GUIDANCE COUNSELLING

GUIDANCE COUNSELLINGCORE COMPETENCIES &PROFESSIONAL PRACTICEInstitute of Guidance CounsellorsInstitiúid na gComhairleoirí Treorach

TABLE OF CONTENTSGuidance Counselling: Core Competencies and Professional PracticeTable of Contents. 2Table of Abbreviations and Acronyms. 4Table of Illustrations. 5Acknowledgements and Disclaimer. 6INTRODUCTION. 7Part One: Guidance Counselling Competency & Practice Framework1. THE COMPETENCY FRAMEWORKIntroduction – The Framework. 9The Guidance Counsellor. 10Theoretical Knowledge and Skills. 11Core Guidance Counselling Competencies. 12The Competency Framework Information Sources. 132. CORE GUIDANCE COUNSELLING COMPETENCYIntroduction. 14The Client Counsellor Relationship. 16Knowledge. 18Counselling Skills. 19Professional Attitude and Practice. 20Counselling Competency Section Information Sources. 213. CORE GUIDANCE ASSESSMENT COMPETENCYIntroduction. 23Assessment Interventions. 25Guidance Counsellor Assessment Competencies & Guidelines.26Assessment Section Information Sources. 294. CORE GUIDANCE PRACTICE COMPETENCYIntroduction. 31Vocational Guidance: Knowledge & Practice. 33Personal/Social Guidance: Knowledge & Practice. 38Educational Guidance: Knowledge & Practice. 42Practice Competency Information Sources. 462Institute of Guidance Counsellors

Part Two: Professional Practice Guidelines5. THE GUIDANCE COUNSELLORProfessional & Professionalism. 496. PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE GUIDELINESContracting. 50Confidentiality & Its Limits. 51Valid Consent. 52Competence. 52Record Keeping & Access to Records. 52Self Care. 53Continuous Professional Development. 53Supervision. 54Professional Practice Section Information Sources. 54CONCLUSION. 57GENERAL BIBLIOGRAPHY. 59AppendicesAPPENDIX 1 Recommended Procedure forEthical Decision Making.69APPENDIX 2 Information Sources Relating to Testingand Suppliers of Tests.70APPENDIX 3 Guidelines for Developing Policy inRelation to Psychometric Testing. 72APPENDIX 4Communicating Test Results to Clients. 73APPENDIX 5 Some National & International PolicySources of Relevance to Guidance. 75APPENDIX 6 Equality and EmploymentEquality Legislation.77Institiúid na gComhairleoirí Treorach3

ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMSACCSAssociation of Community and Comprehensive SchoolsAEGAIAdult Education Guidance Association of IrelandAIOSPAssociation Internationale d’Orientation Scolaire et ProfessionnelleAPAAmerican Psychological AssociationBJGCBritish Journal of Guidance CounsellingBPSBritish Psychological AssociationCEDEFOPEuropean Centre for the Development of Vocational TrainingCDSGCCommittee of Directors of Studies in Guidance CounsellingCICACareer Industry Council of AustraliaCMSCareer Management SkillsDESDepartment of Education and SkillsDJEIDepartment of Jobs, Enterprise and InnovationEAEAEuropean Association for the Training of AdultsEGFSNExpert Group on Future Skills NeedsELGPNEuropean Lifelong Guidance Policy NetworkETBIEducation and Training Board IrelandFYAFoundation for Young AustraliansIAVGInternational Association for Vocational GuidanceIAEVGInternational Association for Educational and Vocational GuidanceICCDPPInternational Centre for Career Development and Public PolicyIGCInstitute of Guidance CounsellorsNCGENational Centre for Guidance in EducationNGFNational Guidance ForumNICENetwork for Innovation in Career Guidance and Counselling in EuropeNRDSHNational Registry of Deliberate Self HarmNSACPPNational Standards & Accreditation of Career Practitioners Project (Australia)OECDOrganisation for Economic Co-operation and DevelopmentPSIPsychological Society of IrelandQUALIFAXNational Learner’s DatabaseSOLASFurther Education and Training AuthorityTRACETransparent Competencies in EuropeTUSLAChild and Family Agency4Institute of Guidance Counsellors

TABLE OF ILLUSTRATIONSPageFigure 1The Guidance Counselling Competency Framework.9Figure 2Professional Competence.10Figure 3Theoretical Knowledge and Skills.11Figure 4The Core Professional Competencies.12Figure 5Counselling Competency Framework.14Figure 6The Client Counsellor Relationship.16Figure 7Knowledge of Counselling.18Figure 8Counselling Skills.19Figure 9Ethical Attitude and Practice.20Figure 10 Assessment Competencies, Knowledge and Skills.25Figure 11 Guidance Counsellor Assessment Competencies.26Figure 12 Guidance Counselling Practice.31Figure 13 Guidance Counselling: Vocational Context.33Figure 14 Guidance Counselling: Personal Social Context.38Figure 15 Guidance Counselling: Educational Context.42Figure 16 Traits of Professionalism.49Figure 17 Aspects of Professional Practice.50Institiúid na gComhairleoirí Treorach5

