Renata’s Accrediting bodies and their ethics codes

Renata Taylor-Byrne is an ethical practitioner in the field of coaching-counselling.  

She is an accredited member of both the Association for Coaching and Counselling-CCC; and she is subject to the complaints procedures of both of those professional organisations. 

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Ethics codes and complaints procedures 

Renata Taylor-Byrne is a Member of the Association for Coaching (MAC); and a Registered member of Counselling (CCC Reg).

She is subject to the ethics codes and complaints procedures of the Association for Coaching and Counselling (CCC Reg).

She follows the following two codes of ethics:

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Association for Coaching Code of Ethics and Good Practice

Counselling Code of Conduct

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The Association for Coaching is committed to maintaining and promoting excellence in coaching practice. It therefore expects all members, whether coaches or coaching supervisors, to adhere to the essential elements of ethical, competent and effective practice as set out in this Code of Ethics and Good Practice. Please note: ‘Client’ refers to anyone receiving coaching or coaching supervision from you.

Fitness to Practise

1. You will have qualifications, skills and experience appropriate to the needs of your Client. If not, you should refer your Client to those who do, such as more experienced coaches, coaching supervisors, counsellors, psychotherapists or others offering specialist services.
2. You will be fit and healthy enough to practise. If not, you should stop until you are and, if necessary, your Clients should be offered alternative support.
3. You will have professional indemnity insurance adequate to cover your coaching and/or coaching supervision practice.

Maintaining Good Practice

4. You will always act in a manner that shows respect for people and organisations, and enhances the reputation of the coaching profession. Any claims you make about coaching or coaching supervision will be honest and reflect current knowledge and understanding.
5. You will be sensitive to issues of culture, religion, gender, sexuality, disability, race and all other aspects of diversity.
6. You will monitor the quality of your work through feedback from Clients and other appropriate professionals.
7. You will complete each year at least 30 hours of continuing professional development (CPD) in the theory and practice of coaching. For coaching supervisors, there shall be an additional 10 hours of Coaching Supervisor specific CPD per year. This is a condition of continued AC Membership and individual coach or coaching supervisor accreditation.
8. Both coaches and coaching supervisors will regularly reflect on their practice and development with a suitably qualified and experienced coaching supervisor.
9. A Client may need levels of psychological support you are not competent to provide. If so, the Client should be referred to an appropriate source of care, such as the Client’s GP, a counsellor, psychotherapist, or another appropriate service or agency.

Contracting

10. You will explain and make explicit your commitment to abide by this Code of Ethics and Good Practice.
11. Before starting work with a Client, you will ensure that they know and fully understand the nature of and terms and conditions of any coaching or coaching supervision contract, including session cost and frequency. You will be open about the methods you use, and be ready to supply your Client with information about the processes involved on request.
12. You will consider the impact on your Client of any relationships you have with other clients and sponsoring organizations, and discuss any potential conflict of interest with those who might be affected.
13. While confidentiality will be an essential aspect of your commitment to Clients, your contract will make clear that if evidence of illegal activity or the potential for harm to the Client or others is disclosed during the engagement, you may have to inform the appropriate authorities. If possible and appropriate, this should be done with the Client’s consent and permission. If the Client is a child or vulnerable adult, arrangements should be made with their sponsors to ensure a level of confidentiality in the best interests of that person while working within current legislation.
14. You will respect the Client’s right to terminate the engagement at any point in the process.

Statutory and Legal Duties

15. You will keep up to date and comply with statutory or legal requirements that affect your work.
16. In particular, you will be aware of and comply with legislation related to working with children or vulnerable adults, including the need for a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check before starting.
17. You will keep appropriate and accurate records of your work with Clients and ensure they remain confidential, are stored securely, and comply with the Data Protection Act.

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The Counselling Code of Conduct

Counselling Standards
Our charity believes that the counselling relationship is not an equal relationship, and that the most important person in the relationship is the client and not the counsellor. The Code of Conduct below is based upon the premise that the counsellor will always act in the best interest of the client.

1. Counsellors will always act in the best interest of their clients.

2. The counselling relationship is for the benefit of the client, and the emotional well- being of the client will be the paramount concern of the counsellor.

3. The number of counselling sessions will be kept to the minimum required to achieve those aims negotiated with the client during the contractual relationship.

