Aug 10 • Benchmark Psychology

Why Your Psychology Practice’s Admin Team Needs Ethics Training

Reduce risk with ethics training for psychology admin teams. Learn privacy, boundaries and escalation basics.

When we talk about ethical practice in psychology, the conversation naturally focuses on psychologists as they have professional and ethical obligations that guide everything from clinical decision-making and confidentiality to professional boundaries and client safety.

However, psychologists aren't the only people in a psychology practice who interact with clients, handle sensitive information or make decisions that can affect the client experience.

Your administrative team plays an important role in supporting ethical, safe and compliant psychological services.


Receptionists, intake staff, practice managers and administrative assistants are often the first point of contact for clients, and they may have access to highly sensitive personal information throughout the client journey.


So, does your administrative team understand the ethical responsibilities that come with working in a psychology setting?

The important role of administrative staff in psychology

Administrative staff are often the people making the practice run smoothly behind the scenes.

They answer phone calls and emails, schedule appointments, manage client records, process referrals, communicate with families and other professionals, and help clients navigate the service.
These may seem like administrative tasks, but many involve ethical considerations, such as:

  • What information can be shared with a client's family member?
  • How should sensitive information be discussed over the phone?
  • What should happen if someone requests access to a client's records?
  • How should confidential information be stored and handled?
  • What should an administrator do if a client becomes distressed or angry?
  • Where are the boundaries between being helpful and becoming involved in a client's personal circumstances?
  • How can administrative staff ensure every client is treated respectfully and inclusively?

These situations don't necessarily require administrative staff to make clinical decisions, but they do require an understanding of where the boundaries are, what risks exist and when a matter needs to be escalated to a psychologist or practice manager.

Confidentiality doesn't stop at the therapy room

One of the most important areas of ethical practice for psychology administrative teams is confidentiality. Administrative staff may have access to appointment information, contact details, referral information, clinical records, correspondence and other sensitive client information.

A seemingly simple request can therefore present a difficult situation. A family member may call asking about an appointment. A school may request information about a student. Another professional may contact the practice seeking information about a client.Without appropriate training, an administrative staff member may be unsure about what they can disclose, what they should verify first and when they need to seek guidance.

Understanding privacy and confidentiality helps administrative staff recognise these situations and respond appropriately.

Administrative decisions can affect client safety

Ethical practice isn't only about confidentiality. 

Administrative staff can also encounter situations involving distressed, vulnerable or at-risk clients. They may be the first person a client speaks to when:
  • they are upset about an appointment
  • they are experiencing a crisis
  • they are angry or distressed
  • they disclose sensitive information
  • they have concerns about their psychologist
  • they are unhappy with the service they have received.
In such cases, administrative staff aren't expected to provide psychological advice or manage clinical risk. However, they need to understand their role, their boundaries and when a situation should be escalated. Clear training can give staff greater confidence in recognising situations that require a different response.

Professional boundaries apply to the whole practice

Professional boundaries are another area where administrative staff can benefit from psychology-specific training. Because reception and administrative staff often develop ongoing relationships with clients, it can be easy for interactions to become informal or personal. Staff may want to be supportive and helpful, particularly when they know a client has been attending the practice for a long time. However,  being friendly and supportive doesn't mean boundaries no longer apply. That is why administrative staff need to understand the difference between providing appropriate support within their role and becoming involved in matters that should be managed by a psychologist or another appropriately qualified professional.

Ethical practice is a team responsibility

A psychology practice can have excellent clinical policies and highly trained psychologists, but ethical practice doesn't happen in isolation. Every person who interacts with clients contributes to the culture and safety of the practice.

When administrative staff understand the ethical principles that underpin psychological services, they are better equipped to:
  • Protect client privacy and confidentiality
  • Handle records appropriately
  • Maintain professional boundaries
  • Communicate respectfully with clients
  • Recognise difficult or ethically sensitive situations
  • Understand when to seek assistance or escalate an issue
  • Support psychologists in meeting their professional obligations.

It also creates greater consistency across the practice. Instead of relying on individual staff members to work out what to do when an unusual situation arises, the team has a shared understanding of the principles that guide their decisions.

Ethics training can be part of your onboarding process

Ethics training doesn't have to be something you revisit only when a problem occurs. For psychology practices, it can form part of a structured onboarding and professional development program for administrative staff.

This is particularly useful when:
  • a new receptionist or administrator joins the practice
  • staff are moving into an intake or practice management role
  • your practice is growing
  • administrative responsibilities are changing
  • you want to strengthen your privacy and confidentiality processes
  • you want your whole team to have a consistent understanding of ethical responsibilities.
Providing training proactively can help staff feel more confident when they encounter situations that aren't covered by a simple procedure or script.

Give your administrative team the knowledge to support ethical practice.

Administrative staff don't need to be psychologists to play an important role in ethical psychological services. They do, however, need to understand the environment they work in and the responsibilities that come with supporting psychologists and interacting with clients. This is the reason Benchmark Psychology developed:

Ethics for Psychology Administrative Staff: Supporting Safe and Compliant Services.

Created by Clinical Psychologist, and practice owner, Dr Rebecca Frost, the introductory course is specifically designed for administrative staff working in psychology settings. It covers several practical areas including:
  • client privacy and confidentiality
  • safe and accurate record management
  • professional boundaries
  • inclusive and respectful services
  • responding appropriately to difficult or ethical situations
  • how administrative roles support psychologists to meet the Code of Conduct.

With approximately 6–8 hours of study, the course can be completed online and is suitable for receptionists, intake staff, practice managers and administrative assistants working across private practices, hospitals, community services, schools, universities, government and not-for-profit organisations.

Training your whole administrative team?

The course can also be used as part of practice-wide onboarding or compliance training, helping your administrative team develop a consistent understanding of ethical responsibilities.

Give your administrative team the confidence and knowledge to support safe, respectful and compliant psychological services.

Give your administrative team the confidence and knowledge to support safe, respectful and compliant psychological services.