Safeguarding procedure

Please note that as part of my commitment to safeguarding and my adherence to the safeguarding policies, I will make contact with external agencies if I am concerned about the welfare of my clients, or others in connection with them. This would usually be discussed with the client beforehand. This applies to clients of any age- children, young people and adults. 

Continuous Professional Development (CPD) 

I regularly take the time to complete courses related to mental health; this ensures that I am informed of the most up-to-date information, processes and recommendations related to my profession. CPD can vary, however generally for me this includes reading books, journals or articles linked to mental health and also attending conferences. 

Supervision

In addition to this, I also complete Supervision on a monthly basis, this is a requirement of the BACP professional body. This involves holding sessions with a qualified Counselling Supervisor, where we work through anything I present them with. It may be that I share my experience of working with my clients, we might discuss next step ideas for particular clients or they may support me with any concerns. We also acknowledge and share current mental health news or matters that relate to our profession and work. The supervisor that I work with is also a registered member of the BACP and is an active counsellor in addition to working as a supervisor. Please be assured that anything shared with a Counselling Supervisor is confidential and any clients discussed remain anonymous. 

Sessions 

Generally these are organised on a session-by-session basis. Where possible, the number of sessions will be open-ended, this is to accommodate more flexibility within the counsellor-client relationship and also allows us to work at the pace the client requires. Please always approach me if you have any concerns or queries about our sessions.

Cancellation policy 

Full payment is required if cancellation is less than 24 hours before the session. However, this is at the Counsellors discretion and may be reduced to cover the fee for room hire. 

Non-attendance and non-contact 

Where possible sessions will be booked in advance, if a client fails to attend two consecutive sessions without contact or payment, they may lose their session slot. Unforeseen circumstances are always taken into consideration.

Practitioner absence

If a period of leave is planned, sessions will be arranged to work around the Counsellors absence. If an unexpected event or illness requires the counsellor to cancel sessions at the last minute, the client will be contacted by the Counsellor, or by my counselling buddy. A counselling buddy is a counselling acquaintance with whom I have a professional agreement whereby we are able to access each other’s private and confidential files to contact each other’s clients, in the event of an emergency, such as a debilitating illness or loss of life.

Payment

Payment is requested either in advance or on the day of the session. The agreed fee can be paid in cash or by bank transfer. An invoice and/or receipt can be provided upon request. 

Confidentiality

Session locations are agreed and sessions are held in a safe space, where both the counsellor and client feel comfortable. Discussions remain confidential, however there may be instances where an unidentifiable client is discussed during clinical or peer supervision. On occasion the Counsellor may use examples of personal experience to raise a point or to encourage reflection. Therefore, it is important that the confidentiality agreement is adhered to by both parties. In addition to this, the limits of confidentiality may be broken if the counsellor is concerned for the client’s general safety and welfare, or if the Counsellor feels that there are safeguarding concerns for any other individual mentioned within the session. As a Counsellor, I have an obligation to advise the relevant external agencies, should I be concerned for an individual’s safety or welfare. 

Records & notes

These will be kept brief and to a minimum. As per the request of Holistic Insurance Services, they will be held on file for 5 years minimum, after this they will be safely destroyed. All records and notes contain unidentifiable data and are stored securely on a locked computer or, if in paper form, within a locked filing cabinet. Any personal information is stored and protected as per GDPR/Data Protection Act 2018, I adhere to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) policies and update this agreement annually. Should it be required, my ICO reference number is ZB067280. 

Should copies of records or notes be required, please put this in writing to me detailing why the request is being made. Please allow 21 days for a response. It will not be possible to provide a parent with the records or notes of a child, if the young person is over 18, unless they have given their authorisation to me directly, or if the request is deemed to be in the best interests of the child.  

Contacting other professionals

When authorisation is given, and to ensure that we are all working towards similar goals, I am happy to work with or to get in contact with other professionals involved in an individual's care. Any information shared would be limited and on a 'need to know' basis only. This can be discussed in more detail, should this situation arise. 

I am able to provide individual written reports upon request. 

I currently don't make referrals to additional services, such as the NHS, CAMHS, social services, etc, however will support a client with this process if my professional input is required. 

Ethical considerations 

BACP detail the expectations of Counsellors in their Ethical Framework page. This explains how Counsellors are required to work, which always involves taking into consideration the best interest of the client. 

Complaints

Hopefully, this will not be necessary, however should you feel that you need to raise a complaint or query in regards to my work or my professional conduct, please raise this with me in the first instance. If further support or information is then required, please contact the BACP directly to discuss the matter further.