4. Each counsellor is obliged to comply with the Data Protection Act 1998, and to inform the client about the purpose/s behind the processing of their Personal Data as well as explaining the safeguards in place to keep this data secure, private and confidential.

5. Total confidentiality will be maintained, subject only to the following exceptions:

1. a)Disclosures with the express permission of the client.b)Disclosures where the counsellor believes serious harm may befall a third party.

   c) Disclosures that would leave the counsellor liable to civil or criminal court procedure if not disclosed.

2. Counsellors will be subject to the ‘CCC’ complaints procedure.

   NB: Some counsellors maintain confidentiality even if a client threatens self-harm, but some counsellors do not. Counsellors should make clear to their clients exactly what level of confidentiality they intend to work towards – before the counselling relationship actually begins – and this will form part of the contractual, therapeutic relationship whether this is via verbal or written agreement.

   Para 5 allows counsellors to enter into a contract with their clients prior to commencement of counselling in which these and other exemptions to absolute confidentiality can be explicitly spelt out.

Two complaints procedures are also outlined below. Hopefully none of my clients will ever need to use these, but they are there for the reassurance of individuals.

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1. Independent Complaints Procedure for Counselling Limited (CCC Reg)

Counselling Standards
Counsellors agreeing to abide by the Counselling Code of Conduct, and who are subsequently entered onto our member database, are also subject to the following complaints procedure:

1. The only person who is entitled to make an official complaint about the standard of work of a particular counsellor is a client, or someone acting in the best interests of a counsellor’s clients.

2. All complaints must be made in writing to:
The Charity Co-ordinator, Counselling, Registered Office – as listed on the http://www.counselling.ltd.uk website

3. The client will be sent an acknowledgement, and further information obtained if necessary. The counsellor will be sent a copy of the complaint and information, and asked to respond directly to ‘Counselling’.

4. Independent and impartial persons, who are not members of ‘Counselling’, will be asked to examine the details of the original complaint together with the counsellor’s response, and will seek clarification where required.

5. The independent and impartial persons may:

1. a) Find the complaint provedb) Find the complaint unproved
2. In the event that the complaint is found proved, the counsellor will be informed that they will:
3. a)Have their name deleted from the Database of Trained Counsellorsb)Not be entitled to use the title: ‘CCC Registered Counsellor’ or display a Registration Certificate, as this will no longer be a valid document.
4. In the event that the complaint is found proved, the counsellor will be informed about the exact length of time that the sanctions mentioned in paragraph 6 will apply, and any conditions required for their lifting.8.The client, or person making the complaint, will be notified of the decision.

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2. Association for Coaching: Complaints Procedure

Definitions:

Member and Client Member = Individual (Affiliate, Associate Member, Member), Organisational Member incl. Combined, Corporate Member, Third Sector Member

Client/Complainant = Coach, Trainee Coach, Coach Mentor/Supervisor, Coaching Service Providers, Coach Training Provider Sponsor

1. Background

The Association for Coaching is committed to maintaining professional standards. To this end the Complaints Procedure sets out to provide protection to the public and a mechanism for protecting the name of the Association for Coaching and the profession of Coaching.

2. Responsibilities

Members are required to ensure that client know they adhere to complaints procedure. It is the responsibility of the Coach, Coaching Service Providers, Coach Supervisor and Training Provider covering Coach and the Complainant to understand both the code of ethics and the Complaints Procedure. Association for Coaching Individual or Organisational Members are required to understand and are aware of ensure that any client who is unhappy about the service they have received knows about the Association’s Complaints Procedure and Code of Ethics and Good Practice and that further information about the process can be obtained by contacting members@associationforcoaching.com directly.

3. Administration

The Association for Coaching is not responsible for any expenses incurred by either party or any supporting parties. The Association for Coaching may hear a complaint made against an Individual member or an Organisational Member even if another professional body is considering the case. The client and Individual Member or Organisational Member are both expected to try all reasonable courses of action to resolve the situation before making representation to the Association for Coaching. The Association for Coaching will distribute/publish the outcomes against an Individual member or Organisational Member where the complaint has been upheld.

4. Complaints Procedure

Making a Complaint

1. a) The complaint is deemed to be a breach of a clause of the Association for Coaching’s Code of Ethics or demonstrating behaviour which is deemed to be prejudicial to the Association or to the services which the Association represents.
2. b) The complaint may be made by a client or by an Individual member or Organisational Member of the Association against another.
3. c) The person and/or organisation concerned must be named and be a member of the Association at the time of the complaint being made.
4. d) The Complaint must be outlined in writing within the AC Complaints Form.

