Research Articles Base: Career Management

Career Management

Career Management   Career management is critical in today’s world for everyone at all levels in the organization. While it was important in the past, it has become essential today. Yet the nature of career management is drastically different today than it was just 10 years ago. Much of this change can be attributed to the new contract between employer and employee. Part of this paradigm shift affects our careers. It is no longer the company’s responsibility to manage our careers. This responsibility falls to each of you. Career management has been complicated by the current trends in restructuring, downsizing, rightsizing and outsourcing. No longer is the traditional upward mobility available. Gone is the fast track. Today’s career progression is a complex maze of criss-crosses and lateral moves. The traditional, vertical career path was straightforward with little guess work. Today’s career paths are not so straightforward. Some are known as the network career path (with horizontal and vertical movement), the lateral skill path (with horizontal movement), and the dual career path (with movement for experts on the technical side of the business not desiring managerial positions). With the loss of the traditional, upward career path, organizations have developed alternatives to help employees. Two such alternatives are formal job revitalization and broadbanding. Companies are attempting to “spice up” employees’ jobs where promotions are not possible with job revitalization. Broad-banding gives organizations an opportunity to increase an employee’s compensation without an upward move. Both of these methods, however, require that the employee contribute more to the organization and acquire new skills. The key is to recognize the need for transferable skills as well as the imperative to continually be adding value (to your position and to your organization). Career management does not just happen. That is why it is called career management – because your careers must be carefully managed. You can take certain steps to do this. You must determine where you are going and outline a strategy whereby you can get there – just as an organization maps out its strategy. Career management is the process by which career goals are met. This requires, then, that you set career goals and objectives. You need to know where you are going to know how to set your course.   In today’s bustling business landscape, businesses are becoming more complex and technologically advanced, so much so that employees have no choice but to constantly increase their technical knowledge. To be effective in the workplace and to satisfy customer and organizational needs, employees must be able to apply their technical skills to handle an increasingly diverse, non-routine set of situations and events.   They must commit themselves to continually learning to enhance their knowledge and increasing their skills. The real challenges for today’s employees are:- 1.                          Responding and coping with new and rapidly changing business environment and organizational structures. 2.                          Gathering and digesting more timely and relevant information. 3.                          Handling technology and e-commerce. 4.                          Quality – getting it right first time.   Job skills will continue to increase exponentially, not in a linear pattern, leaving those individuals who fail to adequately prepare and develop themselves continually out-of-work or with no opportunities for growth and professional development.   The nature of careers is being affected radically by: economic changes displacing large numbers of employees from old to new forms of employment, and frequently leading to reduced employment status for those whose skills are obsolete and who are unable to adapt to new businesses new technology resulting in the automation of formerly labor intensive processes, improved communication and information, and the growth of new kinds of organizations, occupations and jobs changes in business culture ranging from privatization, with resultant pressures for new forms of regulation, to changes in organizational practices (such as refocusing around core business activities) have raised awareness of corporate culture as a source of strength, resourcefulness and flexibility.   In the current economic environment, education is becoming increasingly critical to career success.   Career Management Portfolio Labor Market Analysis The trend in the employment rate may have started to rise. The trend in the unemployment rate continues to increase. The trend in the inactivity rate continues to fall. The number of job vacancies has increased. Growth in average earnings, both excluding and including bonuses, has fallen.   The employment rate for people of working age was 74.6 per cent for the three months ending in August 2006, up slightly over the quarter but down 0.1 over the year. The number of people in employment for the three months ending in August 2006 was 29.01 million, up 120,000 over the quarter and up 255,000 over the year. Total hours worked per week were 929.8 million, up 6.2 million over the quarter and up 8.5 million over the year. These are the highest figures for employment and hours worked since comparable records began in 1971. The unemployment rate was 5.5 per cent, up 0.1 over the quarter and up 0.8 over the year. The number of unemployed people increased by 45,000 over the quarter and by 276,000 over the year to reach 1.70 million. The claimant count was 962,000 in September 2006, up 10,200 on the previous month and up 82,700 on the year.   The inactivity rate for people of working age was 20.9 per cent for the three months ending in August 2006, down 0.2 over the quarter and down 0.6 over the year. The last time the rate was lower was in the three months to April 1992. The number of economically inactive people of working age fell by 64,000 over the quarter to reach 7.78 million. The annual rate of growth in average earnings (the AEI), excluding bonuses, was 3.6 per cent in August 2006, down 0.1 from the previous month. Including bonuses it was 4.2 per cent, down 0.2 from the previous month. The average number of job vacancies for the three months to September 2006 was 608,100. This was up 9,700 on the previous quarter but down 4,400 over the year. The sector showing the largest increase over the quarter was Finance & Business Services which increased by 6,200. The redundancy rate for the three months to August 2006 was 5.4 per 1,000 employees, down 0.4 over the quarter.   SWOT Analysis Executives have to learn how to manage their career well because they have become as vulnerable to unemployment as lower-ranking individuals. Fortunately, it seems that executives have indeed started to acknowledge the new realities of the business and have developed new attitudes regarding their employment. For instance, they are increasingly opting to transfer to another company if the offer there is better, leave their current employer if it does not feature their ideal corporate culture, and study alternative job prospects even if they are not planning to change positions. Executives preparing to be interviewed for a new job should make sure that they have certain qualities that will increase their chances of being selected for the position. These include executive presence, stature or social poise, ability to focus, charisma, ability to articulate, and hands-on management capabilities. Executives today face a different playing field than their predecessors. Before downsizing and restructuring, corporations sought lifetime employees whose commitment to the company was paramount. In turn, executives trusted their employers to develop their careers and protect their tenures. However, as change has become an accepted fact of life and re-engineering is no longer an emergency exercise, top executives are ever more likely to be blasted into the ranks of the unemployed with no safety net. It could happen more than once. According to current U.S. Department of Labor statistics, today’s new college graduates will, on average, have eight to 10 jobs in as many as three careers during their lifetimes. For communication professionals who have often spent a significant chunk of their careers positioning themselves as key corporate players, these realities mean a new set of criteria. Although communicators are still typically excluded from the small cadre of management insiders who decide to re-engineer or downsize, they are usually responsible for presenting re-engineering to employees in a palatable, credible way. Communicators risk being suspected of disloyalty when they caution top management against sugarcoating the facts, and they must walk a fine line between crafting positive “spins” and compromising their professional integrity. Although the need for high-quality communication has never been more pressing, communication executives have seen their staffs reduced or eliminated as a non-essential function. They are increasingly serving as “general contractors,” orchestrating the efforts of outsourced writers, artists, publicists and other tacticians. What to Expect from a Search Firm Executive search professionals help clients define what kind of managers they need and advise them about the talent that’s available. Most of the time, we recruit individuals who are employed elsewhere – not people “on the market.” However, over the last two years we’ve noticed a fundamental shift in how executives view their careers. It used to be difficult to pry a top communication executive loose from a senior corporate position. Now, as one of our partners says, “No one doesn’t take a recruiter’s call.” A survey of 1,880 executives that my firm conducted last year with Cornell University’s Center for Advanced Human Resources explores why: * Today’s executives are working harder than they want to. They’re also carrying a heavier emotional load. Most managers work an average of 57 hours per week, nine hours more than they desire. Since 1993, stress levels caused by 16 factors, including corporate politics, volume of work managed, time spent at the office, red tape