ABSTRACT
This chapter sets out to address and clarify some of the complex questions regarding ethics and the law when working with children in a supportive role. Youth support workers and supervisors will at times encounter ethical dilemmas in working with children and may experience confusion, often through misinformation, in relation to the law. Ethical codes may add to the confusion, as guidelines can appear to be vague or contradictory and render support workers and supervisors uncertain of their remit. In some instances the ethical guidelines of an organisation may conflict with personal beliefs, while some may not seem to correspond with legal perspectives. Yet it is of vital importance that youth support workers and supervisors work within an ethical framework and within the boundaries of the law.
