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Protocol For a trainee counsellor working with Phoenix Counselling Service
Please Note
All issues where a trainee departs from Phoenix protocol will be recorded.
Where the Steering Group considers it appropriate conditions will be imposed
on the placement, and in exceptional cases the placement ended
Agency Requirements
Lodge with placement manager a current insurance certificate
Lodge with placement manager signed letter from a current personal therapist
Sign and return Trainee Agreement
Abide by the Terms of Trainee agreement at all times
Paperwork
Maintain a personal supply of relevant agency paperwork
Monthly time sheets, issued by agency, to be placed in folder first Monday
of next month
Requests for signed Logs of supervision/client hours to be submitted monthly
Completed assessment forms to be lodged in folder first Monday following assessment
Current client work cards only to be left in folders
Show on cards when client has completed work so that they are filed
Each client to be issued with feedback form on completion of contact
Assessment
Usually new trainees will not conduct assessment sessions
All clients will have been screened by the referral co-ordinator prior to trainee contact
Sessions
Clients to be contacted within 48 hours of receiving referral
It is expected that the client will be seen within 7 to 10 days from their initial contact
Counsellor to arrive for all sessions at least ten minutes prior to appointment time
Session length of 50 minutes
Counsellor to attend & stay for full sessions where a client has contracted to attend
Where possible, client contact to be by letter, always on Phoenix headed notepaper
With-hold personal phone numbers/emails when contacting clients
Discourage clients from contacting agency apart from emergencies
Recording of sessions takes place only after discussion in supervision
College Requirements
Allow a minimum of 14 days for supervision & placement report requests
Notify agency any significant changes in status on college course
Health & Safety
Make a risk assessment at the outset of all work, to include setting & client suitability
Update risk assessment before and during all sessions
Terminate any session where you deem the work to be of excessive risk
refer on ( where appropriate ) in consultation with supervisor / referral co-ordinator
Obtain GP details at assessment, inform client of confidentiality policy
Contact, using appropriate haste, and discuss with supervisor all concerns
re clients "at risk" including instances of a vulnerable third party "at risk"
Supervision
Attendance is required for all supervision, where illness prevents this consider
with supervisor whether additional supervision is required
All supervision fees to be paid monthly in advance
Client Fees
All sessions client has contracted to be charged for, unless counsellor fails to attend
All fees collected to be paid on first Monday of month, amounts to tally with time sheets
( where Bank Holidays prevent this, use second Mondays)
Where varying Phoenix's set rates for client fees do so only after
consultation with placement manager
Don't pay client fees with personal cheques
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