and time pressure have gone up an average of 25-30 percent. * Executives are less committed to their present companies, even though they are basically satisfied, receiving raises and promotions. The old social contract between companies and their employees has expired: Neither unconditional loyalty nor even doing good work guarantees a job. Unable to count on their companies for permanent employment, nearly three in 10 executives say they will leave their current positions as soon as they find something better. * Executives are moving into high gear to change jobs. Although most executives are relatively satisfied and say they have opportunities for promotion, they are exploring the job market more actively than they did two years ago. More than three-quarters of respondents revised their resumes, sent them to prospective employers or went to job interviews. They also spent several hours per week looking for new positions and contacted 29 companies about possible job opportunities. * Top performers are highly marketable. Despite re-engineering and downsizing, companies are actively seeking management talent. In the past year, respondents were approached by more than six companies and received an average of one job offer. Three-quarters of survey respondents believe they have alternative employment possibilities. * Culture fit is a key indicator of job satisfaction and job search. If the corporate culture of their current employers closely matches the culture of their ideal companies, executives are significantly less likely to explore new opportunities. The survey findings show that executives want their companies to be market-driven, innovative, outcome-oriented and respectful. The greater the discrepancy between executives’ ideal corporate cultures and the cultures of their current employer, the more likely they are to be dissatisfied and to explore new jobs. This culture fit discrepancy accounts for more than 60 percent of executives’ job satisfaction levels and intention to leave the current company. * Most executives actively practice “defensive career management.” Three-quarters say they try to stay aware of alternative job prospects – even if they have no intention of changing positions. Nearly 80 percent do so as part of their “career management strategy.” As the corporate world continues to downsize, eliminating employees at all levels in the interest of productivity and profitability, executives have become more aggressive about managing their own careers. The survey results confirm that individual career management is now widespread and systematic, and that executives spend a significant portion of time directing their own career paths. The key to career success in the new executive marketplace is not just networking or being in the right place at the right time. It’s accepting the idea that it’s good for your career to change jobs every two to four years. Corporations seek executives with a variety of experience: 15 years with one organization suggests an inability to adjust to new circumstances and lack of flexibility. Employers are less interested in how many promotions you had at your last company than the various functions you’ve managed. Recently we recruited a vice president of communication for a Fortune 1000 telecommunications/computer corporation. The client sought an individual who had PR agency experience, marketing experience at a consumer products company, and background designing and executing a global identity program, preferably from an overseas location, on an outsourced basis. They also wanted superior oral and written communication skills and boardroom presence. Another client, a global professional services firm, wanted us to help recruit an international director of marketing and communication. Desired background: four years at a Fortune 500 corporation as vice president of communication, with responsibility for media relations, publications, branding, special events, internal communication and crisis management; two years as a line manager in a marketing company; agency experience and a journalism degree. In both searches, our client ultimately traded off some background requirements for personality. We find that the most important factor in finding a new position today is emotional intelligence. Now more than ever, it’s the intangibles that will ultimately land an executive the job – no matter how good his or her credentials. Even in today’s overheated job market, don’t assume you’re a prime candidate just because a recruiter contacts you. Moving past the interview to a job offer takes more than a first-class resume. As one of our clients says, “They all look good on paper.” Some of the qualities clients look for include: Executive presence, like art or pornography, is hard to define but clients “know it when they see it.” First impressions are key: Managers with executive presence speak without a significant regional accent and use strategic silences to appear thoughtful. Grooming (men: dark, expensive suit, white shirt with French cuffs, Hermes-type tie, manicured fingernails; women: dark suit or dress, high-quality accessories and jewelry) is an important aspect of executive presence. So are your looks: Although there are exceptions, most corporate leaders are tall (6 + feet for men, 5[feet]6[inches]+ for women) and lean. They have good posture. For men in any industry except entertainment, retailing and computers, facial hair and jewelry (watch, wedding ring and cufflinks excepted) are a no-no. Recently, we recruited a new vice president of public affairs for a Fortune 1000 energy company. On paper, our top candidate had it all: communication expertise, management skills, law degree, Washington experience. On the phone, he was well-spoken and dynamic. However, the light clicked off when he arrived for an interview wearing a polyester suit and carrying a Naugahyde briefcase. Despite his accomplishments, it was clear he wouldn’t fit. The executive who got the job had a similar background and looked the part. A top communicator must have stature, or social poise. Executives who have it are always onstage but never pretentious. They arrive on time and move crisply, but gracefully. They make the first move to shake hands (strong, two shakes). They’re able to lead 30-45 seconds of initial small talk (weather, football, travel schedule) with ease and they use the client’s first name periodically when making points – but not so much that they sound like a salesperson. What they don’t do is appear flustered or “out of control.” They don’t blurt or butt into questions. They don’t dig around for writing implements, business cards or plane tickets, nor do they call their office constantly. If they drop something, they pick it up gracefully, without scrambling. They give the impression that someone “smaller” – secretary, assistant, etc. – is handling the details of their life. The ability to focus is a key element of stature. Top communication executives are always balancing scores of issues, projects, personalities and outcomes. But when they handle one, they give it 100 percent of their attention. They lean forward slightly when they sit – a mark of attentiveness – and they listen carefully. During a search for an executive at a major consumer products company, we knocked a candidate who had the right experience and presence off the list because he interrupted our 45-minute interview three times to answer his mobile phone. Two of the calls concerned home plumbing repairs. Communication professionals know that how you say it is often more important than what you say. Articulate executives don’t simply speak clearly. They also respond with a framework for an answer rather than answering questions directly. If asked, “How would your boss rate your performance ?” articulate executives don’t say “very good.” Instead, they say, “My boss would rate my performance on three criteria: profits, market share and sales growth. Here’s how I accomplished results on each of them…” Articulate executives speak in bullet points and avoid larding their conversations with jargon. The ability to explain a complex issue in simple language is something clients always look for in personal interviews. An executive’s charisma refers mainly to his or her ability to appear interested, caring and concerned. Charlotte Beers, chairman of Ogilvy & Mather, defines it as “Wit, humor and the ability to express joy.” Remembering names, cordiality and empathy are all important. Charismatic executives usually like to have people around them and mention others in conversation. They walk the halls of their companies and they chat easily with employees at all levels. They say “we” more than “I.” They avoid conceptual language and talk about people, using several key phrases: “I understand…” “I feel…” “I sense…” While it’s difficult to assess charisma in a one-on-one interview, recruiters look for subtle cues like giving credit to team members or subordinates. Optimism is also a strong predictor of charisma. When one of our top candidates spent more than half an interview complaining about her current boss and her company’s misguided strategy, she fell to the bottom of the list. Hands-on executives can do the job that they are managing other people to do. Thriving in a team-oriented environment, they avoid excessive delegation. To be “close to the action,” they meet with customers regularly, use computers extensively, place their own phone calls and sometimes fly coach. Sometimes it’s difficult to find a hands-on executive who has executive presence, but they do exist. In an age of constant change and declining corporate loyalty, communication professionals can build and strengthen their career clout by taking responsibility for their own job progressions, planning to change jobs every two to four years, and honing their interpersonal skills. If your current employer can’t or won’t help you polish your knowledge base and experience, find one that will. Survival is up to you – not the company. Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

Career Management

Career Management Career management is critical in today’s world for everyone at all levels in the organization. While it was important ...

