Student Support – how confidential is the counselling service?

What is talked about during counselling is confidential. This includes not discussing the work with staff or parents unless the young person requests it. However safety and welfare of young people is paramount and there are circumstances when information shared in confidence needs to be passed on. This is clearly explained at the start of counselling.

Paperwork and notes relating to counselling are retained for 7 years after counselling has ended and then destroyed.

What about consent?

We ask parents or carers of children under 13 to sign a consent form and to be supportive by showing an acceptance of counselling as a normal and useful activity. Consent is not required of a child 13 and over

Sometimes young people may not want their parents or carers to know they are having counselling. By the age of 13 young people have the right to make that choice as long as they are assessed by the counsellor to have the competency to make that decision with sufficient understanding.