client, other people, or society. Psychologists must strike a balance between maintaining confidentiality and preserving the well-being of society.
The confidentiality agreement is indefinite. Psychologists also ensure confidentiality in the storage and transfer of psychological material (drawings, crafts, photographs, recordings), even if they are obviously useless.

1.4. Client welfare
PAChAP members respect the integrity and protect the well-being of clients. No client may be subjected to psychological intervention against their will or without their informed consent. This rule also applies to minors, for whom the consent of parents or legal guardians is required for psychological practice. However, despite these special functions of adults, the psychologists enter into a separate agreement with the child. The rights of the child cannot be violated by a unilateral agreement with his or her parents.
The members of the Association does not have the right to use the established trust for political, sectarian, or personal purposes (emotional dependence, economic interests, sexual relations, or any other way of exploiting their clients). The specialist is liable for such actions in accordance with Ukrainian law. The terms of psychological work must be as clear as possible to the client before it begins. Any changes to these terms must be discussed with the child and parents. Child psychologists must establish and maintain boundaries in therapeutic relationships, taking into account the influence of any past therapeutic or personal relationships and those that overlap with the current situation.

2. Principles of professional conduct

2.1. Child psychologists are responsible for the professional services they provide and for maintaining ethical relationships with colleagues, employers, and funding organizations. If a member of the Association has objective reasons to consider the actions of other colleagues unethical, they must warn them, and if this does not solve the problem, notify the Association.
2.2. Members of the PAChAP must know the laws of Ukraine and provide services to clients in full compliance with the laws of Ukraine.
2.3. Members of the Association must improve their professional level, participate in conferences, seminars, open lectures, and other activities in order to have an idea of what is happening in their field of specialization and participate in events organized by the Association (organizational or educational experience).

3. Basic principles of advertising

3.1. PAChAP members may publicize their professional activities, expertise, and practices in a way that reflects positively on both themselves and the Association.
3.2. It is not permitted to engage in public or educational activities for the purpose of earning money within the framework of the Association.

4. Use of the PAChAP logo

4.1. PAChAP members may use the logo and print in open, charitable projects. The logo may be used for self-presentation and to indicate membership in the Association (business card, website, internet page).
4.2. PAChAP members are not permitted to use the Association’s logo or seal for commercial purposes (certification of educational projects, advertising of psychological services, training courses, seminars, etc.), as PAChAP is not a commercial organization and does not provide training, but may use the PAChAP logo with the note “supported by the organization” and for open project.

5. Activities of the Ethics Committee

5.1. To foster the professional identity and unity of the community of child psychologists;
5.2. Establish professional standards of psychological work for PAChAP members;
5.3. Inform clients about the activities of PAChAP specialists;
5.4. Monitor compliance with an ethical norms and professional standards by PAChAP members;
5.5. Consider controversial issues arising in psychological practice.
5.6. If the professional activities of a member of the Association do not comply with the PAChAP code of ethics, and, after confrontation with colleagues, he or she is unwilling to change them, the Association has the right to expel him or her from the Association.
5.7. In the event of a complaint or claim, in controversial issues, a member of PAChAP or a client receiving psychological services may seek assistance from the Association.