Safeguarding Policy

Catherine Mumford Counselling

Version 1.0 · Date: October 2026 · Next review: October 2027 (or sooner after any incident or change in law or guidance)

1. Purpose and scope

I am committed to the safety and welfare of every client who uses my counselling service. This policy applies to all clients, both children and young people (under 18) and adults, and to all sessions, whether in person, online or by telephone. I work with clients who are physically in England at the time of the session.

It should be read with my Client Contract (confidentiality, consent, online working and emergencies) and my Client Privacy Notice. I work in line with the Children Acts 1989 and 2004, Working Together to Safeguard Children (2023), the Care Act 2014, the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and the BACP Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions.

2. Roles and checks

• Safeguarding lead: Catherine Mumford, Cmumfordcounselling@gmail.com. As a sole practitioner I carry this role myself.

• Backup and advice: I have a clinical supervisor. I seek their advice on any safeguarding concern, but I never delay an urgent referral to wait for it.

• Checks: I hold an enhanced DBS certificate dated 29th January 2026. I hold current professional indemnity insurance and BACP individual membership.

• Training: I hold safeguarding training for children with SAFE dated 21 January 2026 and separate training for adults dated 19 September 2025 and Prevent Training course dated May 2025 with HM Government and will refresh it at least every three years, keeping up to date with changes in guidance.

3. What I look out for

I take seriously any sign that a client is being harmed, or is at risk of harm, including:

• physical, emotional and sexual abuse, and neglect (including self-neglect in adults);

• domestic abuse and coercive control, and abuse by someone in a position of trust;

• criminal and sexual exploitation, grooming, trafficking and modern slavery;

• online harm, including sexual images, bullying and online grooming;

• female genital mutilation, forced marriage and so-called honour-based abuse;

• radicalisation and extremism;

• financial or discriminatory abuse of an adult;

• suicide and self-harm (see section 6).

An adult at risk is someone aged 18 or over who has care and support needs, is experiencing or at risk of abuse or neglect, and cannot protect themselves because of those needs. Adults with mental capacity have the right to make their own decisions, including decisions others might think unwise.

4. If I have a concern

1. Listen. I stay calm and non-judgemental, and I do not promise to keep a secret. I do not investigate or ask leading questions.

2. Explain. I tell the client honestly what I may need to do and why.

3. Record. I write down, the same day and factually, what was said (in the client's words where possible), what I observed, who I spoke to and what I decided and why.

4. Get advice. I talk it through with my supervisor. I can also ask the NSPCC helpline or the local authority for advice without naming the client.

5. Decide. I consider the level of risk, the client's wishes, and whether sharing is necessary and proportionate.

6. Refer. I make the referral, confirm a telephone referral in writing within 48 hours, and follow up if I do not hear back.

7. Review. I record the outcome and review whether the client is safe and whether I should continue to work with them.

5. When I will share information

Children and young people. Where I believe a child or young person is suffering, or is at risk of, significant harm, I will refer to children's social care without delay, with or without consent. Wherever it is safe, I will tell the young person first and explain what I am sharing. I will not tell a parent or carer if that could put the young person at greater risk. Where the concern is lower level, I will seek the young person's agreement, take advice, and keep the situation under review.

Adults. I will usually seek the adult's consent before sharing. I may share without consent where there is a risk to life or of serious harm to them or to others, where a child is at risk, where a serious crime is involved, where the person lacks capacity to decide, or where the law requires it. I always record my reasons.

Immediate danger. I call 999 first and deal with everything else afterwards.

Legal duties. I also act where the law requires it, for example under the Terrorism Act 2000 or a court order, as set out in my Client Contract. I treat any disclosure or suspicion of female genital mutilation in a girl under 18 as an urgent safeguarding concern and refer it to the police and children's services.

6. Suicide and self-harm

• I ask directly about suicidal thoughts and self-harm where there are signs of risk, and I assess the risk: thoughts, any plan, access to means, intent, timing, and protective factors.

• Together we make a safety plan and, with the client's agreement where possible, involve their emergency contact or GP. For under-18s I involve a parent or carer where there is risk to life.

• If there is imminent risk to life, I call 999, give the client's location, and stay engaged for as long as I can.

• If a client at risk leaves a session or disconnects, I try to reach them by phone, then their emergency contact, then the emergency services.

• I record the assessment, my decisions and the reasons, and I take the case to supervision.

7. Working online and by phone

• At the start of every session I confirm the client's location and a phone number. I hold an emergency contact for every client.

• For a young person, where possible a responsible adult will be at home but if not possible a responsible adult will be nearby and contactable by phone. If I do not consider it appropriate to see a child on line without a responsible adult in the house I will ask for sessions to be moved to in person or for a responsible adult to be at home.

• If I think a client cannot speak freely (for example, someone may be listening), I offer to rearrange or to carry on with simple yes or no questions, and I may follow up with their emergency contact if I am worried.

• If the connection drops during a session where there is a risk concern, I phone the client straight away.

8. Professional boundaries

• Contact outside sessions is limited to practical matters, as set out in my Client Contract. To protect your confidentiality I do not accept social media or LinkedIn requests or give personal contact details.

• I do not give or accept gifts beyond a small token, arrange transport, or meet clients outside the agreed setting.

• Before I see anyone in person I will complete a lone-working risk assessment. For under-18s I will not be alone in a building.

9. If a concern or allegation is made about me

• I will contact the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) of the relevant area, via children's services, within one working day if the concern involves a child, and I will not investigate it myself. For concerns involving an adult, I will contact that adult's local authority safeguarding team for advice.

• I will tell my supervisor and my insurer, keep a full record, and co-operate with any process. I will tell BACP where its rules require it.

• Anyone can raise a complaint through the complaints process with BACP. I treat all concerns seriously and do not treat anyone worse for raising them.

10. Records and confidentiality

I keep safeguarding records separately from session notes, securely, and keep them for the retention periods in my Client Contract and Privacy Notice, or longer if there is a reason, such as an ongoing process. The law allows me to share information to keep someone safe. The limits of confidentiality are explained at the start of the work, as set out in sections 5 and 10 of my Client Contract.

11. Who to contact

I make referrals to the children's services or adult social care of the council where the client lives. Surrey and Kent are listed below because I am based in that area; clients joining online may live elsewhere.

Who

Contact

Immediate danger

999

Police (not an emergency)

101

Surrey children's services (C-SPA)

0300 470 9100 (Mon–Fri, office hours) · cspa@surreycc.gov.uk

Surrey adult social care

0300 470 9100 (Mon–Fri, office hours) · ascMASH@surreycc.gov.uk

Surrey out of hours (Emergency Duty Team)

01483 517 898 · edt.ssd@surreycc.gov.uk

Kent children's services

03000 41 11 11 · social.services@kent.gov.uk

Kent adult social care

03000 41 61 61 · social.services@kent.gov.uk

Kent out of hours

03000 41 91 91

Any other area

The council where the child or adult lives. Children: gov.uk/report-child-abuse-to-local-council. Adults: find the council at gov.uk/find-local-council and ask for adult safeguarding.

NSPCC helpline (advice for adults worried about a child)

0808 800 5000

Childline (for young people)

0800 1111

National Domestic Abuse Helpline

0808 2000 247

Modern Slavery Helpline

08000 121 700

Contact details last checked October 2026. I will check them regularly.

12. Review

I review this policy at least once a year, after any serious concern, and when the law or guidance changes. I will share it with any client, parent or carer who asks.

Signed: Catherine Mumford

Date: October 2026