4. Report problems. Legal and ethical

The field of community services has very strict and stringent ethical guidelines to assist workers in how they conduct themselves in certain situations. Different sectors will have different guidelines and an AHA must have a knowledge of the guidelines that apply to their workplace.  

However, having said that, determining what actually constitutes ethical conduct may be affected by the need to consider different legislation, principles of the sector's work, the rights and needs of the person who is receiving support/care and the rights of the worker. 

Supervisors have ethical responsibilities to the people accessing the services, but also have obligations to other staff members in their team.

If you ever experience difficulty or are in doubt about what action to take, then you should discuss the situation with your supervisor.

Professional ethics include:

• striving for excellence
• being trustworthy
• being courteous and respectful
• being honest, open and transparent
• being competent and improve continually
• always behaving morally (ethically) - playing by the rules
• always being honourable and acting with integrity
• being respectful of confidentiality (respecting the rules that restrict you from unauthorised dissemination of information).
• setting a good example by role modelling the best behaviour - this also improves your professionalism.