Charter

Subsidised Counselling Charter  

The Well Counselling (TWC) and Associate Counsellors aim to work together to provide supportive, therapeutic and professional subsidised counselling for local people who are struggling financially. The purpose of this charter is to set out the responsibilities of The Well Counselling, Associate Counsellors, and Clients in this joint provision.  

TWC is an activity of The Lyttelton Well Ltd, to fulfil some of its charitable objectives to provide relief from distress and hardship. 

 

Counselling provision 

• TWC sources a bank of suitable Counsellors who are prepared to offer subsidised counselling. 

• Clients contact TWC to request counselling. TWC collect and hold Client details and availability. Basic information about the counselling service is given to the Client, and a process agreement signed, but no offer of counselling is made at this point. 

• When a Counsellor has space for a new Client, TWC send them details of the longest waiting Client who matches availability criteria. TWC inform the Client that they may expect contact. 

• At the first meeting, the Counsellor assesses the Client’s requirements and talks with the Client about how much they can afford. The Counsellor informs TWC whether an agreement is made to continue or not. 

• If there is agreement to continue, the Counsellor takes the Client into their private practice. TWC has no responsibility to the client’s counselling beyond this point. 

• The Client is responsible to attend and pay as per their agreement with the Counsellor. Any issues regarding the counselling are for the Client and the Counsellor to address. 

• Counsellors report to TWC monthly and any subsidy or expenses agreed are paid to the counsellor. Subsidies will be for a maximum of 6 months per client, unless otherwise agreed with TWC. 

• At the end of subsidised counselling the Client fills in a feedback form for TWC. 

 

 

A. TWC Responsibilities

TWC’s role is to be the contact for clients requiring counselling, to provide a timely referral to a counsellor and to provide subsidies and other support to the counsellor as agreed.  

 

Responsibilities to the Client : TWC agrees to … 

1. Do their utmost to select a bank of professional counsellors appropriate for this service. 
2. Provide and maintain suitable contact methods where client can request referral to a counsellor and find up-to-date information on services. 
3. Provide and maintain suitable method(s) for collecting and storing client contact availability and preference data, and to be responsible for this data, appointing a GDPR lead. To ensure privacy and legal requirements for this data are met, and that the client knows what will happen with this data. To assign an anonymous client number for communication purposes. 
4. Ensure the client has information on how the counselling service works, that the offer of counselling will come from an associate counsellor, not TWC, and that this offer of counselling will be dependent on the counsellors assessment. 
5. Ensure the client is aware of where to find health and safety, safeguarding and complaints policies. To have named safeguarding and health and safety leads, and to be clear who will address complaints. 
6. Monitor and manage the list of clients waiting, to do their best to ensure only a short wait, and that expectations are realistic, and to communicate with the client about this.  
7. Either suggest another counsellor or remove the client from the waiting list If the counsellor and client are unable to work together, in consultation with the counsellor and making any appropriate notes. 

 

Responsibilities to the Counsellor: TWC agrees to … 

1. Maintain good supportive relationships and communications with the counsellors. Have a sufficient working knowledge of the requirements of counselling. Work with counsellors for the ongoing development of low-cost counselling. 
2. Appropriately pass on client contact and other data in response to a counsellors request.  
3. Agree with the counsellor any subsidies, expenses and services available to the counsellor and to make these available in a timely manner. 
4. Ensure TWC health and safety, safeguarding and complaints policies are in place. 
5. To ensure the Counselling rooms made available at The Lyttelton Well are appropriate for counselling.  
6. Assist in arranging voluntary group meetings for counsellors. 

 

General : TWC agrees to … 

1. Collate feedback forms to ensure that the service is running well and to address any concerns, safeguarding issues or complaints from clients and counsellors as appropriate. To ensure any suitable insurance for TWC processes are in place. 
2. Ensure enough funding and resource is available for the counselling service to continue. 
3. Ensure public information about the service is up to date and reviewed regularly, in consultation with the associate counsellors. Review this charter and policies annually. 
4. Continue with membership of a professional counselling body and maintain suitable insurance . 
5. Uphold all the legal requirements of its charitable activity while demonstrating a Christian ethos that enables generous service to the community. 

 

 B. COUNSELLORS Responsibilities

The counsellor’s role is to provide counselling for an agreed number of clients at the rate clients can afford. 

 

Responsibility to the Client : The Counsellor agrees to … 

1. Ensure an appropriate contract is made with the Client and that the Client understands the different roles of TWC and Counsellor. 
2. Provide counselling in accordance with the ethical and professional frameworks of the professional body/ies that they are members of, and work within their competence. 
3. Assess a client at first meeting for suitability for counselling and for an appropriate match with the counsellor.  
4. Offer a minimum of 6 weekly sessions to each client they agree to work with and to check there is funding if the work is to continue beyond 6 months or 20 weeks, whichever is sooner. 
5. Respond appropriately to safeguarding concerns 
6. Respond to complaints/concerns raised by the clients in accordance with guidance from their membership body 

 

Responsibilities to TWC : The Counsellor agrees to … 

1. Maintain a registered or accredited membership of a professional body that has an accredited register under the Professional Standards Authority or who is registered with the HCPC as an Art therapist, counselling or clinical psychologist 
2. Maintain good supportive relationships and communications with TWC and follow TWC processes as appropriate. 
3. Make available an agreed number of sessions per week for subsidised counselling that can be used for TWC referred clients. Report the number of sessions of counselling given in a timely fashion so that subsidies can be paid. 
4. Be fully responsible for the professional counselling delivered to their client. To meet the requirements of, and maintain membership of, your professional body. 
5. Assist in the approval of new associate counsellors as appropriate 
6. Inform TWC when a feedback form can be sent to the client on the completion of counselling, and ask the client to fill this in. Also to provide appropriate anonymized information for funding purposes if required and to communicate with TWC about any issue or suggestion they may have 
7. Inform TWC if  

• Their circumstances change in a way that it will affect their counselling 

• They take a holiday of more than 2 weeks 

• Any complaint is made against them. 

8, TWC reserves the right to cease referring clients to counsellors if there are fitness to practice concerns raised. 

 

 C. CLIENT Responsibilities

The client accepts the way counselling is offered, engages with the counselling paying what they can afford, and provides feedback at the end. 

 

Responsibilities to TWC : The Client agrees to … 

1. Give correct details to TWC when requesting counselling, particularly to make sure they are able to be contacted. 
2. Read the information they are given and to raise any concerns they may have before signing any agreement. 
3. Report any concern about their counsellor to TWC including any complaint made to the counsellor’s professional body. 
4. Fill in and return a feedback form after counselling completes 

 

Responsibilities to the Counsellor : The Client agrees to … 

1. Discuss expectations and money with the counsellor at the assessment session before signing to receive counselling with this counsellor. To engage with counselling and follow what is agreed.  
2. Not have any other counselling at the same time.