ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the major legal and ethical issues governing the child-centered play therapist including informed consent, confidentiality, mandated reporting of child abuse and neglect, note taking and maintenance of records, and ensuring professional competence. This chapter is not meant to serve as a comprehensive introduction to ethical and legal issues facing therapists in general, or even child therapists more specifically, but serves to sensitize the reader to how a child-centered play therapist approaches and integrates ethical principles and legal guidelines for these areas into their work. By reading and reflecting on chapter information, the reader will:
Develop an understanding of the levels of ethical principles governing the practice of CCPT
Understand the importance of the informed consent process and to identify the components of the informed consent process.
Distinguish between confidentiality as a right of the parent and privacy granted to the child as a necessary condition for effective therapy.
Become aware of legal and ethical responsibilities related to the mandated reporting of child abuse and neglect.
Develop understanding of what makes a competent child centered play therapist and why ongoing supervision is important.
