What are the ethical and legal implications here?
Emily is an eight-year old Cuban girl who has been attending counseling for two months on Friday afternoons after school. Her family emigrated from Cuba to Texas two years ago. According to her mother, Emily’s father was “inappropriate” with Emily and she and her daughter left the next morning to relatives until they could get out of the country. Emily’s mom reports that she has been struggling in school, has low grades, and has had several incidents of serious aggression. Her mom regularly brings her to sessions and participates in the last ten minutes of counseling each week. Emily has begun to make progress and recently stated that she “likes therapy.” Sessions have just begun to address Emily’s relationship with her father. While she has not stated any sexual abuse, she has talked about how her father would spank her if she misbehaved and on occassion hit her with his belt. Information has been very slow to come, and it is clear that Emily feels embarassed when she shares, mostly about being a “naughty” girl, and closes down when pushed faster than she is ready to go. Recently, a man showed up at your office during the week. He informs you that he is Emily’s dad. He has followed her to your office and demands to know what is going on. You perceive him as hostile and can only understand part of what he is saying as he speaks only in broken English. You calm him down enough to understand what he wants. He wants to know why she is in counseling, who is bringing her, and what she is talking about. He shares with you that he was distraught that they left, that he loved his daughter and that he felt her mother was the “crazy” one, always after Emily for this or that. That he felt he was Emily’s protector and wants very badly to be with her again. When you tell him you need to check things out before you can talk with him, he becomes very agitated and mutters, I’m gonna get that %^%^ for taking my daughter from me and then thanks you for your time and leaves your office. What do you do? Can you share anything with this man? What are the ethical and legal implications here? Add in something about duty to warn and use the code from the ACA.