This document specifically addresses ethical issues in group work:

This document specifically addresses ethical issues in group work:

• A. ACA Code of Ethics
• B. ASGW Multicultural and Social Justice Principles
• C. ASGW Best Practice Guidelines
• D. ACA Best Practice Guidelines for Group Workers

Answer: (C)

Ethical guidance for group work comes from guidelines that are specifically built around the dynamics and responsibilities of leading groups. The ASGW Best Practice Guidelines are designed for group workers and address ethics directly within the group context, detailing how to handle confidentiality among group members, obtain informed consent that accounts for group processes, establish and maintain boundaries, manage power and safety, respond to crises, and plan termination. These guidelines give concrete, group-focused ethical guidance that you won’t find with the general professional ethics or with documents focused mainly on multicultural or broad practice issues. The ACA Code of Ethics provides broad professional standards for counselors across all modalities, so it’s essential but not tailored to the particular ethical challenges of running groups. The ASGW Multicultural and Social Justice Principles emphasize culturally responsive and justice-oriented practice, which are critical components of ethical group work—but they aren’t a standalone, comprehensive ethics framework for running groups. The ACA Best Practice Guidelines for Group Workers (if present) are less central in standard references than the ASGW guidelines for the specific ethics of group practice.

Ethical guidance for group work comes from guidelines that are specifically built around the dynamics and responsibilities of leading groups. The ASGW Best Practice Guidelines are designed for group workers and address ethics directly within the group context, detailing how to handle confidentiality among group members, obtain informed consent that accounts for group processes, establish and maintain boundaries, manage power and safety, respond to crises, and plan termination. These guidelines give concrete, group-focused ethical guidance that you won’t find with the general professional ethics or with documents focused mainly on multicultural or broad practice issues.

The ACA Code of Ethics provides broad professional standards for counselors across all modalities, so it’s essential but not tailored to the particular ethical challenges of running groups. The ASGW Multicultural and Social Justice Principles emphasize culturally responsive and justice-oriented practice, which are critical components of ethical group work—but they aren’t a standalone, comprehensive ethics framework for running groups. The ACA Best Practice Guidelines for Group Workers (if present) are less central in standard references than the ASGW guidelines for the specific ethics of group practice.