computer

Computer is a machine that performs tasks, such as calculations or electronic communication, under the control of a set of instructions called a program. Programs usually reside within the computer and are retrieved and processed by the computer’s electronics. The program results are stored or routed to output devices, such as video display monitors or printers. Computers perform a wide variety of activities reliably, accurately, and quickly. The physical computer and its components are known as hardware. Computer hardware includes the memory that stores data and program instructions; the central processing unit (CPU) that carries out program instructions; the input devices, such as a keyboard or mouse, that allow the user to communicate with the computer; the output devices, such as printers and video display monitors, that enable the computer to present information to the user, and buses which can be hardware lines or wires that connect these and other computer components. The programs that run the computer are called software. Computers are widely used in the world today. It has different purposes and uses for different people.  Part of the computer is its operating system. Operating system (OS) is the basic software that controls a computer. The operating system has three major functions. It coordinates and manipulates computer hardware, such as computer memory, printers, disks, keyboard, mouse, and monitor; it organizes files on a variety of storage media, such as floppy disk, hard drive, compact disc, digital video disc, and tape; and it manages hardware errors and the loss of data. Operating systems commonly found on personal computers include Uniplexed Information and Computing System (UNIX), Macintosh OS, and Windows. Software for the Internet was initially designed for computers that ran UNIX. Variations of UNIX include SunOS, Xenix , and Linux . UNIX and its clones support multitasking and multiple users. Its file system provides a simple means of organizing disk files and lets users control access to their files. The commands in UNIX are not readily apparent, however, and mastering the system is difficult. Consequently, although UNIX is popular for professionals, it is not the operating system of choice for the general public. Instead, windowing systems with graphical interfaces, such as Windows and the Macintosh OS, which make computer technology more accessible, are widely used in computers. However, graphical systems generally have the disadvantage of requiring more hardware such as faster CPUs, more memory, and higher-quality monitor than do command oriented operating systems. Problem Statement Many operating systems are available in the market today. For different people they have different tastes and wants in an operating system.  The operating system has its own battlefield. Each kind of operating system has its own strengths and weakness. Each kind of operating system constantly tries to outdo each other. Currently Microsoft windows is the most used operating system because it is graphical based which means that it is more visually oriented than the other kinds of operating system. Another reason for the wide use of windows is because it supports multi tasking which is doing many things at the same time. Studies have been made regarding the sudden worldwide rise of the use of Linux.  In a study by Orr (2003) Bankers are beginning to catch Linux fever. .From 1994 to mid-2003, adoption of the Linux kernel has gone from zero to about 18 million users worldwide. In the billion market for server computers, the Linux operating system (OS) has won a 14% market share. There is an expectation that the share will jump to 25% by 2006.  Moreover, there were findings showing that that 39% of large corporations have adopted the upstart challenger’s wares. Linux already owns the market for web-server software through the Apache distributor, with a 62% share versus Microsoft’s 27%. The present state of the OS wars is that Microsoft Windows powers nearly all of the world’s personal computers but has to compete with Linux for servers that manage computer networks. It can be noted that Wal-Mart is selling Linux powered PCs for 0. The government of Munich, Germany’s third-largest city, decided to drop Microsoft products completely and migrate its entire computer network, some 14,000 desktops, to Linux Due to the increase in the interest and use of Linux it can be assumed that Linux may replace windows and maybe this is the one that will be the widely used operating system in the future. As shown in the study of Orr Linux is starting to emerge as a global phenomenon. Many people want to intend to use it and are planning to use it in the future. Because of this the research wants to prove the assumption that Linux is going to be more popular than windows in the future. The main problem of the research is if Linux is going to replace windows in the future.  Such problem brings succeeding questions such as what are the benefits and disadvantages of using windows. It also brings questions such as what are benefits and disadvantages of using Linux. Comparing the two operating system can help in getting proofs to conclude that Linux may replace windows in the future. This can be added with the different studies made related to the problem. Through combining the comparison made, with the related studies and the primary and secondary research a good conclusion and recommendation can be made. Purpose of the study The study intends to get the appropriate data needed to give appropriate solution to the problem. The study also intends get the necessary answers to the research questions to create a good conclusion and recommendation. Part of the purpose of the study is to describe what Linux is and what the future for this operating system. Additional information will also be given on the types of Linux, open source and GNU. Such data will be used in giving an appropriate solution to the problem. The study also intends to give answer to the research questions. The problem statement that was given in the previous section shows the goal of the study; however, there are still some specific research questions that should be given that will help as guides for the researcher in conducting the study. These questions will help with the systematic gathering of information and will also determine the specific questions that are to be asked when gathering the data for conclusion. They may also help in formulating the needed conclusion for the study, and as such must be clear and concise in finding what should be assessed for the study. The questions include How does the windows operating system help people, businesses, and other sectors in their daily activities and transaction?, Do windows have errors or problems that disrupt a person’s daily activity thus giving him/her more problems than benefits?, Are the problems or errors of windows easily fixed or it takes some time to fix it? , How does Linux help the people, businesses, and other sectors in their daily activities and transaction?, Do Linux have errors or problems that disrupt a person’s daily activity thus giving him/her more problems than benefits?, Are the problems or errors of windows easily fixed or it takes some time to fix it?, How does Linux impact the current world situation? Importance of the Study The study is important because it can help in accessing the current state of technology in general and the state of operating systems in particular. The study can also help in predicting what the future holds for users of computer and for those who will purchase computers in the future. The study is also important because it will benefit the consumers or buyers of computers/operating systems, and the businesses or dealers who sells Computers/operating systems. For those consumers who has computers the study will benefit them in a way that they can decide whether to continue using windows and neglect Linux or forget windows and use Linux. Another benefit of the study to those that have computer is they can pick what the best operating system for them is and suggest it to people who ask them about such.  For those customers who are planning to buy computers the study can help them to decide on what operating system they will use. Another benefit of the study to those who are planning to buy computer is they decide on what operating system can give them more savings. For the businesses who sell computers the study can benefit them in a way that they can decide on what operating system they can use for the computers they sell.  For the businesses who sell operating systems the study can benefit them in a way that they can decide on what operating system can be sellable and what operating system .   