Safeguarding Policy

Children and clients who need support

For clients under 16, an appropriate adult signs the consultation form on their behalf. Clients aged 16 or 17 sign their own consultation form. A parent does not need to attend solely because the client is under 18 if the young person is able to sign their own consent form.

Where a client needs support with decision-making, consent and authority should be considered according to the individual circumstances. The client’s own wishes and decision-making ability must be respected. An accompanying parent, guardian or caregiver does not automatically have legal authority to make decisions for another person.

Where consent or authority is uncertain, it must be clarified before treatment proceeds. No one should feel pressured to receive treatment, and a client can ask for treatment to stop.

Recognising and responding to a concern

A concern may arise from something a client says, an injury or change in behaviour, or the way another person treats them. It is not necessary to be certain that abuse or neglect has occurred before seeking appropriate help.

Eroline will listen calmly, take the concern seriously and avoid leading questions or attempting to investigate it herself. She will not promise to keep information secret where sharing may be necessary to protect someone. Where safe and appropriate, she will explain what needs to happen next.

Immediate danger

If someone is in immediate danger or needs urgent emergency help, contact emergency services on 999. Seeking urgent help must not be delayed while waiting for reception or management.

Reporting and seeking guidance

Eroline’s current route is to raise concerns with Neal’s Yard reception or management and follow the relevant venue procedure, together with any applicable professional guidance.

If that route is unavailable or cannot safely address the concern, appropriate external safeguarding advice should be sought promptly. A concern must not be left unaddressed because a venue contact is unavailable.

Concerns involving an accompanying adult

If a concern involves a parent, guardian or caregiver, their attendance must not prevent it being raised. Eroline will avoid confronting the person or sharing an allegation with them where this could increase risk, and will seek appropriate safeguarding advice about the next steps.

The client’s safety takes priority over involving the accompanying person in every conversation.

Confidentiality and sharing information

Information will be handled sensitively and shared only with people who need it to respond to the concern. Only relevant information should be passed on, using an appropriate lawful basis and any additional condition needed for health or other protected information.

Consent will be discussed where appropriate and safe. Information may sometimes need to be shared without consent where the law permits or requires it to protect someone. The reason for sharing, or deciding not to share, should be recorded.

Keeping a record

Eroline will make a factual paper record of a concern and the action taken. It should include the date, relevant observations, what was said using the person’s own words where possible, who was contacted and the response. Facts should be distinguished from opinion.

Records will be handled confidentially. Relevant information may be disclosed for safeguarding purposes, and retention must reflect the purpose and applicable requirements. The Privacy Policy explains the treatment-record retention position; this does not automatically set one period for every safeguarding incident record.

Contact and review

To raise a concern with Eroline, email erolineholistic@gmail.com or call 07936 833355. These contact routes are not emergency services.

This policy will be reviewed when relevant practice arrangements or guidance change, and following a concern where lessons need to be incorporated.