All our counsellors and psychotherapists work to professional Codes of Ethics and Practice, as required by our accreditation bodies. Copies of these codes and our complaint procedures are available on request. We are also committed to an intercultural approach and to equal opportunity.

Confidentiality

Total client confidentiality is the keystone of our business. No information is ever disclosed to anyone outside the company without the client’s written permission, except under certain legal obligations, which are explained in full at the first session.

We have an Access to Records policy and comply with the Data Protection Act. We do hold limited factual information about clients on computer to assist in our administration and statutory obligations. However, this does not compromise the confidentiality of any individual. All records, whether in paper or electronic form, are kept in secure and private storage.

Supervision

All DCS counsellors regularly take their work with clients to an independent clinical supervisor to ensure that they are practising professionally and in their clients’ best interests.

Staff supervision is in place as a requirement by the counselling professional bodies to ensure that counsellors are accountable for their work and they work to high professional standards. To protect their identity, clients’ names are never disclosed.

Measuring Success

To minimise any misunderstanding or dissatisfaction, DCS believes that clients should be directly involved in agreeing success criteria through set measurement and review processes.

DCS regularly reviews staff performance and actively seeks client feedback through review meetings and evaluation forms. We will respond appropriately to any points brought up by review processes.