The study may also be important to the purpose of the study, and other researchers. With the establishment of the purpose given, this study may also be of importance to the purpose that have been discussed By fulfilling the aims that were stated in the previous section, this study will be helpful for other researchers who may be focusing on the current customer orientated strategies, and innovation being ultimately destructive to the principles of sustainability or of other areas especially with regards to the method of gathering the information. Such data will hopefully be helpful for researchers in establishing their own means of conducting their study. As such, the notable significance of this study is the possibility that it may be able to use the findings for the other studies that may wish to analyze the factors for the success or demise of a particular study. The methods that this study will take must also be credible and help researchers in knowing how to look for particular information and know how to analyze them. It is through this that researchers will then be able to find out how they will be able to focus on their particular investigation and also know the possible methods that they may choose in the possible time that they may choose to already conduct their study. Thus, another significance of this study is to serve as a guide for researches that focus on the analysis of the success of Linux on different sectors and countries and especially focus on the possible factors that may have affected these sectors and countries’ success or downfall. The following statements of assumptions were prepared to support the study. This assumptions show that if such study is not undertaken certain things cannot be proven and the things proven by these assumptions can be of help to the study. The assumptions in the study include statements like Linux can replace windows in the future if it is developed well and given proper attention. Linux can bring an age of reformation not only to the computer but the computer industry as well. More people will use Linux as their operating system in the future. and there are more advantages than disadvantages of using Linux. Through the study proofs of certain assumptions can be found. This helps in uncovering related information about the study. This also helps on creating a good conclusion and afterwards a good recommendation for the study. Scope and limitations The study intends to answer the question is Linux going to replace windows in the future.  The scope of the study is on the past and the future development of Linux and the advantage and disadvantages of this operating system as well as the advantage and disadvantage of windows operating system. The limitation of the study is on those who use and don’t use Linux and those who use and don’t use windows. From these groups, information will be acquired regarding the benefits and disadvantages of Linux and Windows and afterwards comparing the acquired information. The study limits itself to interviewing most probably 50 or more respondents to minimize the time and expenses that will be used in the study.  Primary data as mentioned earlier will be collected from those who use and don’t use windows and Linux and other related persons that might be helpful for the study. Secondary data will be taken from the different related books, journals, the internet and other relative sources of information. As discussed these information tends to help in comparing the advantages and disadvantages of both windows and Linux operating system.  To collect the necessary data needed the study will use the descriptive research method. It can be done by observation, interviews, and others.  In this method, it is possible that the study would be less expensive and less time consuming. It could also suggest unanticipated hypotheses. Nonetheless, it would be very hard to rule out alternative explanations and especially infer causations. This descriptive type of research will utilize observations in the study.  To illustrate the descriptive type of research, will be guiding the research. According to him descriptive method of research is to gather information about the present existing condition.  The purpose of employing this method is to describe the nature of a situation, as it exists at the time of the study and to explore the cause/s of particular phenomena.   It is opted to use this kind of research considering the desire of the study to obtain first hand data from the respondents so as to formulate rational and sound conclusions and recommendations for the study. The research described in this document is based on quantitative and qualitative research methods. This permits a flexible and iterative approach. During data gathering the choice and design of methods are constantly modified, based on ongoing analysis. This allows investigation of important new issues and questions as they arise, and allows the investigators to drop unproductive areas of research from the original research plan. Rationale of the study After finding out from different studies facts about Linux and the effects of Linux the need to study about Linux was conceptualized. Additionally due to the different experiences encountered in Windows the need to compare the benefits and disadvantages of using Windows and Linux operating system arose.   Since Linux is a wide area of study a problem that will occupy a smaller scope of study was being thought about. This brought out the need to prove that Linux is going to replace windows in the future. The said problem statement has much smaller scope and the results of the studies on it can be acquired on a shorter time span. Overview of the study Computers are one of the important and popular instruments used by man. It is used for different purposes and it is used in different ways. To use these computers work there is a need for Operating Systems. Windows is currently the leading and widely used operating system. Linux is one of its major competitors. There are studies showing that Linux is currently emerging as a top competitor for windows and may replace windows as a popular Operating system. The study as discussed intends to prove the assumptions that Linux can overcome Windows in the future. The study will compare the benefits and disadvantages of both windows and Linux and come up with a discussion of which is a better operating system. The study will make use of past studies to prove that the study is necessary. The study will make use of primary and secondary information to be able to get the needed information so that related conclusions and recommendation can be accomplished.  The study intends to prove the assumptions stated and intends to give answers to the research questions.   Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

computer

Computer is a machine that performs tasks, such as calculations or electronic communication, under the control of a set of instructions c...

Counseling Supervision of Children with Special Needs

PREFACE   Firstly I would like to thank my project supervisor Professor (name of your supervisor) for approving the topic concept of counseling supervision working with practitioners who work with children and for providing me with a good initial starting point who have helped to support me throughout the duration of the dissertation and to those kind people that have proof read the dissertation for me. Lastly, it is my gratitude to have accomplished this dissertation project as it has given me the opportunity to have an in-depth understanding and awareness relating to counseling supervision working within practitioners as they are working with children that needs counseling attention in whatever way. I am proud to have done thorough research with regards to this matter for the experiences and interests keeps me on the right pace of its learning application being a professional individual.   ABSTRACT The dissertation presentation provides a detailed encounter of counseling supervision process working with practitioners as well as describes the effective role of practitioners, the dissertation is focusing on the marginal community within and that it has been possible to carry out detailed survey process, case study discussions as well as a brief comparison regarding counseling effectiveness in dealing to such supervision working with practitioners in children. As a result, this research study is of importance not only as an exercise in the social development of counseling supervision but also in revealing enough evidences and findings in relation to the crucial situation and future needs throughout the content process. Since, a comprehensive research process could not have attempted without the proper acquisition of research materials, information and resources. Practitioners providing their support services for families of children with autism are a growing area of concern. Positive behavior interventions that address individual and family needs could ameliorate the risk factors. Thus, it has been possible to discount issues such as the influence of counseling supervision along with practitioners and it has not been necessary to use sampling techniques to clarify points in giving clear emphasis to the purpose of completing the study and useful evidence that emerges as a result. It is now possible to see counseling as being embedded in health care as well as social and voluntary services. The study incorporates data provided through surveys with key informants in a form of questionnaires needed for the validation of the study and to ensure that the dissertation sets the information in the social context to investigate what counseling supervision is appropriate that could be of great help for the practitioners who work with children per se.     CHAPTER ONE   INTRODUCTION   BACKGROUND Imagine how practitioners would work effectively with children without adopting to the concepts and foundations of counseling supervision, maybe mental health services lacks prior knowledge and skills needed for every needed application and that without supervising the process of counseling, no one could really prove any important approaches and techniques needed in various cases relating to the attitudes and behaviors shown by the children. Thus, it is a must for the practitioners to know and follow norms and standards when it comes to providing the adequate counseling supervision for children with emotional as well as behavior problems since, it is recommended that those who practice counseling applicable to the needs of children should be aware on some important counseling principles before taking any actions that might cause such possible failure in the end.  Stated that there is a need to review how counseling consultants are supervised and supported, but without articulating a mechanism that could offer to the counseling practitioners. Introducing counseling supervision and evaluation may become less difficult as the current generation of trainees, who have been subject to the more thorough contemporary methods of analysis and assessment, appear into position.   