ABSTRACT
It behoves the supervisor to be familiar not only with the codes of practice, by which both they and their supervisees are guided, but also with the ethical principles that underlie such codes. Without an understanding of these principles the codes become a set of rules which are adhered to simply because that is a professional requirement. The supervisor will, however, on occasions, be called upon to assist supervisees in coming to a view about ethical dilemmas which confront them. In such instances ethical principles can provide a means of reasoning the problem through to a depth of understanding beyond the scope of codes of practice. When faced with decisions, the consequences of which may be very grave, it can be important for the peace of mind of all concerned to be satisfied that the actions being taken have been thoroughly considered.
