Confidentiality
As professional school counselors we recognize that our primary obligation for confidentiality is to the student, but we balance that obligation with an understanding of the family or guardians’ legal and inherent rights to be the guiding voice in their children’s lives. A student who has a counseling relationship with a professional school counselor has the right to privacy and the promise of confidentiality. Exceptions to confidentiality exist, and students should know that situations arise in which school counselors must inform others of information obtained in counseling relationships in order to protect the students themselves or others.
The counseling relationship between a student and their professional school counselor requires an atmosphere of trust and confidence. Students must trust the school counselor in order to be able to enter into a meaningful and honest dialogue with them. However, students should be informed that exceptions to confidentiality exist in which counselors must inform others of information they obtained in the counseling relationship in order to prevent serious and foreseeable harm to the students themselves or others and if it is legally required.
From the American School Counselor Association, 2014.
The counseling relationship between a student and their professional school counselor requires an atmosphere of trust and confidence. Students must trust the school counselor in order to be able to enter into a meaningful and honest dialogue with them. However, students should be informed that exceptions to confidentiality exist in which counselors must inform others of information they obtained in the counseling relationship in order to prevent serious and foreseeable harm to the students themselves or others and if it is legally required.
From the American School Counselor Association, 2014.