Policies

Ethics and Conduct

‍The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)’s Ethical Framework sets out the expected ethical Values, Principles, Personal Moral Qualities, and Good Practice standards for BACP members.

As a member of the BACP, I have committed myself to the principles and values in this Ethical Framework. This ensures the therapy I offer is ethical and professional, and that my practice is guided by good counselling practice, emphasised by integrity, respect, and confidentiality.

The Ethical Framework is made up of 3 main sections:

• Commitment to clients; which provides a summary of working to professional standards and building an ethical relationship.
• Ethics; which specifies the values, principles, and personal moral qualities that inform my work and underpin supervision.
• Good practice; which considers the practical application of my commitment to clients and ethics.

If you would like to read the full BACP Ethical Framework, please follow this link:

https://www.bacp.co.uk/media/3103/bacp-ethical-framework-for-the-counselling-professions-2018.pdf

Confidentiality

As a member of the BACP I am bound by their Ethical Framework to protect a client’s confidentiality.

Information clients share will be kept confidential, except in the following circumstances:

• If it is determined there is a risk of serious harm to the client or others.
• If there is an ethical, legal, or public health obligation to share that information, including cases of crime or fraud.
• If the client requests for confidentiality to be broken.
• During supervision.

Breaking Confidentiality:
If I need to break confidentiality I aim to give clients as much notice as possible, and will ideally discuss with them beforehand how this information will be disclosed and to whom. If at any point during the counselling arrangement I feel a client is in need of emergency support, I may ask for their consent to reach out to their emergency contact or appropriate support services.

Supervision:
Supervision is where I discuss my client work with a supervisor, who is a qualified and experienced counsellor that has also been trained to be a supervisor. They are a member of the BACP, meaning they are also bound by professional confidentiality rules and their ethical framework. As part of the BACP's requirements I regularly attend supervision, as doing so ensures my work is ethical, effective, and safe. During supervision, cases are discussed with confidentiality and anonymity, and I endeavour to speak of my clients and their stories with respect and compassion. Client identity will not be revealed during supervision.

Data Protection and Record Keeping

I am compliant with General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR), and am registered with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO). My registration reference number is: ZB887126.

More information on GDPR: https://ico.org.uk/for-the-public/official-information/ 
More information on ICO: https://ico.org.uk/about-the-ico/

Further information coming soon.

Record Keeping:

‍As a member of BACP I am required to keep accurate and appropriate notes of our work together. I record my session notes securely, only I have access to these notes. Clients are welcome to ask me about how I take, use, and store my notes. Additionally, clients have the right to request to see any notes I have on them.

Further information coming soon.

Boundaries and Social Media

To ensure the therapeutic relationship between a therapist and a client remains ethical, professional, safe, and beneficial, certain boundaries must be maintained.

If I unexpectedly see or bump into a current or previous client outside of sessions in public or social situations, I will not approach or greet them. This is out of respect for the client’s privacy and boundaries, and to allow them the choice in whether the people around them are aware of our relationship. I do not mind if a previous or current client approaches me to say hello, I also do not mind if they choose not to.

The only place I accept and read private messages is my email Dima.Jafar.Counselling@gmail.com, which is the only place I can ensure messages are secure and private. If a person posts a review, comments, or interacts with any of Pathways Therapy’s social media posts, this may be seen by anyone, and so I cannot ensure the anonymity or privacy of such posts. Please be mindful of how you interact with Pathways Therapy’s online presence, and keep yourself safe.

Engaging with clients on social media can blur the boundaries of the therapeutic relationship. As such, I do not seek out my clients online, and I do not knowingly view or interact with their accounts or posts on social media. I request that my clients do the same, and do not search for me on social media, or view or interact with my personal profiles or posts in any way. This is to protect our respective confidentiality and privacy, and to maintain a professional therapeutic relationship.

Cancellations and Payment

Sessions can be cancelled by the client informing me via email at Dima.Jafar.Counselling@gmail.com.

If notice of cancellation is not given before 8:00 am (UK time) on the day of the session, or if the client does not attend a session without notifying me prior, they will not be charged for it. However, if this occurs 3 times in a rolling 12-month period, they will be charged for any subsequent late cancellations or no-shows.

Clients should notify me via email if they are running late. Their session will still run to the pre-agreed upon time, I will unfortunately be unable to extend their session as this may affect my other appointments.

Clients delaying the start of their session can negatively impact the effectiveness of their therapy, and I cannot ethically provide rushed or poor quality therapy. If this becomes a regular occurrence, we can discuss and identify what the client needs to help them attend sessions on time.

The cancellation policy is designed this way because I understand that life’s circumstances can sometimes cause disruptions to daily life. Should any factors affect a client’s ability to attend sessions, it is helpful they let me know so we can figure out what will work best for them.

Complaints or Concerns

If at any point a current or past client is unhappy with our sessions or my standard of work, I hope they feel able to speak with me about this, so that it can be addressed, resolved, or worked through.

However, if a client feel unable to talk to me or in the event of a serious complaint, the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) has guidance on how to submit a complaint with them, and provides guidance on what to do if a client has concerns about their therapy or therapist.

Here is an information sheet by the BACP about what to do if you have concerns about your therapy:
‍https://www.bacp.co.uk/media/11061/bacp-when-therapy-goes-wrong-client-information-sheet-march-21.pdf

Here is the BACP’s guide on making a complaint about one of their members, with links that provide additional advice:
‍https://www.bacp.co.uk/about-us/protecting-the-public/professional-conduct/how-to-complain-about-a-bacp-member/