Safeguarding Policy

1. Purpose and scope

Relational Resonance is committed to providing therapy in a way that protects the safety, dignity and rights of clients and others who may be affected by the work. This policy explains how safeguarding concerns are recognised, considered, recorded and, where necessary, shared with other people or services.

It applies to safeguarding concerns that arise in the course of work with adult clients, including concerns about children or young people connected to clients. It applies to both in-person and online work.

Safeguarding does not mean that every disclosure of risk, distress, conflict or abuse will automatically be reported. Decisions will be made carefully and proportionately, taking account of the person's wishes, the nature and immediacy of the risk, the safety of other people, legal obligations and professional ethical responsibilities.

This policy also explains how I respond to serious concerns about suicide, self-harm or harm to another person, where these may require action beyond the usual limits of therapy.

2. Responsibility for safeguarding

I, Adam Lawrence-Rodriguez, hold responsibility for safeguarding within Relational Resonance. This includes maintaining this policy, keeping my safeguarding knowledge and training up to date, responding to concerns and seeking appropriate consultation when needed.

Safeguarding concerns can be raised directly with me using the contact details through which therapy was arranged or through Relational Resonance.

If a concern relates to my own professional conduct, you can also use the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy's professional conduct process. If someone is in immediate danger, contact the emergency services.

3. What safeguarding means

Safeguarding means taking reasonable steps to protect children, young people and adults at risk from abuse, neglect, exploitation and serious harm, while respecting autonomy and avoiding unnecessary or disproportionate intervention.

An adult safeguarding concern may arise where an adult has care and support needs, is experiencing or at risk of abuse or neglect, and because of those needs may be unable to protect themselves from the risk or experience of abuse or neglect.

A child is anyone under 18. Concerns about a child may arise even where the child is not a client, for example through information disclosed by a parent, carer or another adult in therapy.

4. Examples of safeguarding concerns

Safeguarding concerns may include:

• physical, sexual, emotional or psychological abuse;
• neglect or acts of omission;
• domestic abuse, including controlling or coercive behaviour, sexual abuse, economic abuse and threats or intimidation;
• financial or material abuse and exploitation;
• modern slavery, trafficking or criminal exploitation;
• discriminatory or organisational abuse;
• self-neglect where the circumstances create a significant safeguarding concern; and
• concerns about the safety or welfare of a child, including the impact of domestic abuse in the home.

5. Domestic abuse and couples therapy

Couples therapy requires particular care where there is violence, coercion, intimidation, fear or a significant imbalance of power. Domestic abuse may involve a pattern of behaviour rather than a single incident, and controlling or coercive behaviour can continue after separation.

Where I become concerned that couples therapy cannot be conducted safely or freely, I may slow down, pause or end the couples work and discuss other forms of support. I will not assume that responsibility for abuse or harm is shared equally between partners.

Information disclosed privately by one partner may create a safeguarding concern. I will normally try to discuss with that person how the concern can be addressed. However, where there is a serious risk of harm to that person, a child or somebody else, confidentiality may need to be overridden in line with this policy.

Under the Domestic Abuse Act 2021, a child who sees, hears or experiences the effects of domestic abuse and is related to either the person being harmed or the person causing the abuse is recognised as a victim of domestic abuse in their own right. The presence of children will therefore form part of any safeguarding assessment.

6. How I respond to a safeguarding concern

When a safeguarding concern arises, I will respond according to the urgency and circumstances. My usual process is to:

• listen carefully and take the concern seriously without carrying out an investigative interview;
• consider who may be at risk, the nature and immediacy of the risk, protective factors and whether urgent action is required;
• where safe and appropriate, discuss the concern and possible next steps with the client and seek their involvement in decisions;
• seek consultation through clinical supervision and, where appropriate, obtain advice from a professional insurer, BACP, a safeguarding service or another suitably experienced professional;
• decide whether information needs to be shared with a local authority safeguarding service, police, health service or another appropriate agency;
• share only information that is relevant and necessary for the safeguarding purpose; and
• make a clear record of the concern, the information considered, consultation sought, the decision and rationale, action taken and any follow-up required.

Where delay would place someone at immediate risk of serious harm, I may take action before consultation or without the person's consent. In an emergency, I may contact the emergency services directly.