Counseling supervision is needed in any important process situation involving and catering to the needs of the children and that the presence of a better practitioner is important in counseling supervision as one of the ways practitioners working with children is by understanding “interpersonal characteristics” that both parties bring to the relationship Supervision is “an intensive, interpersonally focused, one-to-one relationship in which one person is designated to facilitate the development of therapeutic competence in the other person”. Investigating the impact within the realm of supervision also affords a unique opportunity to assess the role of potential practitioners. The study gives emphasis to the needed role of counseling practitioners in counseling supervision who are working with children as it is important that these practitioners have the capacity to negotiate with children management and requires skills on the part of the clinician in the formulation of issues of concern and the development of potential solutions, but more importantly a commitment towards their workforce and an understanding of the reality of the problems that counseling practitioners experience and support   the value of formal mechanisms for counseling supervision and evaluation. Thus, the parents and guardians to those children with special needs need have to deal to the principles of counseling supervision and the need to collaborate to the effective roles to the practitioner in order to achieve exact evaluation and treatment relating to the life cycle of the child. The role of the counseling practitioners must be aware of the remarkable range in pattern expression and the complications of developmental change along with proper supervision from various disciplines require the efforts of some professional to coordinate and advocate for the child. In this regard it is important that the practitioners encourage and welcome the participation of the parents and other family members in the assessment process; support of the parents and family as well as the affected child is an important role for the practitioner to hand the needed counseling supervision. The responsibilities of counseling supervision working with practitioners Counseling supervision is responsible for providing basic information to the counseling practitioners in order to promote and safeguard the welfare of children for ensuring adequate standards of practice and enabling the professional development of practitioners. The role of the practitioner is responsible for the scope of studies made in making useful recommendations. The practitioners are required to undertake skilled work with some of the most highly controversial and complex counseling cases, often in an atmosphere of conflicting ideas and process of knowing. There has to be a wide exercise of professional discretion required and those who share a commitment as used responsibly. The children’s guardians are required to scrutinise the practice of Local Authority social workers and their managers, many of whom are themselves experienced and very competent in their field.  Hence, a good counseling supervision is vital for ensuring that children with autism receive effective and timely services, assuring quality standards, assisting the continuing professional development of the practitioners, liaising with other services and reviewing and planning service developments. The strand that deals with professional judgment is most appropriately thought of as consultation. This is the model used in most therapeutic work, and in child mental health work, where a senior expert practitioner aids the practitioner to reflect critically on their work, with appropriate challenge but without taking over responsibility for the work. This role requires detailed and up-to-date knowledge in depth of the area of practice and the professional context to fulfill the effectiveness of the role.  Training and professional development needs of practitioners can be identified in terms of counseling supervision and or the process of consultation of the potential conflict of interest in relation to the ‘support’ element of supervision that comes from the power imbalance of the role of these practitioners as counseling and therapy should never form part of the supervision for the children. Counseling supervision center concern involves providing expert practitioners to advise the complex and challenging, but can be rewarding for senior practitioners because it offers them scope for developing their skills in depth and exercising their professional judgment with authority. Thus, the skills could be harnessed to meet the aims of the counseling supervision and to enable the practice standards of practitioners to be raised across the process.   THE PROBLEM The model of supervision could not be suited to the needs of counseling practitioners because there is a clear mismatch of skills between experts and practitioners which jeopardizes the potential success of the supervision and will waste time. There are a number of issues that must be considered before looking at the detail of the role of the practitioners in counseling supervision on critical decisions made in respect of its working with children and that there are certain problems to be faced. Why is Counseling Supervision Needed? Counseling Supervision exists for the following reasons: <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%"> to protect clients</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%"> to improve the ability of counselors to provide value to their clients. </li> Supervision protects clients by involving an impartial third party in the work of a counselor and client, helping to reduce the risk of serious oversight and helping the counselor concerned to reflect on their own feelings, thoughts, behavior and general approach with the client. These opportunities to reflect on how they relate to the client, as well as to garner insights from the perspective of another therapist, also help the counselor to improve the value they are providing to their clients. In this respect, supervision to peer review in the publishing process: few professional scientists would expect to be able to publish their results without peer review, and the quality of the scientific literature is undoubtedly better than it would be without the positive influence of the peer review process. What Does Supervision Mean for Confidentiality? The practice of supervision means that many details provided by clients are shared with people other than the counselor concerned and that confidentiality is still safeguarded because: individually identifying information (such as full name) is not revealed, and information shared in supervision is itself protected under a contract of confidentiality and normally may not be shared outside the supervision relationship. Why Seek Counseling? The reasons people come to counseling are as varied as people themselves. Often, clients have encountered distressing or stressful experiences or situations which they’d like to talk about in a safe setting. These might include present circumstances of bereavement, separation, or other major life transitions, or experiences from the past, such as in childhood. Others seek help in dealing with specific psychological or behavioral traits which they’d like to alter compulsive thoughts or difficulties relating to people. Some people seek counseling to help them explore a general feeling that their lives are not quite right, or to cope with feelings of depression or anxiety. Still others look to counseling as part of their effort to discover or create meaning in their lives. Many people are attracted to counseling as an opportunity to undertake personal development in a safe and supportive environment: it is not at all necessary to have a ‘problem’ to find counseling useful. What are the benefits of counseling? decreased defensiveness increased ability to express themselves improved relationships with other people increased self-esteem   THE OBJECTIVES a) To ensure children and their families to receive desired counseling supervision and service – this is based on sound professional practice and evidence-based knowledge and does not assume that procedural responses will adequately protect children   b) to facilitate the effective role of the practitioners and the process of judgment in supervising children – requires a ‘light-touch’ management model, which creates a culture that respects professional excellence at practitioner level of shared responsibility and where professional autonomy is discouraged will need to develop an internalized model of practice that fits with the needs of the child and support to develop the approach.    c)  To establish existing skills and resources for effective counseling supervision It is likely that counseling supervision will need to employ more practitioners if such a policy were to be implemented, which has further implications for resources away from service delivery and into its own organizational structures.  d)  To recognize and adopt notable skills and experience of the practitioners Expertise needs to be recognized. The improved culture will have a positive impact on the recruitment and retention of practitioners and on their job satisfaction.  There has to be a professional practice consultation role should be established, open to practitioners in counseling supervision. The needs of practitioners for detailed children consultation should be met through discussion with such senior specialists and receives mentoring and consultancy in the areas that could act as mentors and consultants to colleagues in other areas in which they are skilled.   