How these terms should be used

These terms applies alongside Flourish With Neurodiversity Main Client Terms and any Service-Specific Terms.

Where a service involves a child or young person, these terms explain consent, confidentiality, parent/carer involvement, safeguarding, school/professional liaison, payment responsibilities and record keeping.

1. Scope of These Terms

These Children, Young People and Parent/Carer Terms apply where Flourish With Neurodiversity provides, or is asked to provide, services involving a child or young person. This may include direct support, coaching, education, parent/carer work, family support, workshops, school liaison, Access to Work-related family support, written summaries, consultation or related services.

These terms should be read together with the Main Client Terms and any Service-Specific Terms provided for the particular service being purchased. If there is any difference between these terms and a service-specific agreement, the service-specific agreement will apply to the specific service, unless doing so would conflict with safeguarding, legal or professional responsibilities.

2. Who the Service Is For

Where services involve a child or young person, Flourish With Neurodiversity will aim to agree at the start who the service is for and how parents/carers will be involved. Depending on the type of work, the client may be:

·        the child or young person;

·        the parent/carer;

·        the family as a whole; or

·        a combination of the above, with different boundaries for different parts of the work.

This will be explained as clearly as possible before work begins. In some cases, the boundaries may need to be reviewed as the work develops, especially where the child or young person’s needs, wishes, risk level or family circumstances change.

3. Consent and Involvement

For children and young people, consent and involvement will be considered in light of the child’s age, understanding, wishes, needs, safety and any relevant parental responsibility arrangements.

Where appropriate, Flourish With Neurodiversity will seek agreement from the child or young person as well as from a parent/carer. This helps ensure the child or young person understands the purpose of the work, how information may be used and the limits of confidentiality.

Parents/carers may be involved in the work, but this does not automatically mean they are entitled to full details of everything shared by the child or young person.

4. Parental Responsibility and Authority to Consent

The parent/carer booking the service confirms that they have appropriate authority to arrange the service for the child or young person, or that they have made Flourish With Neurodiversity aware of any relevant parental responsibility, court order, care arrangement, custody arrangement or dispute that may affect consent, information sharing or attendance.

Flourish With Neurodiversity may ask for written consent, confirmation of parental responsibility, details of relevant court orders or other information where needed. Services may be paused or declined if consent or authority is unclear.

5. If Parents/Carers Disagree

Where parents/carers disagree about the child or young person receiving support, attending sessions, sharing information, or involving school or other professionals, Flourish With Neurodiversity may pause or decline the work until the position is clarified.

Flourish With Neurodiversity will prioritise the welfare of the child or young person and will not take sides in parental disputes. If there is an immediate safeguarding concern, Flourish With Neurodiversity may act without waiting for agreement from all parents/carers.

6. Who Pays and What Payment Does Not Include

Payment may be made by a parent, carer, school, organisation or another agreed person. The person paying for the service is responsible for fees, cancellations and agreed administrative arrangements, unless otherwise agreed in writing.

Payment for sessions does not automatically give the payer access to confidential session content, full session notes or private information shared by the child or young person.

Fees, cancellations, rescheduling, no-shows and refunds are governed by the Main Client Terms and any Service-Specific Terms.

7. Confidentiality and Privacy

Children and young people need a safe space to speak openly. Information shared in 1:1 sessions will usually remain private between the child or young person and Flourish With Neurodiversity, subject to the limits of confidentiality set out in these terms and the Main Client Terms.

Private information may include personal thoughts, worries, emotions, experiences, relationships and details the child or young person does not want shared. This does not prevent Flourish With Neurodiversity from sharing information where there is a safeguarding, legal, risk-related, professional or other valid reason to do so.

8. Updates to Parents/Carers

Flourish With Neurodiversity may provide parents/carers with general updates where appropriate.

These may include:

·        attendance;

·        general themes;

·        progress toward agreed goals;

·        practical recommendations;

·        strategies that may help at home or school;

·        whether further support may be useful; and

·        agreed actions or next steps.

