Code of Practice for the Training Organisation and Students

Code of Practice for the Training Organisation and Students

This document should be read in conjunction with the Code of Ethics and Practice.

This Training Organisation is required to conduct its training in such a way as to address the needs and best interests of its students and of their clients. Students in turn are required to act in the best interests of their clients and to abide by the requirements of the Training Organisation (hereafter referred to as The Bowlby Centre).

1. Pre-course Information

All prospective students will be fully informed of the nature and requirements of the course including its philosophy, objectives, assessment criteria and requirements for satisfactory completion. This information is found in the course literature and handbook.

2. Teaching

2.1 The curriculum, its objectives, methodology and assessment criteria will be given to students.

2.2 All teachers, Course Tutors and supervisors who are involved in training psychotherapists are governed by The Bowlby Centre’s Code of Ethics and Practice.

2.3 Teachers, Course Tutors and supervisors will respect the diversity of students and not discriminate on grounds of difference (e.g. age, gender, race, culture, class, sexuality, religion and disability).

2.4 Teachers, Course Tutors and supervisors will not exploit their students sexually, financially or in any other way.

3. Clinical Work

3.1 The interests of clients and students must be considered in establishing clinical requirements.

3.2 Requirements for practice and supervision are set out in the course handbook given to all students at the commencement of the course.

3.3 The organisation expects students to make clients’ interests paramount and to maintain appropriate confidentiality.

3.4 Students work with clients presented for training purposes will always be closely supervised.

4. Personal and Financial Involvement

4.1 All prospective students are clearly informed of the requirements of the course in the course handbook.

4.2 Confidentiality is expected concerning all clients’ personal material, which may be shared only in supervision. In all written work this material must be disguised in such a form as to prevent identification. The course will also safeguard the confidentiality of students’ personal material whether revealed in the course of seminars, or to Course Tutors. This includes the group-work where clear guidelines are set out about confidentiality. There must be no breach of the confidentiality in groups to tutors or other students.

4.3 Students have personal tutorials with their Course Tutor. It should be noted that Course Tutors are also involved in assessment,

4.4 If The Bowlby Centre wishes to change its training requirements there will be reasonable respect for existing arrangements. However, if it becomes necessary to change training requirements during a course, there will be consultation and negotiation for those affected by the change. Generally when requirements on the course are made more stringent, such changes will not be expected of the existing student cohort.

4.5 The cost of the course and the course requirement involving further expenditure on the part of the student are made clear at interview and are set out in the course handbook.

5. Supervision

All supervisors are required to abide by the organisation’s Code of Ethics and Practice.

6. Assessment

6.1 All assessment processes will be in accord with the UKCP Training requirements.

6.2 Students will be informed in writing at the outset of the criteria for, and the processes of, assessment.

6.3 The process of assessment will be as open as possible.

7. Complaints

7.1 A student who believes that the Code of Practice for the Training Organisation and Students has been breached will first address their complaint to the person concerned.

7.2 If the student does not feel that the complaint is resolved in this way she/he should then meet with the Course Tutor for that year.

7.3 If the complaint concerns the Course Tutor, or if the complainant gets no satisfaction from this approach, a letter should be sent to the Chair of the Clinical Training Committee. Such a letter should succinctly spell out the nature of the complaint, and the steps so far taken to address it with the person concerned.

7.4 The Chair of the Clinical Training Committee will not consider complaints from a third party.

7.5 The Chair of The Clinical Training Committee will convene an informal meeting at which the complainant and members of staff named in the complaint shall be present to determine the precise nature and facts of the complaint and to attempt to resolve the matter amicably.

7.6 If the matter cannot be resolved thus, or if the Chair of The Clinical Training Committee determines that the complaint, if upheld, would constitute a breach of the Code of Practice for the Training Organisation and Students, the Chair of the Clinical Training Committee may convene a Clinical Training Committee Complaints Panel (hereafter referred to as the Complaints Panel).

7.7 The Complaints Panel shall be composed of three Members of The Bowlby Centre, none of whom is named in the complaint or involved with the complainant as, for instance, training therapist. At least one member should be a member of the Clinical Training Committee

7.8 The Complaints Panel will set a date for a hearing within 21 days of the decision to proceed, which date is to be agreed by the complainant and the members of staff named in the complaint. (At all stages, extension to the time limits is at the discretion of the Chair of the Clinical Training Committee)

7.9 The role of the Complaints Panel is to:

(a) ensure that stated procedure is followed;

(b) investigate the complaint;

(c) clarify questions for both complainant and members or staff named in the complaint;

(d) decide whether to uphold the complaint.

7.10 Both parties should be invited to attend the hearing.

7.11 Both parties may be accompanied by a friend or colleague of their choice, though not a legal representative. This friend or colleague may not address the Complaints Panel but there may be adjournments for discussion during the hearing.

7.12 The complainant will first make her/his statement.

7.13 The members of staff named in the complaint will make their statement.

7.14 Each party may question the other, through the Chair.

7.1 5 The Complaints Panel will then put their questions to both parties.

7.16 The complainant will be given an opportunity to make a final statement.

7.17 The members of staff named in the complaint will be given an opportunity to make a final statement.

7.18 The Complaints Panel will report, in writing, on their proceedings, reasonings and decision to the Clinical Training Committee within fourteen days.

7.19 Where the complaint has been upheld the Clinical Training Committee will meet within seven days to consider what sanctions should be applied.

7.20 The Clinical Training Committee will be responsible for informing the complainant and members of staff named in the complaint, in writing, of the decision of the Complaints Panel and any sanctions to be applied, as soon as possible.

8. Appeal

8.1 Notice of appeal is to be sent to the Chair of The Clinical Training Committee.

8.2 Notice of any appeal must be given within twenty-one days of the decision being published.

8.3.If either party appeals against the decision, the Clinical training Committee will Appoint an External Arbitrator to review the evidence and procedure followed and to Report to the Clinical Training Committee. The decision of the External Arbitrator will be sent in writing to both the complainant and the members of staff named in the complaint as soon as possible.

8.4 Either party can appeal to the Council for Psychoanalysis and Jungian Analysis section of the UKCP if they consider that the stated procedure have not been followed during the original complaints hearing.

9. Costs

9.1 If a complaint is upheld, then the members of staff named in the complaint will be liable to meet all or part of The Bowlby Centre’s costs, as determined by the Clinical Training Committee, which have been incurred in dealing with the matter.

9.2 If a complaint is not upheld, the complainant will not be liable to meet any costs which have been incurred in dealing with the matter.

10. Administrative and Other Staff

Complaints about administrative services to The Bowlby Centre should, as a last resort, be taken to the Executive Committee, (see The Bowlby Centre Greivance Procedure).