The practitioners’ role should have specific responsibilities for: <ul type="disc" style="margin-bottom: 0in"> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%"> Mentoring on new areas of work through convergence</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%"> Consultation on as required</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%"> Acting as independent reviewers where their own expert practitioner knowledge with thoroughness</li> </ul> Purpose of Supervision The main aim of supervision in counseling process is ‘to help ensure that staff are safeguarding children in their work’, this will be “achieved through working to such needs and reflecting on practice issues of a wholly inadequate statement of what is necessary for skilled professional practice and ignores the essential knowledge and professional expertise that is not held by the practitioners of enhancing professional judgment promoted as essential components of ensuring high standards for children. It confuses issues of malpractice and below standard practice with differences of professional judgment. The process suggested is dangerous because it is extremely vague and ill-defined as believed that a practitioner’s work falls below acceptable standards there are a number of avenues already open to them. They can use the appraisal process to examine professional competence. The disciplinary process is available for other types of concerns.     SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY   The significance of the study is geared towards the basic function of the community in seeking essential information that will provide child centered programs that will be important for the assessment of the needs of children that is very much important in the shaping out of duties and responsibilities to be given by the family members, the parents and teachers of these children along with ample support in the effectives of the role of practitioners in the counseling supervision of children with special needs. The study is important for the desired authorities and involved organization agencies to be more aware of the accepted norms and standards for the practice of counseling supervision in terms of adhering to their profession through following carefully the ethical standards and considerations for the practice of counseling within its process of supervision. The study gives emphasis to the effective role of the practitioners in giving out the needed information data that will establish the substantial truth in exercising those supervision that will help in molding the practitioners to become more effective and efficient in realizing their specific role to the counseling process of children with special needs.   CHAPTER TWO LITERATURE REVIEW Although there appears to be a commitment to high quality qualifications and training for practitioners working in counseling supervision with children, the lack of reliable large-scale information about the situation and the picture that emerges from the surveys that do exist suggest that the commitment does not yet match the reality. However, there suggests that there are a number of people or using counseling supervision, who lack the knowledge, training and support to do so in an occupation that ought to be characterized by a high level of professionalism to use a strong counseling element in their work having adequate supervision. Supervision is seen to be essential though the need has been recognized less for practitioners working with children in schools than in other contexts. According to the BACP’s recent guidelines, the purpose of supervision is ‘to enhance the quality of the services provided’, and the responsibility of supervisors and managers is ‘to maintain and enhance good practice by practitioners’. the importance of supervision is fourfold personal support for the counselor to avoid over involvement and the avoidance of issues and containment of the counselor’s anxieties; the maintenance of ethical standards and practice; the promotion of reflection and learning; and helping the counselor to look at their work in the context of the organization within which they are counseling. Drew the importance of supervision on the basis of focus group interviews with school counselors in Australia. The aspects of supervision that made it important included the provision of support; accountability, and especially the opportunity to seek a second opinion; debriefing, particularly following traumatic and stressful cases; skill development; and personal development, especially becoming aware of blind spots. The researchers also report references by counselors to the damaging effects of not having supervision, such as having no benchmark by which to asses the rightness of decisions, the risk of becoming stale, and the lack of an important support to those new to the profession. Supervision and the emergence of counseling Some of the confusion around supposed differences arises from the roots of counselor or professional supervision. Its development has arguably, owed much to the emergence of counseling. In the case of practice, supervision and personal analysis have formed the central elements of training. Thus, Page and Wosket, claim that there are many differences between the focus in supervision of students or trainees, and that of established practitioners. The former are more likely to be concerned with issues of technique, boundary, understanding the material clients’ bring, and dealing with personal feelings of anxiety. ‘The experienced practitioner is more likely to be concerned with teasing out relationship dynamics, choosing intervention options and perhaps dealing with feelings of frustration and boredom towards clients’. This is something that you may like to think about.  Experienced practitioners may have a greater repertoire of experiences and models to draw upon, and may have grown jaded. But the supervisor who fails to attend to the extent, to which experienced practitioners face new situations and different clients, can overlook the chance of practitioners feeling per se. However, the demand for ‘practitioner supervision’ in counseling can be seen as a key factor in the spread of non-managerial or consultant supervision with the ‘coming of age’ of the profession, there was a substantial growth ‘in the proportion of practitioners with significant experience’, many of whom valued, ‘having a fellow practitioner to act in a consultative capacity’. This linking of counselor supervision with the development of counseling is significant. The form that supervision takes may well mirror or adopt ways of working from the host profession. Thus, a counselor supervisor may draw on the theory and practice of a counseling model and apply this to supervision. It is important that counselors have the capacity to negotiate within child management in the formulation of issues of concern and the development of potential solutions, but more importantly a commitment from the supervision towards the n understanding of the reality of the problems that practitioners can experience during the supervision of a child with the value of formal mechanisms for supervision as the practitioners as well as the mental health staff experience it positively and have asserted that there is a need to review how children counselors are supervised and supported. Recognition 1. Helping practitioners to continually develop practice, improve performance, and achieve excellence as seen as a supportive process, occurring within a confidential relationship with the clients. 2. Reviewing performance through using a set of indicators of minimum standards: this needs to be taken into account in developing one’s practice, but it raises the question of what should be done if standards are not met. 3. Professional self-regulation and re-validation: there is a suggestion that evaluation could be combined in some manner with external accreditation by a body to form the basis for re-validation of assessment must then to some extent become public. 4. Reassuring the public that practitioners always follow safety rules and guidelines accordingly. Ethics for counseling and psychotherapy Ethics for Counseling and Psychotherapy unifies and replaces the codes for counselors, trainers and supervisors and is also applicable to counseling research, the use of counseling skills and the management of services within organizations. In this statement the term ‘practitioner’ is used generically to refer to anyone with responsibility for the provision of counseling related services. ‘Practitioner’ includes anyone undertaking the role(s) of counselor, psychotherapist, provider of counseling skills of these services. This statement indicates an important development in approach to ethics within the Association. One of the characteristics of contemporary society is the coexistence of different approaches to ethics. This statement reflects this ethical diversity by considering: Values Principles Personal moral qualities The presentation of different ways of conceiving ethics alongside each other in this statement is intended to draw attention to the limitations of relying too heavily on any single ethical approach. Ethical principles are well suited to examining the justification for particular decisions and actions. However, reliance on principles alone may detract from the importance of the practitioner’s personal qualities and their ethical significance in the counseling relationship. Therefore, professional values are becoming an increasingly significant way of expressing ethical commitment. The fundamental values of counseling and psychotherapy include a commitment to: Respecting human rights and dignity Ensuring the integrity of practitioner-client relationships Enhancing the quality of professional knowledge and its application Alleviating personal distress and suffering Fostering a sense of self that is meaningful to the person(s) concerned Increasing personal effectiveness Enhancing the quality of relationships between people   Appreciating the variety of human experience and culture Striving for the fair and adequate provision of counseling services Ethical decisions that are strongly supported by one or more of these principles without any contradiction from others may be regarded as reasonably well founded. However, practitioners will encounter circumstances in which it is impossible to reconcile all the applicable principles and choosing between principles may be required. A decision or course of action does not necessarily become unethical merely because it is contentious or other practitioners would have reached different conclusions in similar circumstances. A practitioner’s obligation is to consider all the relevant circumstances with as much care as is reasonably possible and to be appropriately accountable for decisions made. Fidelity: honoring the trust placed in the practitioner Being trustworthy is regarded as fundamental to understanding and resolving ethical issues. Practitioners who adopt this principle: act in accordance with the trust placed in them; regard confidentiality as an obligation arising from the client’s trust; restrict any disclosure of confidential information about clients to furthering the purposes for which it was originally disclosed.   