Safeguarding Policy
Policy owner: Izzi Norrington, MBACP
Effective from: 9 September 2026
Review date: January 2027
1. Purpose of this policy
As a counsellor, I have a responsibility to promote the safety and wellbeing of my clients and to respond appropriately when I become concerned that a client, child or another person may be at risk of abuse, neglect or serious harm.
This policy explains how I approach safeguarding within One Practice Therapy. It applies to my work with adult clients aged 18 and over, including online therapy, in-person therapy and walking therapy.
I work in accordance with the BACP Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions, relevant BACP safeguarding guidance and applicable UK legislation and statutory guidance.
Safeguarding is considered alongside respect for client autonomy, privacy, confidentiality and the therapeutic relationship. I recognise that safeguarding decisions can involve complex ethical considerations and I will seek appropriate professional consultation when needed.
2. Scope of my practice
I only provide counselling to adults aged 18 and over. Whilst my clients are my primary focus, I may also develop safeguarding concerns about their children, dependants or other people known to them. Safeguarding action may be required in regard to any of these parties.
3. Understanding safeguarding
Safeguarding involves ‘protecting people's health, wellbeing and human rights, and enabling them to live free from harm, abuse and neglect’ (Care Quality Commission, 2026).
According to the Care Act (2014), this may include concerns relating to:
physical abuse,
sexual abuse,
emotional or psychological abuse,
financial or material abuse,
neglect or acts of omission,
discriminatory abuse,
domestic abuse,
modern slavery,
organisational abuse,
self-neglect.
4. Recognising and responding to safeguarding concerns
Safeguarding concerns may arise through something a client tells me, something I observe, information provided by another person, or a combination of circumstances. A client does not need to make an explicit disclosure for a safeguarding concern to exist.
If a client tells me about abuse, neglect, exploitation or another safeguarding concern, I will:
Listen without judgement and take the disclosure seriously.
Allow the client to explain what has happened in their own words.
Avoid leading questions or unnecessary requests for detail.
Clarify information only where necessary to understand the immediate level of risk or determine an appropriate response.
Consider the client's wishes, capacity, circumstances and immediate safety.
Explain the limits of confidentiality where information may need to be shared.
Where appropriate, discuss the concern with my clinical supervisor.
Consider whether advice or referral to another professional or safeguarding service is required.
Wherever possible and safe to do so, involve the client in decisions about information sharing.
Make a clear and proportionate record of the concern and actions taken.
I will not promise a client that information will remain confidential if there is a possibility that it may need to be shared to protect them or another person from serious harm.
5. Confidentiality and information sharing
Confidentiality is an important part of my therapeutic work and is explained to clients as part of my client contract. However, confidentiality is not absolute.
I may need to share confidential information where this is necessary to protect a client or another person from serious harm, where there is a safeguarding concern, or where disclosure is otherwise required or permitted by law.
I am legally required to comply with court orders requesting my notes and report knowledge of the following crimes:
Terrorism,
Drug Trafficking,
Money Laundering,
Child Sexual Abuse (recent or ongoing).
Wherever reasonably possible, I will discuss proposed information sharing with the client and seek their consent before making a disclosure.
There may, however, be circumstances where I need to share information without the client's consent. This may be necessary where:
There is an immediate or serious risk of harm.
Obtaining consent could increase the risk to the client or another person.
There is another lawful and ethically justified reason for disclosure.
Where confidentiality needs to be overridden, I will aim to share only the information that is necessary and proportionate for the purpose of safeguarding.
I will document my reasoning for significant safeguarding decisions, including decisions to share or not share information.
This approach reflects BACP guidance that confidentiality may need to be overridden in exceptional circumstances to protect clients or others from serious harm.
6. Consultation and supervision
I have individual clinical supervision on a monthly basis and can contact my supervisor between sessions where an urgent safeguarding consultation is required.
I will normally consult my supervisor when I have a safeguarding concern, particularly where:
I am uncertain about the level of risk.
