Justice Minister Chris Said told Parliament yesterday that a code of ethics for psychologists was in its final draft while the code of ethics for social workers was being updated.
Dr Said was introducing the second reading of the Bill regulating the counselling profession which had been practised in Malta for more than 40 years. The Cana Movement had set up the marriage counselling service in the early 1950s while the Government had come to an agreement with the Malta Union of Teachers to set up the Guidance Service in the Education Department in 1975. Other counselling services were set up in 2006 under the college system.
Now was the time to regulate the profession to set standards and ensure confidentiality between the client and the professional.
The Council for the Counselling Profession would be set up and authorised to establish a code of ethics. The council would be formed of seven members, four of them appointed by the minister. It would include professional counsellors and a lawyer.
Mr Said said there were 50 students pursuing studies at the University of Malta leading to a Master’s degree in counselling. The university offered another degree course in trans-cultural counselling jointly with Maryland University College in the United States. A number of foreign students were pursuing this course.
The Maltese Association for the Counselling Profession (MACP) had given an important contribution to the draft Bill. Submissions by other groups were also considered. It was important to regulate standards of assistance given, quality of training and accountability.
A warrant would be issued for counsellors with a Master’s degree or equivalent and at least two years’ full-time or 1,000 hours part-time experience within five years of reading for the degree.
The role of the Council of the Counselling Profession was to evaluate and establish standards, examine applications and make recommendations to the minister on awarding or rejecting a warrant. It would also keep a register of counsellors and make recommendations with respect to a code of ethics.
The Bill would introduce supervisors, who would be specially trained to help counsellors. The proposed supervision had three main aims: to ensure that professionals exercised their duties with the highest professionalism, to help professionals in their training and to help professionals in sharing the burden of their work.
Dr Said said the principal aim of counselling was of responsibility towards the profession, the clients and towards other colleagues.
The Bill would provide offences and punishments where counsellors provided wrongful or fraudulent information.
The Government’s policy was always to protect the most vulnerable: it believed in social justice.
By strengthening the Maltese economy, it was able to help several entities in the social sector. The Government had introduced several schemes to help children, families, the elderly and disabled.
Dr Said then referred to the Budget introduced last week and listed the increased benefits, including children allowances, social security and housing.
Turning to care orders, he said siblings over 10 would no longer have to be separated but a home would start to house them all , no matter their gender. Counselling services would also be extended to children under a care order.
A sexual response team to assist individuals and a therapeutic centre for behavioural problems were also being introduced.