Autonomy: respect for the client’s right to be self-governing This principle emphasizes the importance of the client’s commitment to participating in counseling or psychotherapy, usually on a voluntary basis. Practitioners who respect their clients’ autonomy: ensure accuracy in any advertising or information given in advance of services offered; seek freely given and adequately informed consent; engage in explicit contracting in advance of any commitment by the client; protect privacy; protect confidentiality; normally make any disclosures of confidential information conditional on the consent of the person concerned; and inform the client in advance of foreseeable conflicts of interest or as soon as possible after such conflicts become apparent. The principle of autonomy opposes the manipulation of clients against their will, even for beneficial social ends. Beneficence: a commitment to promoting the client’s well-being The principle of beneficence means acting in the best interests of the client based on professional assessment. It directs attention to working strictly within one’s limits of competence and providing services on the basis of adequate training or experience. Ensuring that the client’s best interests are achieved requires systematic monitoring of practice and outcomes by the best available means. It is considered important that research and systematic reflection inform practice. There is an obligation to use regular and on-going supervision to enhance the quality of the services provided and to commit to updating practice by continuing professional development. An obligation to act in the best interests of a client may become paramount when working with clients whose capacity for autonomy is diminished because of immaturity, lack of understanding, extreme distress, serious disturbance or other significant personal constraints. Non-malfeasance: a commitment to avoiding harm to the client Non-malfeasance involves: avoiding sexual, financial, emotional or any other form of client exploitation; avoiding incompetence or malpractice; not providing services when unfit to do so due to illness, personal circumstances or intoxication. The practitioner has an ethical responsibility to strive to mitigate any harm caused to a client even when the harm is unavoidable or unintended. Holding appropriate insurance may assist in restitution. Practitioners have a personal responsibility to challenge, where appropriate, the incompetence or malpractice of others; and to contribute to any investigation and/or adjudication concerning professional practice which falls below that of a reasonably competent practitioner and/or risks bringing discredit upon the profession. Justice: the fair and impartial treatment of all clients and the provision of adequate services The principle of justice requires being just and fair to all clients and respecting their human rights and dignity. It directs attention to considering conscientiously any legal requirements and obligations, and remaining alert to potential conflicts between legal and ethical obligations. Justice in the distribution of services requires the ability to determine impartially the provision of services for clients and the allocation of services between clients. A commitment to fairness requires the ability to appreciate differences between people and to be committed to equality of opportunity, and avoiding discrimination against people or groups contrary to their legitimate personal or social characteristics. Practitioners have a duty to strive to ensure a fair provision of counseling and psychotherapy services, accessible and appropriate to the needs of potential clients. Self-respect: fostering the practitioner’s self-knowledge and care for self The principle of self-respect means that the practitioner appropriately applies all the above principles as entitlements for self. This includes seeking counseling and other opportunities for personal development as required. There is an ethical responsibility to use supervision for appropriate personal and professional support and development, and to seek training and other opportunities for continuing professional development. Guarding against financial liabilities arising from work undertaken usually requires obtaining appropriate insurance. The principle of self-respect encourages active engagement in life-enhancing activities and relationships that are independent of relationships in counseling. The practitioner’s personal moral qualities are of the utmost importance to clients. Many of the personal qualities considered important in the provision of services have an ethical or moral component and are therefore considered as virtues or good personal qualities. It is inappropriate to prescribe that all practitioners possess these qualities, since it is fundamental that these personal qualities are deeply rooted in the person concerned and developed out of personal commitment rather than the requirement of an external authority. Personal qualities to which counselors are strongly encouraged to aspire include: Empathy: the ability to communicate understanding of another person’s experience from that person’s perspective. Sincerity: a personal commitment to consistency between what is professed and what is done. Integrity: commitment to being moral in dealings with others, personal straightforwardness, honesty and coherence. Resilience: the capacity to work with the client’s concerns without being personally diminished. Respect: showing appropriate esteem to others and their understanding of themselves. Humility: the ability to assess accurately and acknowledge one’s own strengths and weaknesses. Competence: the effective deployment of the skills and knowledge needed to do what is required. Fairness: the consistent application of appropriate criteria to inform decisions and actions. Wisdom: possession of sound judgment that informs practice. Courage: the capacity to act in spite of known fears, risks and uncertainty. The challenge of working ethically means that practitioners will inevitably encounter situations where there are competing obligations. In such situations it is tempting to retreat from all ethical analysis in order to escape a sense of what may appear to be irresolvable ethical tension. These ethics are intended to be of assistance in such circumstances by directing attention to the variety of ethical factors that may need to be taken into consideration and to alternative ways of approaching ethics that may prove more useful. No statement of ethics can totally alleviate the difficulty of making professional judgments in circumstances that may be constantly changing and full of uncertainties. Guidance on good practice in counseling.   This guidance on the essential elements of good practice has been written to take into account the changing circumstances in which counseling are now being delivered in particular: changes in the range of issues and levels of need presented by clients the growth in levels of expertise available from practitioners with the expansion in the availability of training and consultative support/supervision the accumulated experience of this Association over nearly three decades. Some practitioners are moving between these different settings and modes of delivery during the course of their work and are therefore required to consider what constitutes good practice in different settings. All practitioners encounter the challenge of responding to the diversity of their clients and finding ways of working effectively with them. This statement therefore responds to the complexity of delivering counseling services in contemporary society by directing attention to essential issues that practitioners ought to consider and resolve in the specific circumstances of their work. Providing a good standard of practice and care Good standards of practice and care require professional competence; good relationships with clients and colleagues; and commitment to and observance of professional ethics. Good quality of care Good quality of care requires competently delivered services that meet the client’s needs by practitioners who are appropriately supported and accountable. Practitioners should give careful consideration to the limitations of their training and experience and work within these limits, taking advantage of available professional support. If work with clients requires the provision of additional services operating in parallel with counseling, the availability of such services ought to be taken into account, as their absence may constitute a significant limitation. Good practice involves clarifying and agreeing the rights and responsibilities of both the practitioner and client at appropriate points in their working relationship. Dual relationships arise when the practitioner has two or more kinds of relationship concurrently with a client, for example client and trainee, acquaintance and client, colleague and supervisee. The existence of a dual relationship with a client is seldom