I am unsure whether information should be shared.
I am considering making a safeguarding referral.
I am aware of competing ethical considerations.
I need support in determining an appropriate course of action.
I will not delay necessary safeguarding action where doing so could place someone at further risk. In an emergency, I will act first and consult my supervisor as soon as practicable afterwards.
I may also seek advice from an appropriate safeguarding service, healthcare professional, professional body or my professional insurer where appropriate.
7. Responding to immediate risk
If I believe that a client or another person is at immediate risk of serious harm, I will take appropriate emergency action. If I become concerned of imminent danger during a session, I may need to end the session early to take appropriate safeguarding action. This may include contacting 999 and requesting police, ambulance or other emergency assistance as appropriate.
8. Emergency contacts and GP information
As part of onboarding, I collect:
the client's emergency contact details,
the client's GP details,
the client's home address.
If a client is attending an online session from somewhere other than their usual address, I will ask them to provide their current location so that emergency assistance can be requested if necessary.
This information is collected to support safe practice and to enable appropriate action to be taken if a serious risk or emergency arises.
I will only use or share this information where there is an appropriate reason to do so, in accordance with my privacy policy, the counselling contract and applicable data protection requirements.
9. Walking therapy
I offer walking therapy where this has been assessed as appropriate for the individual client.
Before beginning walking therapy, I undertake a risk assessment and consider whether there are any circumstances or conditions that would make walking therapy unsuitable or unsafe. I also ask the client whether they may be at risk from anyone in the local area.
During walking therapy sessions, I following the following safety precautions:
I carry a mobile phone and a copy of the client’s emergency information with me.
I have What3Words available to help communicate our location to emergency services if required.
I consider the environment and circumstances of the session as part of ongoing risk assessment.
If a safeguarding or safety concern arises during walking therapy, I will prioritise immediate safety and may end or alter the session where necessary.
10. Safeguarding children
Although I only work therapeutically with adults, clients may disclose concerns about a child or young person. If I become concerned that a child may be experiencing or be at risk of abuse or neglect, I will consider whether safeguarding action is required. Where appropriate, I will consult my clinical supervisor and/or the relevant children's safeguarding service. If there is an immediate risk to a child, I may contact the police or emergency services. I will not attempt to investigate an allegation myself.
Where it is safe and appropriate to do so, I will discuss the concern and proposed action with the client. However, I may share information without the client's consent where this is necessary to protect a child from serious harm or where otherwise required or permitted by law.
11. Safeguarding adults
I recognise that some adults may have care and support needs that affect their ability to protect themselves from abuse or neglect. Under the Care Act 2014, adult safeguarding duties apply where an adult has care and support needs, is experiencing or at risk of abuse or neglect, and because of those needs is unable to protect themselves from that risk. Not every client with a disability, health condition or neurodivergence will meet this definition, and I will consider each person's circumstances individually.
Where I believe an adult may be experiencing abuse or neglect and may require safeguarding support, I will consider contacting the relevant local authority adult safeguarding service, the police, the person's GP or another appropriate professional/service.
I will not assume that an adult lacks capacity simply because they make a decision that I consider unusual, unwise or risky. I will respect an individual's right to autonomy and remain attentive to circumstances that may indicate abuse, coercion, undue influence or an inability to protect themselves from harm.
BACP guidance also recommends that practitioners in private practice familiarise themselves with local adult safeguarding procedures and that concerns can be raised with the person's local authority, police or GP.
12. Domestic abuse and LGBTQIA+ abuse
I recognise that safeguarding concerns may occur within intimate, family or other relationships and may involve domestic abuse, coercive control, exploitation or violence.
I will consider the particular circumstances and risks associated with domestic abuse, including the possibility that sharing information or contacting another person could increase risk. When working with trans and non-binary clients, I will ask what name and pronouns should be used when communicating with their emergency contact and avoid inadvertently disclosing information about the client's gender identity or sexual orientation.
