Ethical and Protection Standard

Our commitment to people

The Embaixada da Família® exists to contribute to the development and Integral Well-being of people, couples, families and communities.

This purpose requires more than programs, knowledge or methodologies. It requires a responsible way of welcoming, guiding, caring, communicating and building relationships.

For this reason, this Ethical and Protection Standard expresses principles that should guide the institutional activity of the Embaixada da Família® and, according to their application and the specific instruments of each relationship, of the structures, initiatives and people that make up its network.

At the heart of this commitment is a conviction:

The dignity of the person comes before commercial, institutional or expansion interests.

No financial result justifies compromising the dignity, safety or quality of the care offered to people.

1. Every person has dignity and singularity

Every person should be received with respect, consideration and dignity.

We recognize their history, their bonds, their resources, their difficulties, their values and their capacity for development.

Our perspective should not reduce a person to:

• a problem;
• a diagnosis;
• a difficulty;
• a role;
• a result;
• a social condition;
• a belief;
• a choice;
• or a moment in their story.

A person is always more than any isolated aspect of their experience.

2. The person is singular, but not isolated

Personalizing care and development does not mean understanding the person apart from their reality.

The person is singular, but not isolated.

Whenever relevant to the context, we seek to consider the different dimensions that run through their experience:

• body;
• thoughts;
• emotions;
• behavioral tendencies;
• history;
• self-perception;
• inner resources;
• bonds;
• family;
• relationships;
• social context;
• culture;
• work and activities;
• community;
• values;
• spirituality and faith, when present;
• potential;
• difficulties;
• plans and perspectives for the future.

To personalize is to recognize singularity without disconnecting it from one's history, bonds and the contexts that run through one's life.

3. Integrality without reductionism

Integral Well-being considers that different dimensions of life may be related to one another.

For this reason, we adopt as a principle:

Not everything is biological.
Not everything is of the Soul.
Not everything is social.
Not everything is spiritual.

The person needs to be understood in their integrality.

This means avoiding simplistic explanations for complex experiences and recognizing when a given situation requires specific knowledge, professionals or resources.

4. Responsibility without blame

Recognizing the contexts that run through a person's life does not mean taking away their capacity for choice, responsibility and development.

Likewise, recognizing their responsibility does not mean automatically blaming them for everything they experience.

We seek to foster:

• awareness;
• responsibility;
• autonomy;
• development of resources;
• capacity for choice;
• understanding of contexts;
• building possible paths.

Responsibility and context should go hand in hand.

5. Welcoming is not controlling

Welcoming should expand safety, understanding and possibilities.

It should not be used to produce:

• undue dependence;
• submission;
• control;
• fear;
• embarrassment or pressure;
• manipulation.

A relationship of care or development should not turn vulnerability into an instrument of power.

6. Spirituality, faith and freedom of conscience

We recognize spirituality as a dimension that may be related to meaning, purpose, transcendence, values, hope, connection, belonging and bonds.

For people who have faith, their religious tradition and their relationship with God or with the transcendent may be meaningful resources for life and for coping strategies.

For this reason, the Embaixada da Família® respects:

• different religious traditions;
• different expressions of faith;
• different forms of spirituality;
• people who have no religious affiliation.

Spirituality should be approached with respect for each person's history, convictions, limits and freedom of conscience.

7. Faith must never be an instrument of coercion

The following are not compatible with this Standard:

• coercive proselytism;
• religious imposition;
• spiritual manipulation;
• spiritual blaming;
• using faith to control decisions;
• discrimination based on religion or the absence of it;
• using spiritual authority to pressure or shame;
• reducing all suffering to spiritual causes;
• improperly replacing professional care with exclusively spiritual explanations.

When spirituality or faith are relevant to the person and appropriate to the context, they may be part of the process in a respectful and responsible way.

8. Important bonds do not justify unsafe bonds

We value families, marriages, relationships and communities.

However, strengthening bonds does not mean preserving any relationship at any cost.

Situations involving:

• violence;
• abuse;
• coercion;
• threats;
• exploitation;
• serious violation of boundaries;
• risk to integrity

require attention to safety and, when necessary, referral to appropriate professional, institutional or public resources.

No person should be pressured to remain in an unsafe situation in the name of family, marriage, forgiveness, faith, spirituality or reconciliation.

9. Children and adolescents require enhanced protection

Every initiative involving children or adolescents must recognize their particular stage of development and need for protection.

Special attention should be given to:

• safety;
• privacy;
• the responsibilities of adults;
• applicable authorizations and consents;
• protection against undue exposure;
• professional boundaries;
• the appropriateness of activities;
• necessary referrals.

Specific protocols should establish the procedures corresponding to each activity.

10. Each professional acts within their licensure

Participation in the Embaixada da Família® network does not replace professional training, legal licensure or the requirements specific to each profession.

Each professional must act within:

• their training;
• their licensure;
• their competencies;
• their limits;
• their professional responsibilities;
• the rules applicable to their practice.

No position, franchise, internal training or institutional affiliation automatically expands a person's professional scope.

11. Licensure, certification and accreditation are different

To preserve institutional clarity:

Professional licensure refers to the requirements specific to the profession and the rules applicable to its practice.

Methodological training and certification refer to the processes related to the Instituto I.M.A.G.E.M.® and the corresponding methodologies.

