Caroline Absalom Counselling & Psychotherapy

Safeguarding Children, Young People and Adults Policy

 Policy Statement

All children and vulnerable adults have the right to protection from abuse and harm.  My professional practice ensures that any concerns about safety or wellbeing are taken seriously and dealt with promptly and appropriately. Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility.

 What is safeguarding?

Safeguarding means protecting people from harm including physical, emotional, sexual and financial harm and neglect. This includes radicalization and stalking.

Safeguarding concerns may arise because of:

• A disclosure
• An allegation, concern or complaint reported by another person/organisation
• An observation
• An incident

Purpose and Scope:

This document intends to set a clear framework for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults.  It offers effective operational guidance and procedures for my private practice, so reasonable steps are taken in protecting from harm anyone whom I professionally come into contact with.  Steps include the following responsibilities:

• I keep up to date with an enhanced DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check.
• As a sole practitioner, I am responsible for keeping up to date upon local and national safeguarding policies and acting on concerns.
• I have completed safeguarding training and will remain up-to-date through relevant CPD, in line with national and local guidance.
• I am committed to prioritizing the welfare of children and adults at risk and uphold my professional and public responsibility to protect them from harm, offering a safe environment for all.
• I am competent in identifying and addressing any concerns, with clear procedures for dealing with allegations.
• I am compliant with current child protection legislation and safeguarding procedures. This policy is up-to-date and based upon statutory and good practice guidance.  
• Any concerns will be dealt with promptly, sensitively and appropriately. They will be reported in a secure and responsible way to all relevant agencies.
• I have robust reporting and escalating processes and will take these necessary steps to protect adults or children from harm, working with relevant organisations across the UK as appropriate.
• I give equal priority to keeping all adults and children at risk safe, regardless of their age, disability, gender, reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation. I recognize that some adults and children at risk are additionally vulnerable because of the impact of previous experiences, communication needs or other difficulties.
• Should something go wrong I take responsibility for putting things right and dealing with an incident responsibly.
• I will maintain accurate, timely, and comprehensive notes which reflect factual, up-to-date information. These will be recorded promptly after each session or safeguarding incident.

BACP Ethical Framework:

• The BACP Ethical Framework offers a code of professional conduct and ethics, which underpins all counselling work with adults and young people and informs our safeguarding responsibilities. Key principles include:
• Putting clients first by prioritising their safety and wellbeing
• Working to professional standards, including following safeguarding policies and legal duties
• Being trustworthy and responsible, especially in matters of confidentiality and information sharing
• Respecting the rights and dignity of all clients, including the right to protection from harm
• Maintaining integrity, including acting on concerns in a timely and transparent way
• Practitioners are expected to work within these principles and to seek supervision or consultation where ethical dilemmas arise, especially around safeguarding or information sharing.

 

Safeguarding adults at risk:

Involves people and organisations working together to prevent and stop both the risk and experience of abuse or neglect, whilst at the same time ensuring that the adult’s wellbeing is promoted. This includes, where appropriate, having regard for the individual’s wishes, feelings and beliefs, when deciding upon any action.

Local authorities have social workers who deal specifically with cases of abuse and neglect. The person’s local council can be called, asking for the adult safeguarding co-ordinator. You can also speak to the police or report a concern to a person’s GP.

The Derby and Derbyshire Safeguarding Adults policy and procedures describe the responsibilities and actions required when there are concerns about adults at risk and are available via www.saferderbyshire.gov.uk.

Adults at risk are those aged 18 or over in England who: 

• Have needs for care and support (whether or not the local authority is meeting any of those)
• Are experiencing, or are at risk of, abuse or neglect; and, because of those care and support needs, are unable to protect themselves from either the risk of, or the experience of abuse or neglect.

An adult at risk of abuse may:

• Have a learning disability.
• Have an illness affecting their mental or physical health.
• Suffer from misuse of drugs or alcohol.
• Be frail.

Members who are being stalked may also be considered to be at risk and should inform the police.

 

Safeguarding children and young people:

The statutory safeguarding responsibilities under Section 11 of the Children Act 2004 means to:

• Protect children and young people from abuse and maltreatment.
• Prevent harm to children’s health or development.
• Ensure children grow up with the provision of safe and effective care.
• Take action to enable all children and young people have the best outcomes.

The Derby and Derbyshire Safeguarding Children procedures can be accessed via www.ddscp.org.uk/staff-and-volunteers/policies-and-procedures.