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND DISCLAIMERThe authors would like to acknowledge and thankCommunicating Test Results: Guidelines for Testall, including those guidance counsellors workingUsers (2016).in a variety of sectors, who have contributed byway of submissions, critique and support to theWe wish to thank, most particularly, Professordevelopment of this document in the course of itsMichael O’Rourke1, who acted as the externalresearch and writing.reader of the document, for his insightful critiqueand his overall support and encouragement in theThe Institute of Guidance Counsellors wishesproduction of this IGC publication.to thank the Federation of Associations forCounselling Therapy in British Columbia forOn behalf of the Institute of Guidance Counsellorstheir kind permission to quote freely from their(IGC), the authors of Guidance Counselling: Corepublished work, The National Entry to Practice ProfileCompetencies and Professional Practice arefor Counselling Therapists (2007).Maureen Maughan (Chair)The Institute also wishes to thank the BritishBreeda CoylePsychological Society for permission toPJ McGowanreproduce, in Appendix 4, their recent publication,Patricia WroeSeptember 2016DISCLAIMERThe authors have made every effort to acknowledge information sources. The IGC accepts noresponsibility for omissions and, in the event of exclusions, will undertake to rectify in future editions ofthis document.The inclusion of a source of information or publication is not to be interpreted as an endorsement by theIGC of the entire content, policies or guidance contained in this source, where these are at variance withstated, documented or published policy positions of the professional body.1Professor M. L.O’Rourke, School of Psychology, Trinity College Dublin and the Education Department, Maynooth University.Dr O’Rourke is a visiting Professor to the University of Indiana, South Bend USA, and External Examiner to the Schoolof Psychology, University of Strathclyde, Scotland.6Institute of Guidance Counsellors

INTRODUCTIONThe Institute of Guidance Counsellors, in publishing thisThis document aims to give a clear analysis ofdocument, Guidance Counselling: Core Competencies andthe competencies underpinning the professionalProfessional Practice, is giving expression to two of therole and functions of the guidance counsellor. Theaims set out in its initial discussion document, A Visionauthors reviewed the international literature on thefor the Future Practice of Guidance Counselling in Irelandcore competencies required by guidance counsellors(2013) namely,before arriving at those listed in this document. Thecompetencies outlined are the foundational generic the promotion of a holistic modelof guidance counselling, the articulation of a generic professionalcompetencies required of the guidance counsellor,irrespective of the context or sector in which theguidance counselling professional works.competency frameworkThe acquisition of these competencies is a life-longThe evidence for the guidance counsellor’s contributiontask of personal and professional developmentto fostering clients’ critical self-knowledge, attitudesunderpinned by a willingness to engage constantlyand life-building skills is growing. Guidance counsellorsin reflexive practice in order to master the theoreticalhave an impact on educational, social and economicknowledge and skills base required.outcomes. This is a continuous process throughoutthe “client” lifespan from helping to reduce schoolThis document is aimed primarily at the guidancedropout and increasing student academic achievementcounselling professional in whatever context they work,initially; to providing more motivated and intentionaland equally importantly, at all interested stakeholders:lifelong learners, at whatever stage of their lives andpolicy makers, key partners, and also the wider publiccareer development, thus enabling them to managewho would like to learn about the work, knowledgeproactively career choices and transitions to becomebase, and core competencies of the guidancearchitects of their own futures.counselling professional.Such individual skills are essential in today’s knowledgeFinally, in presenting this document, the Instituteeconomy. Uncertainty and constant change willof Guidance Counsellors hopes to present a clearchallenge our citizens to possess the resilience tounambiguous picture of the knowledge, valuesadapt positively, often in adverse conditions, across theand attitudes which constitute the basis for thelifespan.competencies which guidance counsellors possess.This practice document is intended to imbue membersA clear articulation of the need for a holistic model ofwith confidence in their competencies; to encourageguidance counselling, a model which tends to be athem to continue the task of their maintenance andcompromise between the best of American practice,further development in order to help their clients to faceemphasizing personal counselling, and that of somethe challenges ahead; and to increase the knowledge,European countries which focus on the narrowerunderstanding, and appreciation, of those in the widerconcept of vocational guidance, has never been moreguidance counselling community to the rich andimperative.valuable resource that is guidance counselling.Institiúid na gComhairleoirí Treorach7

PART ONETHE GUIDANCECOUNSELLINGCOMPETENCY &PRACTICE FRAMEWORK

1. THE COMPETENCY FRAMEWORKIntroduction – The FrameworkCORECOMPETENCIESCOUNSELLING& ASSESSMENTSELFVOCATIONALEDUCATIONALPERSONAL/ SOCIALETHICAL VALUES& e 1. The Guidance Counselling Competency FrameworkCOMPETENCECompetence is the ability to ‘identify requirements in complex situations and to solve complex tasks throughthe activation of specialist knowledge, skills, experiences, feelings, values, interests and motivations, and to actindependently and purposefully according to the analysis of the situation. Competence further comprises theability to (self) critically reflect and assess one’s activities regarding the situation and results, in order to learn fromfuture challenges’ 2The IGC competency framework describes a dynamicrelationship is central to the work of the guidancemodel which sees the self of the guidance counsellorprofessional. The framework is best understood as aas the central component in the practise of the corefeedback loop system in which, following initialprofessional competencies of guidance counselling.generic training and skill development, the profession-While an essential element is the underpinning theo-al is engaged in skills acquisition and competencyretical knowledge and the acquisition of the necessarydevelopment through CPD, supervision and advancedskill base for the development of the core professionaltraining in guidance counselling skills, appropriate toand practice competencies, the client – counsellorthe service context.2OECD (2003) Definition and Selection of Key Competencies: Executive stitiúid na gComhairleoirí Treorach9