Complaints that do not meet the criteria above will not be heard.

Actioning a Complaint

1. a) The AC Individual member or Organisational Member will be notified that a complaint has been received
2. b) The initial complaint will be dealt with by an AC Advisory Panel Member, Chair and one Council Member (or nominated representative/s) and where appropriate one Senior Coach that is representing the model/discipline/niche in question and it is at this stage that the complaint will either be rejected, deferred so that further information can be obtained or accepted and referred on to the Complaints Committee and the client and AC Individual Member or Organisational Member will be informed accordingly.
3. c) The AC Member will receive full details of the complaint.
4. d) All correspondence and information received will be provided to all relevant parties.
5. e) Locations for hearings will be arranged by the AC who will provide details to all relevant parties.
6. f) The Client and Individual Member or Organisational Member may bring a support person to any meeting and members of the Complaints Committee must openly declare any areas where a conflict of interests may be present
7. g) All paperwork (i.e. correspondence, witness statements etc) must be received not less than 30 days prior to the date of any hearing. The Chair of the Complaints Committee will decide whether any legal advice need to be sought from the Association’s legal advisers. It will be up to the Chair of the Complaints Committee to decide whether new evidence can be accepted on the day of the hearing.
8. h) Any party may call upon a witness and the names of such parties are to be with the Chair of the Complaints Committee 30 days prior to the date of any hearing. Any member of the Complaints Committee, the AC Individual Member or Organisational Member being complained against or the Client may question witnesses.
9. i) If either the AC Individual Member or Organisational Member or the Client fails to attend the Hearing the Chair has the right to continue with the case in the absence of one of the relevant parties, terminate the hearing or adjourn and reset the meeting for a date no later than 30 days from the day of the original hearing.

Outcomes

1. a) The outcome of the Hearing will be notified in writing to all relevant parties within 30 days of the date the Hearing took place. b) Sanctions will be clearly stated and the AC Individual Member or Organisational Member against whom the sanction has been made can apply for it to be lifted when the conditions have been met and the Chair of the Complaints Committee will seek evidence of compliance. The AC Individual Member or Organisational Member will be informed in writing of the lifting of the sanction and details will also be placed in the Association’s Journal. Appeals a) An independent person will be appointed by the Chair of the Association to consider the Appeal.
2. b) If the Appeal is upheld, turned down or if there is insufficient evidence the AC Individual Member or Organisational Member will receive notification in writing.
3. c) Appeals will be considered if new evidence of a significant nature becomes available that would have changed the decision of the Complaints Committee had it been available at the time of the hearing. Alternatively, appeals will also be considered where the sanction is deemed unfairly harsh in relation to the event.
4. d) Appeals must be made in writing to the Chair of the Association within 30 days of notification of the original decision and are required to clearly outline the grounds on which the appeal is being made.
5. e) The Appeals Panel will be appointed by the Chair of the Association and will comprise of four people who were not part of the original hearing. The same rules that applied to the original hearing will also apply to the Appeals Committee.
6. f) The Chair of the Appeals Committee will inform the Chair of the Association of the decision and it is the Association’s Chair who will take the appropriate action. The decision will be made in writing within 21 days of the Appeals hearing.
7. Professional Misconduct

Professional Misconduct applies to an Individual member or Organisational Member of the Association who has contravened the ethical standards that are expected of any member of the Coaching profession. Misconduct applies where an Individual member or Organisational Member of the Association is deemed to have failed to adhere to the code of ethics and good practice. Serious Professional Misconduct applies where an Individual member or Organisational Member of the Association has behaved in such a way that it is deemed that suspension and/or termination of membership is necessary.

Association has behaved in such a way that it is deemed that suspension and/or termination of membership is necessary.

6. Professional Malpractice

The term Professional Malpractice will be used where an Individual member or Organisational Member of the Association’s professional behaviour falls below the minimum standards as outlined in the AC competency framework. For example through incompetence and/or negligence.

7. Bring the Coaching Profession into Disrepute

A an Individual member or Organisational Member may be deemed as bringing the Profession into disrepute where he or she acts in such a way that could be deemed as undermining the public’s confidence in the coaching profession.

To download a Complaints Form, click here.

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