Final answer:
Counselors must gain informed consent from clients before changing roles in the counseling relationship. Parents can provide consent on behalf of their children.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the field of counseling, counselors must gain informed consent from their clients before changing roles in the counseling relationship. This means that before transitioning from one role to another, such as switching from acting as an individual counselor to a family counselor, counselors must obtain the client's explicit agreement and understanding of the new role.
However, it is important to note that parents can provide consent on behalf of their children in counseling situations, but children themselves may not have the competence to provide consent for themselves.