Banners Gate Counselling Client Agreement
Banners Gate Counselling Centre offers a professional, accessible and affordable confidential counselling service to adults in the local community. We are a registered charity (No 1105473) and a registered organisational member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (No 1027675). We adhere to the BACP Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions, a copy of which can be found at www.bacp.co.uk.
Welcome to our Counselling Service
We recognise the very important step you have taken in deciding to come for counselling. We sincerely hope that you will find the time spent with your counsellor a helpful one. We are here to help you help yourself. Our counsellors will give you the opportunity to work within a safe environment and to:
• Express your feelings about issues troubling you.
• Be accepted as you are, and be listened to in a non-judgemental way.
• To receive respectful care by your counsellor.
• Be treated with dignity as a unique person regardless of your age, gender, sexual orientation, sexual reassignment, race, religion or beliefs and marriage or civil partnership status.
Confidentiality
What you say to your counsellor during your sessions is confidential, however this is subject to the following exceptions:
1) Your Counsellor is required by BACP’s Ethical Framework to attend supervision on a regular basis to enhance the quality of your work together. This is to ensure your Counsellor is always working ethically and professionally with you. Your Counsellor may discuss issues from your sessions in supervision, but this is done anonymously to protect your identity.
2) If your Counsellor feels that you or someone else is in danger of significant risk or harm, they may need to breach confidentiality. Wherever possible this will be discussed this with you to agree a course of appropriate action.
3) In line with English Law your Counsellor is unable to keep confidential any information you share with them about your involvement in acts of terrorism, drugs trafficking, money laundering or serious criminal offences.
Records
Counsellors keep very brief memory notes from sessions which you are welcome to see at any time. These notes are securely stored. They are destroyed once your counselling has ended, unless it has been necessary to consider an exception to confidentiality in which case the notes are retained for 2 years.
Sessions
Each session will last for 50 minutes and will take place at the same time on the same day each week. Banners Gate Counselling Centre offer 8 sessions, the first session being an assessment. Please note, depending on caseload, your counsellor may not be able to extend the number of sessions.
Cancellations
If you are unable to keep your appointment please advise your counsellor by their e-mail. Please don’t use the Centre’s e-mail address. Please give 24 hours’ notice where possible and indicate if you wish to keep your appointment for the following week.
If you miss your appointment and you have not e-mailed your counsellor within 48 hours we will assume you no longer require your sessions.
If there are frequent cancellations Banners Gate Counselling Centre reserves the right to end your counselling sessions.
Costs
We depend entirely on regular donations to provide our service for you. To help us meet our running costs there is an initial registration fee of £10 and we request regular weekly donations of £20. When you have cancelled your session, we would also appreciate a donation of £10. Negotiations are possible and we never turn anyone away due to their financial circumstances. We prefer payment by online bank transfer to Banners Gate Counselling Centre, Account No 11183753, sort code 40-12-24, quoting your 4- digit client number as reference.
Complaints
Should you wish to make a complaint we ask in the first instance that you please discuss this with your counsellor. If you still wish to make a complaint after that discussion please contact Banners Gate Counselling Centre who have a robust complaints procedure.