Key Legal and Ethical Frameworks:

• Children Act 1989 and 2004
• Children and Social Work Act 2017
• Marriage and Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) Act 2022
• The Derby and Derbyshire Safeguarding Children Partnership Procedures Manual (2023)
• The Derby and Derbyshire Safeguarding Adults Boards policy and procedures (2023)
• Working Together to Safeguard Children (2023)
• UK-GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018
• The BACP Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions (2018)
• The BACP Safeguarding children and young people within the counselling professions in England and Wales (2024)
• The BACP Legal Resource (2024)

These laws and procedures set out how organisations and individuals must work together to safeguard and promote the welfare of children, young people, and adults at risk of harm.

The Welfare Checklist

Cited from the Children Act 1989 Section 1.

When making decisions, or writing reports about children, it is important to consider:

• The ascertainable wishes and feelings of the child concerned (consider in the light of age and understanding).
• Physical, emotional and educational needs.
• The likely effect of any change of circumstances.
• Age, sex, background and any characteristics which the court considers relevant.
• Any harm which is being suffering or risk of harm of being suffered.
• How capable each of the child’s parents, and any other person in relation to whom the court considers the question to be relevant, is of meeting needs.
• The range of powers available to the court under this Act in the proceedings in question.’

 

Definitions and Concepts

• Child: Anyone under the age of 18
• Parental Responsibility (PR):
• Defined in Section 3(1) of the Children Act 1989 as all the rights, duties, powers, responsibilities, and authority which by law a parent has in relation to a child and their property. o All mothers automatically have PR.
• Fathers have PR if married to the mother at the time of birth or subsequently, or by being named on the birth certificate, or by obtaining a PR agreement or court order.
• Others, including stepparents, civil partners, guardians, or local authorities (under a care order), may acquire PR through legal means.
• PR can be shared but not transferred, and it ends when the child turns 18, or in some cases, through adoption. o It is essential to clarify who has PR when working with children, especially where parental consent is required.

• Gillick Competence:
• Refers to a child under the age of 16 being able to consent to their own treatment without parental involvement if they have enough understanding and intelligence to fully comprehend what is involved in the proposed intervention.
• This includes understanding the nature, purpose, risks, and benefits of the treatment, and the potential consequences of accepting or refusing it.
• Competence must be assessed on a case-by-case basis, as it is situation-specific and can vary depending on the complexity of the decision.
• A child may be competent to make some decisions but not others.
• Therapists should provide information in an age-appropriate way and document their assessment of Gillick competence carefully.

 

 

Consent and Capacity

Adults (18+)

• Adults are presumed to have full mental capacity to make their own decisions.
• If an adult lacks capacity due to illness, disability, trauma, or other reasons, decisions about treatment should be made under the Mental Capacity Act 2005.
• Adults have the right to make decisions others may consider unwise, provided they have the capacity to do so.

 

Young People Aged 16–17

• Legally presumed to have capacity to consent to medical, psychological, and therapeutic treatment under the Family Law Reform Act 1969.
• Their consent is as valid as that of an adult, and they do not need parental permission.
• If a young person refuses treatment, legal intervention via the High Court may occur in extreme cases to protect their welfare.
• If they lack capacity, parental consent may be required.

 

Children Under 16

• Can consent to therapy if assessed as Gillick competent:

o They must understand the nature, benefits, risks, and alternatives to therapy.

o Competence is decision-specific and must be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

• If not Gillick competent, consent must be provided by someone with parental responsibility.
• Courts may intervene if treatment is refused or there is a dispute over competence.

 

Additional Considerations

• Capacity may vary over time and must be reassessed if there is a concern.
• Factors such as illness, trauma, medication, or substance use can temporarily affect capacity. Assessment is time and decision specific and can be delayed if the lack of capacity to felt to be temporary and the decision isn’t urgent.
• Consent decisions must be clearly documented in Paloma.
• Once a young person turns 18, they are treated as an adult. If they lack capacity, the Mental Capacity Act 2005 applies.

 

Confidentiality and Information Sharing

• Confidentiality is central to therapeutic work and builds trust with clients. However, there are specific situations in which confidentiality must be legally and ethically breached.
• Reasons for breaking confidentiality without client’s consent can be found in my contract. In these instances, practitioners must share the minimum necessary information with relevant authorities.
• I follow ICO guidance on data protection
• All decisions to share or withhold information will be documented clearly, with the rationale explained.

 

Safeguarding guidance and how to report concerns linked to childcare, young children, babies and families:

Procedure and Action

• When a safeguarding concern arises I will follow the steps below:
• I will contact my clinical Supervisor to discuss my concerns by phone.
• If immediate contact isn’t possible I will email them with high priority, clearly marked with subject heading ‘safeguarding concern’. I will request a callback and include my availability and my best contact details.
• If I suspect that a child or a young person is experiencing, or is at risk of abuse or neglect, it can be reported to the local authority, children’s services, the police or the NSPCC on 0808 8005000.
• I can contact my local social services duty officer for advice, if in doubt.

