CASE STUDY:
Bill is an elementary school counselor who has been working in his current role for several
years. He is well-liked by students and staff and is known for his dedication to the well-being of
the children he counsels. One of the children, Johnny, has been seeing Bill regularly to discuss
issues at home. Johnny has revealed that his father drinks heavily and seldom works, while his
mother works all the time and does her best to care for him and his siblings. Recently, Johnny’s
mother approached Bill with a request. She is seeking custody of her children and believes that
Bill’s testimony would support her case. She asked Bill if he would be willing to testify in court
that she is a better parent than Johnny’s father. Bill appropriately declined, stating that his role
is to counsel children, not to evaluate which parent is better.
Despite Bill’s refusal, he received a subpoena to appear in court. His principal, after checking
with the school board’s prosecuting attorney, informed Bill that he must go to court and answer
any factual questions asked. After being sworn in as a witness, Bill was asked to provide
information regarding his interactions with Johnny. Subsequently, the mother’s attorney asked
Bill to offer his opinion on the mother’s parenting skills and whether he believed Johnny would
be better off in her custody.
IMPORTANT LINKS:
● American Counseling Association Code of Ethics (ACA CODES): American Counseling
Association Code of Ethics Link
●
ecision-making.pdf
●
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