Ethical

Dilemma:
Homeless
Student
Laura, Rebecca, Stephanie
& Yasmin
 Scenario:
A student tells you that they were evicted and have to
live with their uncle. It is not in the town of the school
where they attend. You know if they tell he will get
kicked out and sent to the uncle’s local school which is
in gang territory.
What is your responsibility?
 What is the problem?
Initial Reaction: Student’s education should not be interrupted.
Emotionally
● Desire to support all homeless
students and students in need
● Concern for student’s safety in gang
territory
● Student’s current housing quality
and relationship with uncle
● How is the student & family coping?
● How can we link the family with
local resources and services?
Intellectually
● Logistics of transportation to school
of origin
● District and school policies on
inter-district transfers
● State and Federal laws on homeless
students
● School resources on gang
prevention, community engagement,
after-school programs
● Try to get more information
 ACA Code of Ethics
(ACA, 2014)
Section A- The Counseling Relationship
A.1. Client Welfare
A.1.a. Primary Responsibility
The primary responsibility of counselors is to respect the dignity and promote the welfare of clients.
A.1.d. Support Network Involvement
Counselors recognize that support networks hold various meanings in the lives of clients and consider
enlisting the support, understanding, and involvement of others (e.g., religious/spiritual/community
leaders, family members, friends) as positive resources, when appropriate, with client consent.
Section B- Confidentiality and Privacy
B.1. Respecting Client Rights
B.1.b. Respect for Privacy
Counselors respect the privacy of clients.
B.1.c. Respect for Confidentiality
Counselors protect the confidential information of clients and disclose information only with
appropriate consent or with sound legal or ethical justification.
ASCA Ethical Standards, 2016
A.8.f: Advocate for the equal right and access to free, appropriate public education for all youth, in which
students are not stigmatized or isolated based on their housing status, disability, foster care, special
education status, mental health or any other exceptionality or special need.

A.10.b Advocate for and collaborate with students to ensure students remain safe at home and at school. A
high standard of care includes determining what information is shared with parents/ guardians and when
information creates an unsafe environment for students.

A.10.c Identify resources needed to optimize education.

 McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act
A child qualifies as homeless under the following circumstances:

● The child is living with a friend or family member because the family lost its home

● The child is living in a motel, hotel, trailer park, or camping ground

● The child lives in parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, or bus/train stations
● The child is awaiting foster care placement
McKinney Vento requires all local educational agencies to ensure that homeless students have access to the
same free, public education and be provided with transportation services, educational services, programs for
vocational, technical or gifted education, and school nutrition programs.

(US Dept of Education, 2019)

 Chronological & Developmental
Considerations

● What is the student’s age?

○ Grade level: Senior about to graduate?

○ Level of maturity/self-sufficiency→ will the student be able to navigate bus route/schedule/map?

● Does the student have accommodations?

○ 504 plan or IEP
 Considering the Setting, Parental Rights,
& Minor Rights
● Setting

○ Where is the student living? Are they safe?

● Parental Rights
○ Parents attitude towards moving school

● Minor Rights
○ Equal right and access to free, appropriate public education
 Moral Principles
Autonomy- Promoting students’ ability to choose their own direction

What is the age of the student? Emotional maturity? Mental health?

Nonmaleficence- Avoiding doing harm

Potentially putting the student’s life in danger

Justice- Equal treatment to all students

Ensuring the homeless student’s access to a free and appropriate education

(Stone, 2017)
 Potential Courses of Action &
Considering the Consequences
Course of Action 1 Course of Action 2

● Collaborate w/ staff to research policy on ● Consider transferring the student

homeless students
● Reach out to their community liaison about
● Research resources on transportation the resources they can provide for them.
options (Bus pass)
● Provide student resources and contacts
● Communicate with the student about their they can communicate with in order to
desires and their needs. promote positive community engagement.

● Communicate with parents regarding

transportation
 Evaluating the Selected Course of Action
Course of Action #1
● Consequences:
○ Positive:
■ obtain a bus pass→ student
gets to stay at current school
○ Negative:
■ transportation is time
consuming/difficult to navigate
for student
Course of Action #2
● Consequences:
○ Positive :
■ Student is at a school closer to
their current residence.
○ Negative:
■ Student does not receive
necessary support and is
exposed to gang activity
■ Possible concern with
transferring credits etc.
Course of Action #1!!!! :)
 Consultation
● Meet with:
○ Another school counselor/colleagues
○ Community liaison
○ Parents/guardians
○ Student
Implement the Course of Action
● Post collaboration:
○ Obtain bus pass from community liaison
○ Work with student and parents on how to use bus pass
○ Set up a system with parents/guardians to ensure
student gets to school and home safely
○ Check-in with office staff and teachers to make sure
student gets to school on time, caught up on work
 References
American Counseling Association. (2014). ACA code of ethics. Alexandria, VA: Author.

American School Counselor Association. (2016). ASCA ethical standards for school counselors. Retrieved 5
October 2019, from https://www.schoolcounselor.org/asca/media/asca/Ethics/EthicalStandards2016.pdf

Stone, C. (2017). Ethics and law (4th ed.). Alexandria, VA: American School Counselor Association.

United States Department of Education. (2019). Law and guidance- elementary and secondary education- part
c - homeless education. [online] Available at: https://www2.ed.gov/policy/elsec/leg/esea02/pg116.html
[Accessed 25 Sep. 2019].

https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/hs/cy/