F25-502 Special Ethical Considerations when Working with Kids & Teens: Complications to Boundaries & Confidentiality

Instructor

Agenda & Learning Objectives

AGENDA:

Introductions (5 minutes)   

Revisiting Ethics in Professional Practice (15 minutes)  
Professional education introduces future practitioners to relevant Codes of Ethics. This portion of the program will revisit what professionals should already know about ethics, so that we are all on the same page as we explore further. What do we mean by “ethical”? How is “ethical” related to “legal”?      

Protecting Yourself from Ethical & Legal Liability (15 minutes)  
This section will outline the framework that professionals can use to prevent ethical conundrums, and protect themselves from legal liability when things get complicated.     

Similarities and Differences between Child and Adult Clients (25 minutes)  
We will start with solidifying our understandings of the standards of ethical practice for adults, and contrast those with that of child clients. Attention will be paid to developmental stages and expectations.   

Exploring the Challenges of Client Confidentiality when Working with Child Clients (45 minutes)   

Child clients are not likely to have the same expectations for client confidentiality as adult clients. We will explore why there are differences, and how to confirm the differences as they relate to practice in individual states. We will apply a framework for informing clients of the appropriate expectations for confidentiality given their particular circumstances.      

15-minute BREAK  

Appropriate Professional Boundaries with Child Clients and their Caretakers (45 minutes)  
In this section we will explore conflicts of interests that are common with child clients and their caretakers, including multiple relationships and oversharing of personal information. Special attention will be paid to concerns related to electronic communications, social media and other forms of technology.     

Applying Ethical and Legal Principals through Case Examples (20 minutes)  
We will explore case examples curated to highlight what has been covered in this training.   

Conclusions/Questions (10 minutes)   

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

Upon the completion of this workshop, participants will be able to:

• Describe the ethical and legal responsibility of professionals to maintain appropriate professional boundaries with child clients.    

• Describe the ethical and legal responsibility of professionals to maintain appropriate professional boundaries with parents/caretakers of child clients.    

• Explain the limits of confidentiality as they relate to the clinical relationship with child clients.    

• Apply a framework for informed consent with child clients appropriate to the developmental realities of the individual client.    

• Apply a framework for informed consent with the parent(s)/caretaker(s) of child clients appropriate to the realities of that client’s situation.  

Bibliography & References

BIBLIOGRAPHY & REFERENCES

American Psychological Association. (2017). Ethical principles of psychologists and code of conduct (2002, amended effective June 1, 2010, and January 1, 2017). https://www.apa.org/ethics/code/  

American Counseling Association. (2014). 2014 ACA code of ethics. https://www.counseling.org/docs/default-source/default-document-library/2014-code-of- ethics-finaladdress.pdf  

Boddy, J., & Dominelli, L. (2017). Social media and social work: The challenges of a new ethical space. Australian Social Work, 70(2), 172-184.      

Disla de Jesus V, Liem A, Borra D, Appel JM. Who's the Boss? Ethical Dilemmas in the Treatment of Children and Adolescents. Focus (Am Psychiatr Publ). 2022 Apr;20(2):215- 219. doi: 10.1176/appi.focus.20210037. Epub 2022 Apr 22. PMID: 37153131; PMCID: PMC10153495.  

Nordesjö, K., Scaramuzzino, G., & Ulmestig, R. (2022). The social worker-client relationship in the digital era: a configurative literature review. European Journal of Social Work, 25(2), 303-315.   

Pozgar, G. D. (2005). Legal and ethical issues for health professionals. Boston: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.   

Reamer, F. G. (2020). Boundary issues and dual relationships in the human services. In Boundary Issues and Dual Relationships in the Human Services. Columbia University Press.   

Tunick, M. (2023). State authority, parental authority, and the rights of mature minors. The Journal of Ethics, 27(1), 7-29.   

Course Completion & CE Information

Category I Maryland BSWE Requirement

The Office of Continuing Professional Education at the University of Maryland School of Social Work is authorized by the Board of Social Work Examiners in Maryland to sponsor social work continuing education programs. This workshop qualifies for 3 Category I Continuing Education Units for ethics. The Office of Continuing Professional Education is also authorized by the Maryland Board of Psychologists and the Maryland Board of Professional Counselors to sponsor Category A continuing professional education. 

