Safeguarding Policy: Individual Therapy

Practitioner: Rehnuma Choudhury, MBACP
Date adopted: 22/10/2026
Last reviewed: 22/10/2026
Next review date: 03/10/2027

1. My commitment to safeguarding

I am committed to promoting the safety, dignity, autonomy and wellbeing of my clients and other people who may be affected by safeguarding concerns arising during therapy.

This policy explains how I will respond to concerns about abuse, neglect, exploitation and other circumstances in which a person may be at risk of harm. It applies to all individual therapy and counselling services I provide, including online sessions.

I will work in accordance with the BACP Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions, applicable legislation, relevant safeguarding guidance, data protection requirements and the limits of my professional competence. I will maintain appropriate safeguarding procedures and ensure that clients can access information about my safeguarding arrangements and how to raise concerns.

2. What safeguarding means in my practice

I understand safeguarding to include recognising, assessing and responding to concerns about physical, sexual, emotional or psychological abuse; domestic abuse and coercive control; financial abuse; neglect; exploitation; discriminatory abuse; and other circumstances in which a person may be at risk.

Safeguarding concerns may involve children and young people, adults with care and support needs, or other people who may be vulnerable to harm in particular circumstances.

I will consider each concern in its context. A concern will not automatically result in a formal referral. I will consider the nature and seriousness of the risk, its immediacy, the person's circumstances and wishes, the potential risk to others, and my legal and ethical responsibilities.

3. My responsibilities

I will take safeguarding concerns seriously and respond in a timely, proportionate and considered manner. I will seek appropriate clinical supervision and specialist advice when necessary, while recognising that I must not delay urgent protective action while waiting for supervision.

I will maintain appropriate knowledge and training in safeguarding, confidentiality, information-sharing and risk assessment. I will work within my competence and will seek specialist support or refer a client to an appropriate service when their needs exceed the scope of the service I can safely provide.

I will not attempt to conduct criminal investigations or undertake statutory safeguarding enquiries. My role is to recognise concerns, assess immediate safety within the limits of my competence, document my reasoning and take appropriate action.

4. Responding to a disclosure or concern

When a client discloses abuse, neglect, exploitation or another safeguarding concern, I will listen carefully, take their account seriously and give them the opportunity to describe their experience in their own words. I will avoid leading questions, making assumptions or promising absolute confidentiality.

I will seek enough information to understand the nature of the concern and whether anyone may be in immediate danger. Where relevant, I will consider whether a child or another adult may also be at risk, whether the person causing harm has access to other potentially affected people, and what support or protection may be needed.

Where appropriate, I will discuss the available options with the client, explain the reasons for any proposed action and seek their consent before contacting another service. However, I may need to share information without consent where there is a sufficiently strong legal or ethical justification, including circumstances involving serious risk of harm.

Depending on the circumstances, I may consult my supervisor, support the client with safety planning, signpost them to a specialist service, contact the relevant local authority safeguarding team or contact the police or emergency services.

5. Safeguarding children and young people

If I become concerned that a child or young person may be suffering, or may be at risk of, significant harm, I will consider their safety and take appropriate action in accordance with relevant safeguarding procedures.

I will consider whether the concern relates to direct abuse or neglect, exposure to domestic abuse, unsafe caregiving, exploitation or other circumstances that may place the child at risk.

Where appropriate, I will contact the relevant local authority children's social care service to discuss or refer the concern. If a child is in immediate danger, I will contact the police or emergency services as appropriate.

I will not assume that parental consent is necessary for every safeguarding referral. Where I consider that a referral is necessary to protect a child, I may share relevant information without consent where this is lawful and justified.

I will also consider whether informing a parent or carer about a concern or referral could increase the risk to the child or compromise a safeguarding response. I will prioritise the child's safety and follow the relevant safeguarding procedures.

6. Safeguarding adults

If I become concerned that an adult may be experiencing abuse, neglect or exploitation, I will consider their circumstances, wishes, support needs and ability to protect themselves.

Where a person appears to have care and support needs that may affect their ability to protect themselves, I will consider whether the circumstances may meet the criteria for a safeguarding enquiry under the Care Act 2014. Where appropriate, I may contact the relevant local authority adult safeguarding team for advice or to raise a concern.

I will respect an adult's autonomy and seek their informed consent to a referral wherever appropriate and practicable. I will not assume that a diagnosis, disability or mental health difficulty means that a person lacks decision-making capacity.

If an adult with decision-making capacity declines a referral, I will ordinarily respect their wishes unless there is a sufficiently strong legal or ethical justification for sharing information, such as a serious risk to another person or another applicable legal obligation. I will seek supervision or specialist advice where necessary and document my reasoning.

