AFT Code of Ethics and Practice January 2018


Introduction T e purpose of the AFT Code of Ethics and Practice is to defi ne


general principles and to establish standards of professional conduct for psychotherapists in their work and to inform and protect members of the public who seek their services. T e Code of Ethics should be read in conjunction with the AFT Rules of Conduct for Members and the AFT Procedures for Managing Breaches of the Rules of Conduct for Members. A. T e Association for Family T erapy and Systemic Practice (AFT) is the only organisation for family therapy and systemic practice that covers the whole of the United Kingdom. It has members from all the main health and social welfare professions, and seeks to improve the standards of professional practice with family and other systems by promoting family therapy ideas in practice, teaching, supervision and research. A signifi cant number of members of AFT are practicing as Family and Systemic Psychotherapists, Systemic Psychotherapists and Family T erapists to whom AFT provides the services of a professional body. AFT accredits family therapy training courses at various levels in the United Kingdom.


B. AFT is a Member of the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP), and is responsible for the registration of individual members with UKCP. In accordance with UKCP requirements, registered Family and Systemic Psychotherapists, Systemic Psychotherapists and Family T erapists are subject to UKCP’s Central Complaints Process. AFT requires that qualifi ed members practicing as Family and Systemic Psychotherapists, Systemic Psychotherapists and Family T erapists in any capacity should be registered with UKCP or another registering body which can protect the public by receiving and managing complaints regarding their psychotherapy practice.


C. AFT is a member of the College for Family, Couple and Systemic T erapy (CFCST) of UKCP whose fl ag statement is: “Organisations within this College have in common an understanding that symptoms, problems and diffi culties arise in the context of relationships, and are to be understood in terms of interactive and systemic processes. T e main focus of intervention emerges f om these pat erns of interaction and the meanings given to them. Given this focus, the members may work with individuals, couples, families or parts of them, and other signifi cant relationship networks.”


D. Each UKCP Member Organisation is required to include and elaborate upon UKCP principles in its own Code of Ethics. T e AFT Code of Ethics is accepted by UKCP.


E. T e terms ‘family therapy’ , ‘systemic psychotherapy’, and ‘systemic practice’ refer not only to systemic work by therapists and practitioners with families, but also to other activities such as consultation, publication, research, supervision, training and a variety of direct forms of work with clients other than as part of a family.


F. T e terms Family and Systemic Psychotherapist, Systemic Psychotherapist and Family T erapist refer to a person who has completed accredited qualifying-level training, and is registered


Context 155, February 2018


with UKCP within the College of Couple, Family and Systemic T erapy. T e term systemic practitioner refers to a person who has


completed training to intermediate level. For the sake of clarity the generic term Member will be used throughout the Code to emphasise that the Code refers to all members of AFT whether they are Family and Systemic Psychotherapists, Systemic Psychotherapists, Family T erapists or systemic practitioners or any other person who is a member of AFT. See also paragraph 19. G. All AFT members, whether registered with UKCP, another registration body or not registered in any capacity but who have been disciplined by their registering body or employer, convicted of a criminal off ence or against whom successful civil proceedings have been brought in relation to their work, may be considered to have brought the Association into disrepute. T e AFT Board may suspend or terminate their membership.


H. In addition to the ethical requirements of members in their relationships with families and individual clients, there are crucial contextual issues which they have to address in order to be eff ective in their work. T ese include: i. Making satisfactory arrangements with their employing agencies, particularly when it comes to: a. having a systemic approach accepted as a viable way of working,


b. receiving adequate support and supervision, and c. being provided with at least the minimum facilities to practice as a Family and Systemic Psychotherapist.


ii. Promoting greater public awareness of issues to do with the emotional health of family life, and information about family therapy.


iii. Familiarising themselves with any local interagency procedures in relation to, safeguarding and mental health.


General principles


1. T e purpose of family therapy and systemic practice is to promote greater well-being and/or understanding in those with whom members are concerned.


2. Members must promote the welfare of families and individuals. Relationships with clients must be based on honesty and integrity.


3. When faced with an ethical dilemma members should adopt the course of action which ‘maximises the good’ and does the ‘least harm’. T ey should at ach particular weight to the rights of the vulnerable and those with least power.


4. Members are required to refrain from any behaviour that may be detrimental to the profession, to colleagues or to trainees.


5. Members must not exercise negative discrimination in the selection of clients on the basis of age, gender, ability, race, sexual orientation, religion, social class, national origin or political affi liation.


6. Members should be aware of the particular needs of children and vulnerable adults and at end to issues of safety. 7. Members should adopt a culturally sensitive stance to all


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AFT Code of Ethics and Practice


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