Refrain from any speech or action that could in any way be construed sexually or romantically. Keep the door to the counseling office open or install a window in the counseling office. Cautions Concerning Counseling 1. Using secular counseling methods without possessing secular credentials increases your legal liability. If you use such methods, you will probably be required to meet the standard of care imposed by the legal system on professional counselors.
Youth ministries are at high risk for sexual misconduct allegations.
Youth workers are often closer in age to the teens they work with, they're often unmarried, and they spend a lot of time with youth sometimes off premises or at overnight activities. You need to establish rigid guidelines for youth ministers and youth activities. Two ways to help reduce problems are to plan youth activities in advance of an event and ensure that adequate adult supervision is present. A growing number of states deem it a criminal offense for a counselor to become sexually involved with a client. Consensual sexual conduct is not a valid defense if a court determines that such a law was violated.