7. Confidentiality and information sharing

Therapy is confidential within professional, ethical and legal limits. Safeguarding is one of the circumstances in which confidentiality may need to be limited.

Where possible, I will tell a client before sharing information, explain what I intend to share and why, and involve them in the process. I may decide not to tell a client beforehand if doing so could increase the risk of harm, place another person at risk, prejudice an investigation or otherwise make the safeguarding response less safe.

Information will not be shared simply because a situation is difficult or because a client has disclosed domestic abuse, self-harm or suicidal thoughts. The decision will depend on the circumstances, including capacity, consent, the seriousness and immediacy of risk, the involvement of children or adults at risk, and any legal or ethical justification for disclosure.

Where identifiable information is shared, I will aim to disclose the minimum necessary information to the appropriate person or service and record the reason for doing so.

8. Concerns involving children and young people

The welfare of the child will be a central consideration when information suggests that a child may be experiencing, or be at risk of, abuse, neglect or exploitation. I will consider the current statutory guidance Working Together to Safeguard Children 2026 and relevant local safeguarding procedures.

Where appropriate and safe, I will work collaboratively with the parent, carer or adult client. However, consent is not a prerequisite for sharing information where there is a lawful and proportionate safeguarding reason to do so, particularly where seeking consent could increase risk or delay necessary protection.

9. Concerns involving adults at risk

Adult safeguarding will be approached in a way that is person-centred and proportionate. I will seek to understand what the adult wants to happen and involve them in decisions wherever possible, while also considering capacity, coercion, the safety of others and whether there is a legal or ethical basis to act without consent.

Where the Care Act adult safeguarding criteria may be met, I may seek advice from or make a referral to the relevant local authority adult safeguarding service.

10. Suicide, self-harm and serious harm to others

Thoughts of suicide or self-harm do not automatically lead to a breach of confidentiality. I will explore risk collaboratively where possible, including immediacy, intent, plans, access to means, previous behaviour, protective factors and available support.

If I believe there is an immediate and serious risk of harm that cannot be managed safely within therapy, I may contact emergency, health or safeguarding services, with or without consent where ethically and legally justified. Similar principles apply where there is a serious and credible risk of harm to another person.

11. Recording and storage

Safeguarding records will be factual, relevant and proportionate. They may include the concern or disclosure, observations, risk considerations, discussions with the client, consultation or supervision, information shared, decisions and rationale, referrals made and outcomes known to me.

Records are stored securely and handled in accordance with the Relational Resonance Privacy Policy and UK data-protection law. Safeguarding information will only be retained and disclosed where there is an appropriate professional, ethical or legal basis.

12. Getting safeguarding or urgent help

For safeguarding concerns in Enfield, the relevant local authority services are the Enfield Children's Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (Children's MASH) and Enfield Adults MASH. Current referral routes and contact details are published by Safeguarding Enfield .

If the person at risk lives outside Enfield, the safeguarding service for the local authority in which they live will normally be the appropriate service to contact. In an emergency, call 999 regardless of location.

13. Concerns about Relational Resonance

If you have a safeguarding concern about the way I have worked with you, I encourage you to raise it with me where you feel able to do so. You are not required to raise a concern with me first where doing so would feel unsafe or inappropriate.

As a registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), I work within the BACP Ethical Framework. Information about BACP's professional conduct process is available on the BACP website .

14. Training, supervision and review

I maintain safeguarding knowledge appropriate to my work and use clinical supervision to think about safeguarding, risk, confidentiality and ethical decision-making. Where a concern is outside my competence or requires specialist legal or safeguarding advice, I will seek appropriate consultation.

This policy will be reviewed at least annually and sooner if there is a significant change in legislation, statutory guidance, BACP requirements, local safeguarding arrangements or the nature of the practice.

15. Professional and legal framework

This policy is informed by the following framework and guidance as applicable to practice in England:

• BACP Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions 2026;
• Care Act 2014 and Care and Support Statutory Guidance, particularly adult safeguarding;
• Children Act 1989 and Children Act 2004;
• Working Together to Safeguard Children 2026;
• statutory information-sharing guidance for safeguarding children and young people;
• Domestic Abuse Act 2021 and associated statutory guidance;
• Mental Capacity Act 2005;
• UK data-protection law, including the UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018; and
• relevant Enfield safeguarding procedures and, for clients elsewhere, the procedures of the appropriate local safeguarding partnership.