Ethical Practice

This Code focuses on the criteria for professional ethical behaviour. Values and related ethical principles are the basis for constructing ethical behaviour and identifying unethical behaviours. This is the binding core document for all members of EATA and can only be changed by EATA council. The EATA Ethical Guidelines (updated in November 1995), which are now called deontological guidelines, are still valid and can be adapted by National Associations. Therefore that document remains separate from the EATA Ethical Code. National Associations affiliated to EATA adopt the EATA Ethical Code and use it as a frame of reference to analyse specific situations for its members. Each EATA member needs to conform with it in his or her practice. If this is not the case, the National Associations will formulate sanctions2 .

This Code contains the standards of ethics, practice and conduct which UKCP expects of all practitioners, and which must be followed whatever your modality of practice and whether you meet clients in person, online or otherwise.

• Best interests of clients • Professionalism • Communication and consent • Records and confidentiality • Professional knowledge, skills and experience • Social responsibility • Trust and confidence

Working ethically is a continuous demand on all practitioners in both their professional and private lives. Some ethical challenges are straightforward and are easily resolved. Other challenges are more difficult to determine when in seeking to act ethically, there seems to be competing obligations or principles. This code seeks to support the practitioner by identifying a variety of factors that influence ethical practice and to offer a variety of ways for the practitioner to consider various courses of action. No ethical code can ever cover every eventuality, nor can it lessen the difficulty of making a professional judgment in a changing and uncertain world. By accepting this code practitioners are committing themselves to the challenge of behaving ethically even when doing so requires courage in the face of moral dilemmas and difficult decisions.

Members of the ITAA are required to commit to the values and ethical principles of transactional analysis as defined below. Moreover, all members are obliged to maintain safe, ethical, and effective contractual services, which earns public confidence and merits trust in transactional analysis through protection of the public’s rights to dignity and respect, whether such conduct relates directly to professional practice or not.