Summary of key points
- Ethics protect trust, safety and dignity.
- Confidentiality must be respected, unless serious risk exists.
- Always seek informed consent.
- Understand cultural views and communicate with sensitivity.
- Know your role and its limits.
Final reflection…
Now that you have completed Unit 2 of Module 4, take time to reflect on the following questions, and write down some key insights which will help you on your journey to becoming a lay advisor:
- How do you maintain trust while respecting boundaries?
- What would you do if someone confided something risky but asked you not to tell?
- What kind of ethical support or supervision would help you in your work?
References
- European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights. (2016). ‘Healthcare entitlements of migrants in an irregular situation in the EU’: https://fra.europa.eu/en/publication/2016/healthcare-entitlements-migrants-irregular-situation-eu-28
- European Commission. (2016). ‘EU Compass for Action on Mental Health and Well-being’: https://health.ec.europa.eu/non-communicable-diseases/mental-health/eu-compass-action-mental-health-and-well-being_en
- Mental Health Europe. (2025). ‘Migration & Mental Health & Migration‘: https://www.mentalhealtheurope.org/what-we-do/migration-and-mental-health/
- Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. (2012/C 326/02): https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:C2012/326/02
- Directive 2013/33/EU – Reception Conditions Directive: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex%3A32013L0033
- Directive 2011/24/EU – Patients’ Rights in Cross-border Healthcare: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2011:088:0045:0065:en:PDF
- General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) – Regulation (EU) 2016/679: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2016/679/oj/eng