ASWB Information 

University of Maryland School of Social Work Office of Continuing Professional Education, #1611, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 2/11/2024-2/11/2027.  

To receive ACE credit, full attendance is required; no partial credits will be given for partial attendance. 

Certificate Access

To access the evaluation and certificate, click on the orange certificate button in your CPE account. Once you complete the evaluation, access to the certificate will be available.  

Live Interactive Webinars (Cat I) and Live Webinars (Cat II) - Allow up to 30 minutes post-training for attendance to be verified, then you will be able to access the evaluation and certificate. 

In Person Trainings - Please allow five (5) business days post-training for attendance to be verified, then you will be able to access the evaluation and certificate. 

Please refer to the tab "Live Interactive Webinar Policies & FAQs" for UMSSW Office of CPE policies regarding all live interactive webinar related matters. Contact our office at cpe@ssw.umaryland.edu for more information.  

Evaluation

Participants will have access to the evaluation after attendance has been verified. Evaluations will be available for one (1) week after the workshop has ended.  

After one (1) week, participants will no longer have access to the evaluation and will have to contact CPE about reactivation.

Target Audience

Social Workers, LCPCs, and Psychologists

We welcome anyone interested in the topic!

Live Interactive Webinar Platforms

LIVE INTERACTIVE WEBINAR PLATFORMS

The Office of Continuing Professional Education hosts Live Interactive Webinars through Zoom. This platform offers a high quality and user-friendly webinar platform for our registrants.

System Requirements:

• Operating Systems: Windows XP or higher; MacOS 9 or higher; Android 4.0 or higher.
• Internet Browser: Google Chrome; Firefox 10.0 or higher.

Our system is not compatible with the Safari web browser.

• Broadband Internet Connection: Cable, High-speed DSL and any other medium that is internet accessible.

**Please have your device charging at all times to ensure that your device does not lose power during the webinar.

Course Interaction Requirements:

To participate in Live Interactive Webinars, you MUST have a device that allows you to view the presentation on screen and hear the instructor at all times. We do not allow participants to call-in from their phones or mobile devices and solely listen to the presentation. Participation in Live Interactive Webinars is mandatory.

Our webinar policies can be found on our website by clicking here.

Webinar Policies & FAQs

Click The Link to View The Webinar Policies & FAQs

https://umbsswcpe.ce21.com/Page/live-interactive-webinar-procedures-policies-4129

Code of Conduct

The Office of Continuing Professional Education at the University of Maryland School of Social Work adheres to the NASW Code of Ethics. This policy is to ensure that the training environment for social work professionals remains respectful, productive, and conducive to learning. Disruptive behavior that interferes with the learning process, disrupts the training experience for others, or undermines the integrity of the program will not be tolerated.

Expectations for Participant Engagement:

In alignment with the NASW Code of Ethics and the University of Maryland Baltimore Code of Conduct, participants are expected to demonstrate professionalism, which includes respecting confidentiality, maintaining a collaborative and respectful tone, and contributing positively to the group dynamic. Disclosures made during the training (e.g., case studies or personal reflections) must be handled with care and in accordance with ethical and legal guidelines.

All participants in the training program are expected to:

• Engage actively in the learning process and show respect for the opinions and contributions of others.
• Demonstrate professionalism in both attitude and behavior, maintaining respect for instructors, peers, and the training environment.
• Maintain open communication by expressing concerns or disagreements constructively and respectfully.
• Follow the guidelines and expectations provided by instructors and facilitators.
• Support a collaborative learning environment where all participants feel valued and safe to contribute.

Instructors and CPE staff reserve the right to dismiss participants who do not adhere to ethical/professional principles and standards. If removed, CEs will be adjusted to reflect the time attended, unless otherwise specified. 

ADA Accommodations

If you are requesting ADA accommodations, please contact our office via email at least two weeks prior to the workshop date. Requests after that date may not be fulfilled.  

Our email address is cpe@ssw.umaryland.edu.  

Late Fees and Refunds

The base price is $70, which includes CE credit.  

Late Fee: On 09/17/25, a non-refundable late fee of $20 is added to the base price. Late fees cannot be refunded or applied to account credit.  

Cancellations: **ALL cancellations will be subjected to a $35.00 administration fee.**  To be eligible for a refund or CPE account credit, cancellations must be made at least 24 hours before the workshop. 

For more information, please read the general policies on our website.