Legal Information
CONFIDENTIALITY AND DATA PROTECTION
Regardless of how old our clients are we offer them confidentiality about the content of the session. Counsellors make notes which are stored in a locked cabinet in the office.
We will not share information about clients with other organisations or individuals without the client's consent. This includes appointment times and whether a client has attended but clients can give us permission to make any such reports
e.g. for clients whose residence is subject to their attending anger-management counselling.
Client information is also coded to increase confidentiality in both electronic data and hard copy.
Client Notes are archived once the relationship has ended. This is in the event that the client wishes to return to counselling.
All client notes will be destroyed 3 - 6 months after the counselling relationship has ended unless the client has requested otherwise.
Under The Freedom Of Information Act (2000) clients have the right to access their notes (or notes about those over whom they have parental responsibility) and if you would like copies of your notes or to access them we ask you to wait 10 working days after you make such a request for access to be arranged.
Children under 16 are governed by 'Gillick Competence' which determines whether they are competent to make their own decisions. The website patient.co.uk explains this in greater details that the child:
Is able to understand and retain the information pertinent to the decision about their care, i.e. the nature, purpose and possible consequences of the proposed investigations or treatment, as well as the consequences of not having treatment.Is able to use this information to consider whether or not they should consent to the intervention offered.Is able to communicate their wishes.
This means that a child determined to have Gillick Competence can determine the level of confidentiality they are given and so it would not be appropriate for their parents to access their notes and be informed of the content of the session etc.
We ask that parents allow the trust to develop between child and counsellor in order for progress to be achieved.
Confidentiality may be broken where someone is in danger.
INSURANCES
We have appropriate insurances:
Professional Indemnity Insurance, Directors & Officers Insurance, Public & Civil Liability, Employer's Liability Insurance.
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
We are applying for organisational membership of the BACP but our management staff are individual members and all of our policies and operations follow the BACP's ethical framework for good practice.
SUPERVISION
Our counsellors are required to have external supervision not less than once monthly and are provided with individual support by the Head Counsellor on request. Operational support and guidance is available from the Managing Director.
LEGAL STATUS & GOVERNING DOCUMENTS
We are a not-for-profit Social Enterpreise Limited by Gaurantee. Our Memorandum and Articles of Association are available by e-mail on request, as are all of our policies. We are also in the process of registering to become a Charity and will update this page as and when we are a registered Charity.