7. Domestic abuse and coercive control

I recognise that domestic abuse may include physical or sexual violence, threats, intimidation, emotional abuse, coercive control, stalking and financial abuse.

If a client discloses or I suspect domestic abuse, I will explore their immediate safety, the possibility of escalation, their access to support and any risks to children or other people. I will not assume that the absence of physical violence means that a situation is safe.

Where appropriate, I will discuss specialist domestic abuse support and consider whether safety planning or a referral is necessary. I will be mindful that certain actions, including contacting another person or encouraging confrontation, could increase the client's risk.

If I become concerned that a client may be using abusive or coercive behaviour towards another person, I will consider the potential risks, seek appropriate supervision or specialist advice, and take proportionate action where necessary.

8. Risk of suicide, self-harm or harm to others

If a client expresses suicidal thoughts, self-harm or thoughts of harming another person, I will respond sensitively and consider the nature and immediacy of the risk, relevant intentions or plans, access to means, protective factors and available support.

I will not assume that the presence of suicidal thoughts or a history of self-harm automatically requires disclosure to another service. I will consider the individual circumstances, the seriousness and immediacy of the risk, and my professional and legal responsibilities.

Where there is an immediate threat to life or serious injury, I may contact emergency services. Where urgent assessment or additional support is required, I may contact a GP, NHS mental health service or another appropriate service, seeking consent where possible and sharing information without consent where this is lawfully justified.

I will explain that my routine therapy service is not an emergency or crisis service. If a client or another person is in immediate danger, I will advise them to call 999 or attend an emergency department. For urgent mental health support in England, NHS 111 and its mental health option may also be appropriate.

9. Confidentiality and information-sharing

I recognise that confidentiality is central to the therapeutic relationship. I will handle information shared during therapy in accordance with my client agreement, privacy notice, applicable data protection law and professional ethical requirements.

I will explain that confidentiality is not absolute. I may need to disclose information where a client consents, where disclosure is legally required or authorised, or where there is a sufficiently strong legal or ethical justification to protect someone from serious harm or address a safeguarding concern.

Where practicable and safe, I will explain the reasons for a proposed disclosure and seek the client's views. However, I may need to disclose information without prior notice or consent if informing the client could increase risk, prejudice an investigation or otherwise undermine necessary protective action.

I will share only information that is relevant and necessary for the safeguarding purpose, with an appropriate person or agency. I will document the rationale for sharing, the information disclosed, the recipient and any subsequent action. Where I decide not to disclose information, I will document my reasoning where appropriate.

10. Supervision and consultation

I will use appropriate clinical supervision to reflect on safeguarding concerns, assess risk, consider ethical dilemmas and review decisions about referrals, disclosures and the continuation of therapy.

If immediate protective action is required, I will not delay it while waiting for a supervision appointment. I will seek urgent advice from an appropriate safeguarding service or emergency agency as necessary and inform my supervisor as soon as practicable.

I will anonymise information discussed in supervision wherever possible. Where identifiable information needs to be shared, I will ensure that there is an appropriate justification and that the disclosure is consistent with my professional obligations and applicable law.

11. Referrals and escalation

Depending on the nature of the concern, I may contact the relevant local authority children's social care service, adult safeguarding team, police, GP, NHS mental health service, domestic abuse specialist service or another appropriate agency.

If someone is in immediate danger, I will contact emergency services on 999. For non-emergency police matters, 101 may be appropriate.

I will follow the safeguarding procedures applicable to the relevant local authority and will not assume that making a referral automatically resolves the concern or transfers all responsibility to another service. If serious concerns remain after a referral, I will consider appropriate follow-up or escalation.

12. Record keeping

I will maintain accurate, timely and factual records of safeguarding concerns and the actions I take. I will distinguish between the client's own account, my observations, my professional interpretation and information received from other sources.

Where relevant, I will record the nature of the concern, the risk factors considered, the client's views, supervision or specialist advice sought, decisions made and the reasons for them, referrals and disclosures, and any follow-up required.

I will store safeguarding records securely and retain them in accordance with my privacy notice, record-retention arrangements, insurance requirements and applicable legal and professional obligations.

13. Review and accountability

I will review this policy at least annually and sooner if there are significant changes to legislation, professional guidance, my scope of practice or the services I provide.

Clients may request a copy of this policy or ask me questions about safeguarding and confidentiality during therapy.

Contact: rehnuna.therapy@gmail.com
Next review date: 3rd November 2027

Relevant guidance

I will read and apply this policy alongside the BACP Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions 2026, applicable safeguarding legislation and statutory guidance, the Care Act 2014 and associated adult safeguarding guidance, current guidance on safeguarding children, the Data Protection Act 2018 and UK GDPR, and relevant professional guidance on confidentiality and information-sharing.