Policies

Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy

PTUK Certified Play Therapist – Lisa D’Orso

September 2022

 

 

Safeguarding is defined as:

·       protecting children from abuse and maltreatment

·       preventing harm to children’s mental and physical health or development

·       ensuring that children grow up with the provision of safe and effective care

·       taking action to enable all children and young people to have the best outcomes.

 

Child Protection is defined in the Children Act 1989 (s.47) as when a child is suffering or is likely to suffer significant harm. Under statutory guidance and legislation action must be taken to safeguard and promote the child’s welfare. 

 

As a Play Therapist, it is my responsibility to ensure the safety and emotional wellbeing of all the children I come into contact with. For the purposes of this policy, a child is a person under 18 years of age.

 

·       I hold a current DBS certificate, which is renewed every three years.

·       I receive regular safeguarding training, in accordance with PTUK requirements.

·       I have public liability insurance.

·       I have regular clinical supervision with a PTUK approved creative arts therapist and supervisor.

 

I am committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children by:

·       The provision of a safe environment in which to provide play therapy or filial play coaching sessions;

·       Acting on concerns about a child’s welfare immediately;

·       Fulfilling my legal responsibilities to identify children who may be in need of early help or who are suffering, or are likely to suffer, significant harm.

 

All action taken by me (Lisa D’Orso) will be in accordance with:

·       Current legislation (summarised within Working Together to Safeguard Children: statutory framework)

·       Keeping Children Safe in Education (2022) is statutory guidance issued by the Department for Education

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/keeping-children-safe-in-education–2

·       Local Guidance from the Local Safeguarding Partnership: around particular safeguarding topics, available on the Keeping Bristol Safe Partnership Website.

 

 

Child abuse is any action by another person – adult or child – that causes significant harm to a child. This includes sexual abuse, neglect, emotional abuse, physical abuse, online abuse, domestic abuse, bullying and cyberbullying, child trafficking, grooming, peer-on-peer sexual abuse, exploitation including radicalisation. This list is not exhaustive.

 

My approach is child-centred, which means that I consider, at all times, what is in the best interests of the child. During play therapy or filial play coaching sessions, if a child discloses information, suggesting that they, or another child, are, or have been at risk of harm, it is my duty to follow procedures as follows:

·       Listen carefully and stay calm

·       Ensure I have understood the matter under discussion, clarifying points as necessary

·       Reassure the child that by telling me, they have done the right thing

·       Inform the child that I must pass on this information now, but only to those who need to know; inform them who I am going to tell, using age-appropriate language

·       Take note of the main points of the conversation including names, times, dates, etc, together with any injuries observed.

If in a school or other organisation, I would report this to the designated safeguarding lead in a timely manner. In private practice, I would contact the appropriate service depending on the seriousness of the disclosure and the perceived risk of harm. This would be either Families in Focus, First Response, or the police.

There may be times when it is necessary to share information without consent such as:

·       To gain consent would place the child at risk

·       It cannot be reasonably expected to gain consent

·       By sharing information, it will enhance the safeguarding of a child in a timely manner but it is not possible to gain consent.

The Data Protection Act 2018 and GDPR do not prevent the sharing of information for the purposes of keeping children safe (see separate data protection and privacy policy).

 

This policy was reviewed by Lisa D’Orso, in September 2022. Due for review September 2023, or sooner if updates are needed.

Referral Agencies

·       First Response T: 0117 9036444  (all Bristol)

·       The place to call if you are concerned about a child or young person or think they need some help. Calls to First Response may result in direct referral to a Social Work Team or to Early Help and/or advice and guidance being given about services to help families.

·       Families in Focus: North 0117 352 1499; East / Central 0117 3576460 ; South 0117 903 7770

·       Disabled Children Team (all Bristol) – Tel: 0117 9038250

·       Emergency Duty Team /Out of Office Hours T: 01454 615 165

·       Police:  Non-emergency – Tl: 101 Emergency – Tel: 999

·       On-Call Consultant Paediatrician (via BRI Switchboard)  T: 0117 923 0000 – non-mobile babies

 

Support and advice

  • South West Child Protection Procedures (online guidance)

·       https://www.proceduresonline.com/swcpp/

·       Childline -T: 0800 1111 (open 24 hours)

·       National Association for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) -T: 0808 800 5000

Data Protection & Privacy Policy

PTUK Certified Play Therapist – Lisa D’Orso

 

I collect and hold information about your child as a ‘legitimate interest’ as defined under the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR). This privacy policy explains how I use any personal information I may collect about you and it also informs you of your rights and my responsibilities in the processing of your personal information under the GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018 https://www.gov.uk/data-protection.

 

Through our confidential meetings, I invite you as parent/carer to share information with me about your child’s current and previous psychological and physical health, and your current and previous social and family circumstances. I will also collect information about you and your child when you voluntarily complete strengths and difficulties questionnaires (SDQs).

This includes:

·       Names of family members

·       Date of birth of the child

·       Telephone contacts of parent/carer

·       Home address of the child

 

I may also collect sensitive personal information defined as “Special Category Data” that supports me in my understanding of your child.

The information I collect about your child is confidential. I only discuss some of your child’s personal information with my supervisor (who is a Play Therapy UK (PTUK) approved creative clinical supervisor) for the purposes of ensuring that my practice is safe and effective as is required by PTUK. I do not reveal you/your child’s identifying information in supervision. My supervision is also confidential so my supervisor does not share the information elsewhere.

Sharing your personal information with third parties

On occasion there may be a need to discuss your personal information with third parties.  If my professional opinion was that there was an immediate and serious risk to your child, then I may have to pass on these concerns to ‘First Response’ or the police, as this is a legal requirement.

 

In situations where I did have to share your child’s personal information with third parties to protect your child or another, I would only share the personal information in so far as it is relevant and necessary for safety.

 

It is possible that your child’s personal information may be requested by a Court of Law, Coroner’s Office or Professional Body in which circumstances you may have limited or no rights of refusal.

 

As part of my registration I submit client data to my governing body PTUK, all data is made anonymous and has no identifying information. This data is collected for diagnostic and research purposes and is included in the consent form you sign.

You have the right to request a copy of the information that I hold about your child. If you would like a copy of some or all of the personal information, please email me at hello@lisadorso.co.uk

 

I aim to ensure that all personal information is accurate and up to date. You may ask me to correct or remove information you think is inaccurate. You have the right to ask me to erase the personal information I hold. I can refuse the request if your personal information is needed in the defence or exercise of legal claims, or I believe there is an overriding legitimate interest to retain your information.

I keep your personal information in electronic records, as well as paper files. The information that is stored on computer devices uses encryption and password protected systems. Your identifying personal information i.e. name, address and date of birth are kept separately from your record. Paper copies are kept securely locked in filing cabinets at my home. I keep your child’s personal information and the record of our work together until the time of my retirement. I then delete/shred your records.

 

Please contact me if you have any questions about my privacy policy or information I hold about you by email: hello@lisadorso.co.uk

 

Right to complain

You have the right to complain to the Information Commissioners Office without prejudice about the processing of your personal data. www.ico.org.uk

My ICO reference number is: ZA 465352

 

This policy reviewed – September 2022

Date for review – September 2023