neutral and can have a powerful beneficial or detrimental impact that may not always be easily foreseeable. For these reasons practitioners are required to consider the implications of entering into dual relationships with clients, to avoid entering into relationships that are likely to be detrimental to clients, and to be readily accountable to clients and colleagues for any dual relationships that occur. Practitioners are encouraged to keep appropriate records of their work with clients unless there are adequate reasons for not keeping any records. All records should be accurate, respectful of clients and colleagues and protected from unauthorized disclosure. Practitioners should take into account their responsibilities and their clients’ rights under data protection legislation and any other legal requirements. Maintaining competent practice Regularly monitoring and reviewing one’s work is essential to maintaining good practice. It is important to be open to, and conscientious in considering, feedback from colleagues, appraisals and assessments. Responding constructively to feedback helps to advance practice. A commitment to good practice requires practitioners to keep up to date with the latest knowledge and respond to changing circumstances. They should consider carefully their own need for continuing professional development and engage in appropriate educational activities. Practitioners should be aware of and understand any legal requirements concerning their work, consider these conscientiously and be legally accountable for their practice. Practitioners should ensure that services are normally delivered on the basis of the client’s explicit consent. Reliance on implicit consent is more vulnerable to misunderstandings and is best avoided unless there are sound reasons for doing so. Overriding a client’s known wishes or consent is a serious matter that requires commensurate justification. Practitioners should be prepared to be readily accountable to clients, colleagues and professional body if they override a client’s known wishes. Working with young people requires specific ethical awareness and competence. The practitioner is required to consider and assess the balance between young people’s dependence on adults and their progressive development towards acting independently. Working with children and young people requires careful consideration of issues concerning their capacity to give consent to receiving any service independently of someone with parental responsibilities and the management of confidences disclosed by clients. Practitioners should normally be willing to respond to their client’s requests for information about the way that they are working and any assessment that they may have made. This professional requirement does not apply if it is considered that imparting this information would be detrimental to the client or inconsistent with the counseling approach previously agreed with the client. Clients may have legal rights to this information and these need to be taken into account. Practitioners should think carefully about, and exercise considerable caution before, entering into personal or business relationships with former clients and should expect to be professionally accountable if the relationship becomes detrimental to the client or the standing of the profession. Practitioners should not allow their professional relationships with clients to be prejudiced by any personal views they may hold about lifestyle, gender, age, disability, race, sexual orientation, beliefs or culture. Practitioners should be clear about any commitment to be available to clients and colleagues and honor these commitments.   Supervising and managing Practitioners are responsible for clarifying who holds responsibility for the work with the client. There is a general obligation for counselors, psychotherapists, supervisors and trainers to receive supervision support independently of any managerial relationships. Supervisors and managers have a responsibility to maintain and enhance good practice by practitioners, to protect clients from poor practice and to acquire the attitudes, skills and knowledge required by their role.   Fitness to practice Practitioners have a responsibility to monitor and maintain their fitness to practice at a level that enables them to provide an effective service. If their effectiveness becomes impaired for any reason, including health or personal circumstances, they should seek the advice of their supervisor, experienced colleagues or line manager and, if necessary, withdraw from practice until their fitness to practice returns. Suitable arrangements should be made for clients who are adversely affected. Practitioners should respond promptly and appropriately to any complaint received from their clients. An appropriate response in agency-based services would take account of any agency policy and procedures. Practitioners should endeavor to remedy any harm they may have caused to their clients and to prevent any further harm. An apology may be the appropriate response. Practitioners should discuss, with their supervisor, manager or other experienced practitioner(s), the circumstances in which they may have harmed a client in order to ensure that the appropriate steps have been taken to mitigate any harm and to prevent any repetition. Practitioners are strongly encouraged to ensure that their work is adequately covered by insurance for professional indemnity and liability.     Responsibilities to all clients Practitioners have a responsibility to protect clients when they have good reason for believing that other practitioners are placing them at risk of harm. They should raise their concerns with the practitioner concerned in the first instance, unless it is inappropriate to do so. If the matter cannot be resolved, they should review the grounds for their concern and the evidence available to them and, when appropriate, raise their concerns with the practitioner’s manager, agency or professional body. The practitioner is responsible for learning about and taking account of the different protocols, conventions and customs that can pertain to different working contexts and cultures. Providing clients with adequate information Practitioners are responsible for clarifying the terms on which their services are being offered in advance of the client incurring any financial obligation or other reasonably foreseeable costs or liabilities. All information about services should be honest, accurate, avoid unjustifiable claims and be consistent with maintaining the good standing of the profession. Care of self as a practitioner Practitioners have a responsibility to themselves to ensure that their work does not become detrimental to their health or well-being by ensuring that the way that they undertake their work is as safe as possible and that they seek appropriate professional support and services as the need arises. Practitioners are entitled to be treated with proper consideration and respect that is consistent with this Guidance. Professional misconduct A finding of professional misconduct signifies that the practitioner has contravened the ethical and behavioral standards that should reasonably be expected of a member of this profession. ‘Misconduct’ is defined as acting in contravention of the written and unwritten guidance of the profession. A finding of ‘serious professional misconduct’ is appropriate if the misconduct is of sufficient seriousness to merit a period of suspension or permanent exclusion from membership of this Association with a consequential curtailment of opportunities to practice within this profession. Professional malpractice A finding of professional malpractice signifies that the service(s) for which the practitioner is responsible, below are the standards that would reasonably be expected of a practitioner exercising reasonable care and skill. Incompetence Negligence Recklessness Inadequate professional services Counseling the Child The key to understanding the special needs of a child is to look at the developmental stage rather than the chronological age. The practitioner will have to identify adaptations which the child made to the counseling treatment and teach the child more appropriate ways of interacting. Children often reveal in play the traumatic events of their earlier years and will show to the practitioner maladaptive behavior which puts them at risk of further counseling supervision. In the counseling relationship, working with children requires many techniques other than talking and listening. Through using structured and unstructured play situations and artwork, music or clay provide a safe way for children to release tension and express themselves. Many special children have not had normal play opportunities and benefit greatly from free play in the counselor’s office. Younger children do well with developmental play groups, while older children and youth can benefit from activity groups as well as treatment oriented groups. Group counseling can be useful in addressing the needs of children by reducing their feelings of shame and helping them to learn how to protect themselves. Counseling special children is challenging as it can arouse many complex feelings within the practitioner’s role. It is important for counselors working with the sensitive issues of adjustments to seek consultation, supervision for themselves when they become overwhelmed with feelings. Recognizing one’s professional limitations can be helpful. It is important to remember that counseling alone cannot protect children and that any effective long-term intervention will require team approach and a community which cares enough to offer adequate resources for families.   Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

Counseling Supervision of Children with Special Needs

PREFACE Firstly I would like to thank my project supervisor Professor (name of your supervisor) for approving the topic concept of...