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Counselling Service Code Of Practice

• You may also download this information as a document here

All members of the University Counselling Service ascribe to the Ethical Framework for Good Practice in Counselling and Psychotherapy established by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy.  A copy of this document is available for reference in the Counselling Service.  Our practice is as follows:

1. All clients should be informed about our policy of confidentiality at the outset.
2. The Counselling Service offers the highest level of confidentiality and normally no information will leave the service without the client’s permission.
3. Rarely, there may be exceptional circumstances when the Counsellor feels it necessary to act without the permission of the client.  At such a time, the importance of preserving client trust and autonomy will be weighed against the importance of reducing the risk of serious harm to the client or to other people.
4. The decision to break confidentiality without client permission will normally only be done in discussion with the client and after consultation with a supervisor or another experienced Counsellor. (The principles underlying such ethical decision making are detailed in the framework document referred to above).
5. If requests for information about a client are made by their family, friends, members of the University or other parties, the Counsellor or Secretary will suggest that the caller asks the client for the relevant information.
6. Personal information held at the Counselling Service about clients is at present restricted to anonymised records on referrals, letters written on their behalf and material entrusted to the Service for ‘safe-keeping’.  This is kept under lock and key and is returned to the client or kept for at least 5 years and then destroyed when their contact with the Counselling Service has ended.
7. Any communication and liaison with colleagues is always undertaken in collaboration with clients.  Clients are given copies of any letters written by Counsellors on their behalf.
8. In discussion with the University on matters of policy and practice no information is given which could identify an individual.