Where appropriate, I may signpost or refer clients to specialist domestic abuse services. For LGBTQIA+ clients experiencing abuse I may also signpost to Galop.
13. Serious risk of suicide, self-harm or harm to others
Where a client expresses thoughts or intentions relating to suicide, serious self-harm or serious harm to another person, I will assess the risk within the limits of my role and offer support to the client in creating a safety plan. If the client does not engage with creating a safety plan, I will offer them one written on their behalf and document this process.
Where the risk is significant but not immediately life-threatening, I may consult my supervisor and/or the client's GP or another appropriate healthcare service, with the client's consent wherever possible.
Where there is an immediate risk of serious harm, I will contact emergency services by calling 999.
14. Responding to concerns about another person's behaviour
If a client tells me that another person may pose a serious risk to them or someone else, I will consider the nature, seriousness and immediacy of the concern. I will not attempt to investigate the alleged perpetrator.
Depending on the circumstances, I may:
consult my clinical supervisor,
encourage the client to access appropriate support,
contact the police or emergency services,
contact an appropriate safeguarding service,
contact another relevant professional with the client's consent,
share information without consent where this is necessary and proportionate to prevent serious harm or is otherwise legally justified.
15. Recording safeguarding concerns
Where a safeguarding concern arises, I will make a clear, factual and proportionate record as soon as reasonably practicable.
The record will normally include:
the date and time of the concern,
relevant factual information about what was disclosed or observed,
the client's own words where important,
my assessment of the level and nature of risk,
any relevant action already taken,
decisions made and the reasons for those decisions,
information shared, including with whom and why,
referrals or signposting undertaken,
any subsequent action or review required.
I will distinguish clearly between factual information, the client's reported information and my professional assessment. I will not record unnecessary personal information.
Safeguarding records will be stored securely within the client’s record and handled in accordance with the Privacy Policy of One Practice Therapy and applicable data protection requirements.
16. Referrals and external safeguarding services
Where a safeguarding concern requires action beyond the scope of my role, I may contact or recommend contacting an appropriate service.
Depending on the circumstances and the client's location, this may include:
the client's local authority adult safeguarding service,
the client's local authority children's social care/safeguarding service,
the police or other emergency services,
the client's GP or other NHS services,
mental health crisis services,
domestic abuse services,
another appropriate specialist organisation or professional.
As clients may live in different parts of the UK, I will identify the appropriate service according to the client's current location rather than relying solely on the safeguarding arrangements for the area in which I practise.
17. Safeguarding training and continuing professional development
I have completed safeguarding training, most recently in 2025.
I will maintain my safeguarding knowledge through continuing professional development and will undertake further safeguarding training regularly to ensure that my knowledge remains current. I will also remain familiar with relevant BACP guidance and local safeguarding procedures.
18. Policy and procedure review
I will review this safeguarding policy at least annually and sooner if:
relevant legislation or statutory guidance changes,
BACP guidance changes,
my practice changes significantly,
a safeguarding incident identifies a need for procedural change,
professional learning indicates that the policy should be updated.
19. Professional boundaries, competence and commitment to safeguarding
I recognise the limits of my role as an independent counsellor. I will not attempt to investigate allegations, provide specialist safeguarding assessments outside my competence, or take on responsibilities that belong to statutory safeguarding agencies or other specialist professionals.
I am committed to providing therapy in a way that prioritises client safety, dignity, autonomy and wellbeing. I will remain alert to the power imbalance inherent in the therapeutic relationship and take reasonable steps to ensure that my practice does not expose clients to avoidable harm.
I recognise that safeguarding decisions can be complex and that protecting someone from serious harm may, in exceptional circumstances, require information to be shared without their consent. Where this is necessary, I will aim to act proportionately, share only information that is necessary, involve the client wherever it is safe and appropriate to do so, and seek professional consultation where needed.
My aim is to respond to safeguarding concerns thoughtfully and respectfully while maintaining appropriate professional boundaries and protecting the trust placed in me as a counsellor.