Children and young people
Young people get real confidentiality and real safeguarding at the same time. The two are balanced deliberately.
Applies to. Clients under eighteen and the adults responsible for them.
Consent to treatment
Written consent from a person with parental responsibility is required for anyone under sixteen. Between sixteen and eighteen, a young person may consent for themselves where the practitioner is satisfied they understand what is proposed. Practitioners follow their own professional body's guidance where it is stricter than this.
Attendance
A parent or carer stays on the premises for the duration of an appointment with a client under sixteen, unless the practitioner's professional body specifically permits otherwise and it has been agreed in advance.
What we tell parents
A young person is told at the start exactly what will and will not be shared with a parent. In general, whether they attended and how the work is going in broad terms may be shared. The content of what they say is not, unless they agree, or unless the safeguarding policy requires it. Practitioners do not make promises to a young person that they will later have to break.
Records
Records concerning a child are kept until that person's twenty fifth birthday at the earliest, in line with the safeguarding and data protection policies.
If any of this needs explaining, ask.
51 Le Pollet, St Peter Port, Guernsey, GY1 1WQ