Safeguarding Procedures

Ruth, her, she = Ruth Tarr, an integrative psychotherapist and energy healer, at Holistic Health York.

Client = the client (or the client’s representative, and the client aged 16 years old or under).

Session(s) = any integrative psychotherapy, energy healing and information offered by Ruth (including but not limited to paid, free, online, phone, in person, 1-2-1, group, single session, package or programme).

These safeguarding procedures, which include child protection, should be read alongside the Privacy Policy (client’s aged 17 or over), Privacy Policy (client’s aged 16 or under), and the Safeguarding Policy.

Ruth aims to:

  • Recognise and seriously respond to all safeguarding disclosures (proven or unproven).
  • Offer clients support, where possible and appropriate to do so.

What is safeguarding?

Safeguarding is protecting any person’s (including children and vulnerable adults) right to live in safety and free from harm.  Harm is ill treatment or damage to a person’s health and development and includes:

  • Sexual abuse (including child sexual exploitation) and harmful sexual behaviour
  • Emotional abuse
  • Physical abuse
  • Neglect
  • Domestic abuse
  • Bullying (including cyber bullying)
  • Human trafficking
  • Female genital mutilation
  • Exploitation
  • Child Protection Issues

Types of Safeguarding Disclosures

Client’s, their family, and their representative(s) may disclose safeguarding information to Ruth in different ways, such as:

  • Directly – specific verbal statements about what’s happened to someone.
  • Indirectly*
    • Verbally – making ambiguous verbal statements which suggest something is wrong.
    • Non-verbally – writing letters, drawing pictures or trying to communicate in other ways.
    • Behaviourally – displaying behaviour (deliberate or unintentional) that signals something is wrong.

*In the case of indirect disclosures, Ruth will be interpreting or inferring from what is observed or said by a client, their family and/or representative.  Ruth does not need to hear a direct disclosure before taking relevant and appropriate action.

Safeguarding Record Keeping

Ruth will record all safeguarding disclosures, accurately and factually.  These records will include (but are not limited to):

  • The date and time the record was made.
  • Client information (name, age, address, contact details and other relevant information such as parent/client representative and sibling details, if the client is 16 or under, or a vulnerable adult).
  • The disclosure itself:
    • The date and time the disclosure took place.
    • The type of safeguarding issue.
    • Who made it (client, their family and/or their representative).
    • How they made it (direct or indirect; interpreted or inferred).
    • Who else was present when they made it.
    • Any concerns Ruth has about the client, their family and/or representative, or other person(s) mentioned, and the reasons why.
    • Any other information about the disclosure
      • What was said or did and by whom.
      • In the case of an incident, the names of all parties involved, including any witnesses and what was said or done and by whom.
      • In the case of abuse any information about the (alleged) abuser.
  • Relevant interactions with a client, their family and/or their representative)
  • Ruth’s decision-making processes and actions taken, including but not limited to whether Ruth has:
    • Discussed the issue in supervision (without breaking client confidentiality).
    • Sought and/or gained client consent for a referral, and the reasons why.
    • Made a referral – who to, how, when, and the reasons why.

Safeguarding Referrals

When deciding whether to make a safeguarding referral or non-referral, Ruth will:

  • Keep accurate records of the decision-making process and actions taken.
  • Use professional judgement and seek additional guidance – in supervision and/or with a relevant professional organisation.
  • Take into account:
    • Whether, at this time, the client has the mental capacity to make rational, informed decisions, such as giving their consent (taking into account The Mental Capacity Act, 2005, which presumes that adults and children over the age of sixteen have the mental capacity and legal power to give or withhold consent in medical and health care matters). 
    • Any legal responsibilities and consequences to the client and in the public interest for any actions or non-actions.
    • What could help the client accept the proposed action?
    • The ethics of going against the client’s wishes if they differ from the proposed action.
  • Discuss the situation with the client (if appropriate to do so) including:
    • What Ruth’s proposed action is?
    • What the possible consequences are for the client, if Ruth makes a referral versus a non-referral, including:
      • If a non-referral could likely result in serious harm to the client or others?
      • Whether these consequences are preventable by actions taken by Ruth or anyone else?  If yes, what steps would need to be taken?
    • What the client has given Ruth permission to do and whether that includes consenting to a referral being made?

There are instances when Ruth may break client confidentiality, with or without the client’s prior knowledge or consent (please refer to the Privacy Policy for more details).  Ruth may share this information with:

  • The client’s representative, but only if Ruth believes the client (aged 16 or under, or vulnerable adult) will not be at increased risk of harm.
  • With a relevant and appropriate professional organisation, such as but not limited to:
    • The Police on 999, if Ruth is concerned a client is in immediate danger or at immediate risk.
    • A client or someone they mention aged 16 or under who Ruth believes is not in immediate danger nor at immediate risk:
    • The local authority child protection service – Ruth will initially aim to make a verbal referral and then follow up with a written referral as soon as possible.

Changes to the Safeguarding Procedures

Ruth reviews and updates this policy, and shares updates on the Holistic Health York website https://holistichealthyork.co.uk/policies-and-procedures/.

Last Updated: February 2024