Accreditation in the network refers to the criteria established by the Embaixada da Família® for participation in its network.

One condition does not automatically replace or expand another.

12. Responsible multiprofessional cooperation

Integral Well-being may require different areas of knowledge and practice.

Cooperation between professionals must respect:

• competencies;
• limits;
• responsibilities;
• applicable confidentiality;
• the person's needs;
• quality of care.

No professional should take on duties for which they are not appropriately qualified.

When necessary, referring is also a way of caring.

13. Information is not automatically care

Institutional, educational and psychoeducational content can contribute to reflection, knowledge and development.

It does not automatically replace:

• assessment;
• diagnosis;
• treatment;
• professional follow-up;
• emergency care.

Simply accessing the website, a piece of content or a publication does not, in itself, establish a professional care relationship.

14. Responsible communication

Communication by the Embaixada da Família® and its network should seek clarity, responsibility and respect.

No promises should be made of:

• guaranteed cure;
• universal clinical results;
• instant transformation;
• guaranteed happiness;
• conflict-free relationships;
• guaranteed professional success;
• guaranteed financial results;
• guaranteed business returns.

Hope should not be confused with promise.

Development should not be presented as an automatic result.

15. Vulnerability is not a sales tool

No situation of emotional, family, relational, psychological, social or spiritual vulnerability should be used as an instrument of commercial pressure.

Economic relationships should seek:

• clarity;
• transparency;
• adequate information;
• freedom of decision;
• respect;
• absence of undue pressure.

Purpose and economic sustainability can coexist, as long as dignity remains the limit.

16. Privacy and confidentiality

Personal information must be handled with care and responsibility.

Specific privacy and confidentiality obligations may vary according to:

• the activity;
• the service;
• the profession;
• applicable law;
• the existence of risk situations or specific duties of protection.

For this reason, we do not promise absolute confidentiality beyond the limits within which it can legitimately be ensured.

The processing of personal data will be detailed in the corresponding Privacy Policy.

17. Conflicts of interest

Situations in which commercial, professional, institutional, family, financial or personal interests may interfere with the quality, safety or independence of decisions must be recognized and managed responsibly.

Whenever possible, decisions related to the care and protection of people should not be subordinated to interests incompatible with their dignity and safety.

18. Research requires its own ethics

Research activities should not be automatically confused with:

• care services;
• programs;
• training;
• participation in the network.

Where research involves people or their data, the relevant ethical, institutional and regulatory procedures must be followed.

Taking part in a network activity does not automatically mean consenting to the use of information for research.

19. Institutional roles must remain clear

The architecture of the ecosystem distinguishes functions.

Embaixada da Família®

Responsible for the governance of the network, institutional standards, accreditation and the protection of the network's identity.

Consulado da Família®

An Integral Well-being Center with a local presence, responsible for the authorized application of the initiatives and standards corresponding to its activity.

Instituto I.M.A.G.E.M.®

A distinct institution within the ecosystem, related to research, the organization of knowledge, methodological development, training and methodological certification.

This distinction protects responsibilities, competencies and limits.

20. A standard must be able to be heard and protected

An ethical commitment only becomes effective when there are responsible means to receive concerns about its application.

For this reason, the establishment of a future channel is planned:

Listening and Protection Channel

intended for reports and concerns related to:

• respect;
• conduct;
• safety;
• boundaries;
• experience in the network;
• possible violations of this Standard.

The Channel will be presented as available only when there is a real structure for:

• receipt;
• protection of information;
• initial assessment;
• referral;
• handling;
• accountability;
• response.

Until then, its existence should be communicated exclusively as a structure under development.

21. The Listening and Protection Channel will have limits

Once implemented, the Channel will not replace:

• emergency services;
• public authorities;
• protection services;
• professional regulatory bodies;
• legal assistance;
• clinical care;
• other legally competent bodies or services.

Each situation should be directed to the appropriate resource.

22. Who this Standard is for

This document sets out the institutional ethical direction of the Embaixada da Família®.

Its operational application to:

• franchisees;
• managers;
• teams;
• accredited professionals;
• facilitators;
• service providers;
• partners;
• other people who institutionally represent the network

must be formalized through the instruments, contracts, protocols and responsibilities corresponding to each relationship.

This public document does not replace those instruments.

23. A commitment that must show in practice

Ethics should not exist only in documents.

It needs to be perceived:

• in the way we welcome;
• in the way we communicate;
• in the protection of privacy;
• in respect for boundaries;
• in professional practice;
• in the relationship with families;
• in the responsible use of spirituality;
• in the conduct of economic relationships;
• in the way we acknowledge mistakes;
• in the willingness to listen;
• in the responsibility to change course when necessary.

Our goal is to build a network in which people can find development without having to give up their dignity, their freedom of conscience or their safety.

Final commitment

We want to help people, couples, families and communities find responsible paths of development, maturity, strengthening and Integral Well-being.

To this end, we accept that knowledge, spirituality, relationships, methodology, expansion and economic sustainability must remain subject to ethical limits.

The person does not exist to serve the institution.
The institution exists to serve people with responsibility.

This is the commitment that underpins the Ethical and Protection Standard of the Embaixada da Família®.

Document subject to institutional and legal review before final publication.