If I am concerned that a child is suffering or at risk of significant harm I will call Derbyshire telephone: 01629 533190 or contact the out of hours service 01629 532600.

• If the suspected or alleged abuse involves an adult in a position of trust, such as a professional or volunteer working with children, I will contact the local safeguarding board or search for the  Local Authority Designated Officer(LADO).
• For adults or children with care and support needs, I will contact the lead Person in a Position of Trust, in England this Local Authority worker is named as the (PiPoT). The PiPoT has a responsibility for investigating allegations when a person in a position of trust has harmed or poses a risk of harm to someone in their care. Each nation has an equivalent role.
• Statutory guidance Working Together to Safeguard Childrenis updated regularly and provides guidance on inter-agency working to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.
• Or complete an online referral for vulnerable adults: Adult Safeguarding Referral Form. The Derbyshire Safeguarding Adults Board (DSAB) ensures that both professionals and volunteers have easy access to information to support adults and their families with care and support needs from abuse or neglect. Otherwise I will complete an online referral form and submit it to Starting Point Request Form.

 

Escalation if no response:

If I do not receive a response within a reasonable timeframe I will escalate the situation, selecting the most appropriate step outlined above.

 

Safeguarding Referrals

• For emergencies contact the police telephone: 999
• For non-emergencies contact the police telephone: 101

I will work jointly and share information or make referrals to social services or other relevant organisations, as appropriate.

All practitioners working with children and young people should be aware of the local Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH). The MASH multi-agency safeguarding system operates in each geographical area, and information about how to make a referral via MASH in the area the child (or parent) lives in is provided online by each county. To access information, search MASH plus the county name.

Documentation

• I will clearly record my safeguarding concern within a case notes, also recording the time and method of each contact attempt for accountability and follow-up purposes.
• I will maintain confidentiality and discretion throughout all email communications.

 

Additional sources of support:

BACP’s Safeguarding Lead, Jo Holmes

BACP GPiA resources:

• Exploring suicidal risk with clients GPiA EL002
• Suicide risk when working in the counselling professions GPiA 126
• Safeguarding children and young people within the counselling professions in England and Wales GPiA 031
• Safeguarding vulnerable adults within the counselling professions in England and Wales GPiA 030
• Suicide: issues for the counselling professions in England and Wales GPiA 057
• Working with domestic abuse within the counselling professions GPiA 116
• Working with suicidal clients GPiA 042
• Working with risk in the counselling professions GPiA 120

Modern slavery and the National Referral Mechanism: read details about the Government’s work to end modern slavery, including details about how to refer victims into the National Referral Mechanism.

Preventing counter terrorism: read about the Let’s talk about it initiative, designed to provide practical help and guidance to the public in order to stop people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism.

Child Sexual Exploitation: read the Government’s guide for practitioners.

Reporting sexual abuse: read about the Government’s supportive campaign to report sexual abuse.

Female genital mutilation: read information on the NHS website relating to female genital mutilation.

Karma Nirvana: working to end honour based abuse in the UK at Karma Nirvana. 

Stop-SO: preventing harmful sexual behaviours through therapy at Stop-SO. 

Lucy Faithful Foundation: preventing child sexual abuse at the Lucy Faithful Foundation. 

Internet Watch Foundation: important work being done to monitor how AI is being used to create child sexual abuse imagery at the Internet Watch Foundation. 

The Aim Project: training around preventing and working with harmful sexual behaviours between children at The Aim Project.

Mankind UK: counselling for men affected by unwanted sexual experience at Mankind UK. 

Safelives: working to end domestic abuse at Safelives. 

Rape Crisis England and Wales. 

Rape Crisis Scotland.

Rape Crisis Northern Ireland. 

 

Legal support services

Children and Families Advisory Service (CAFCASS).  

NAGALRO: The Professional Association for children’s guardians, family court advisers and independent social workers at NAGALRO.

Coram BAAF: supporting agencies and professionals who work with children and young people, with membership available for additional benefits at Coram BAAF.

Coram Children’s Legal Centre: providing free legal information, advice and representation to children, young people, families, carers and professionals in immigration, community care, education and family law at Coram Children’s Legal Centre.   

Coram BAAF Adoption and Fostering Academy.

Law Society Children Panel: providing a list of experienced solicitors across the UK who are accredited specifically in children’s law and practice. A list is updated monthly by the Law Society, and available to download at the: Current members link relating to children, law and accreditation.

Ofsted: supporting concerns relating to safeguarding in schools, email Ofsted directly or click on the Ofsted website.