Flourish With Neurodiversity will not usually share detailed session content, personal disclosures or private information shared by the child or young person unless the child or young person has agreed, or unless there is a safeguarding, legal, risk-related or other valid reason to do so.

9. Parent-Present and 1:1 Sessions

Some sessions may include a parent/carer. Other sessions may be held 1:1 with the child or young person, depending on the child’s age, needs, preferences, risk level, consent and the purpose of the work.

Where sessions are 1:1, Flourish With Neurodiversity will aim to agree in advance how feedback will be handled. This may include brief parent/carer check-ins, separate review sessions, agreed written summaries or other arrangements appropriate to the service.

Parents/carers should not ask the child or young person to repeat everything discussed in a private session, as this can reduce the safety, trust and effectiveness of the work.

10. Safeguarding Override

The welfare and safety of the child or young person is the priority. Confidentiality is not absolute.

Flourish With Neurodiversity may need to share information where:

·        there is a concern that the child or young person is at risk of harm;

·        another child, young person or adult may be at risk of harm;

·        there is a safeguarding concern;

·        there is a legal requirement to disclose information;

·        information is needed to seek urgent help or emergency support;

·        there is a serious concern about self-harm, suicide, abuse, neglect, exploitation or significant risk; or

·        sharing information is necessary and proportionate to protect someone’s welfare or safety.

Where possible and appropriate, Flourish With Neurodiversity will discuss this with the child or young person first. However, information may be shared without their agreement where this is necessary to keep them or someone else safe.

Safeguarding concerns should not be delayed by uncertainty about consent or confidentiality.

11. Information Sharing for Safeguarding

If Flourish With Neurodiversity believes a child or young person may be at risk of harm, relevant information may be shared with appropriate people or agencies. This may include parents/carers, a school safeguarding lead, children’s social care, emergency services, a GP, another healthcare professional or another relevant professional.

Flourish With Neurodiversity will aim to share only information that is necessary and proportionate to the concern.

12. School, College and Professional Liaison

Flourish With Neurodiversity will only contact or share information with a school, college, GP, SENCO, local authority, therapist, employer, Access to Work adviser or other professional where consent has been given, unless there is a safeguarding, legal or risk-related reason to share information without consent.

Where liaison is agreed, Flourish With Neurodiversity will aim to clarify:

·        who Flourish With Neurodiversity may speak to;

·        what information may be shared;

·        the purpose of the liaison;

·        whether updates will be verbal or written;

·        whether the child or young person will be involved in the discussion;

·        whether letters, reports or written summaries are included in the service or charged separately.

13. Written Summaries, Letters and Reports

Written summaries, letters, reports or professional liaison are only included where this has been agreed as part of the service or confirmed separately in writing.

Where written information is prepared, Flourish With Neurodiversity will consider confidentiality, consent, safeguarding, data protection, the purpose of the document and the best interests of the child or young person. Flourish With Neurodiversity may decline to provide a letter, report or statement where it would be inappropriate, outside the scope of the service, misleading, unsafe or not professionally appropriate.

14. Notes and Records

Flourish With Neurodiversity keeps appropriate records of sessions, assessments, communications, decisions, safeguarding concerns and professional liaison. Records are stored securely and handled in line with privacy, data protection and professional obligations.

Session notes are professional records and are not usually shared in full as routine updates. Where records are requested, Flourish With Neurodiversity will consider the request in line with data protection law, confidentiality duties, safeguarding responsibilities and the rights and best interests of the child or young person.

Flourish With Neurodiversity may keep separate records for different types of work, for example child sessions, parent coaching sessions, assessment work, family work and professional liaison.

15. Parent Coaching and Related Work

Where the service is parent coaching, consultation or strategy support for parents/carers, the parent/carer receiving coaching is usually the client. The focus is on helping the parent/carer understand and support the child or young person.

Parent coaching is not the same as direct coaching, therapeutic work or assessment with the child or young person. If information about the child or young person is discussed during parent coaching, Flourish With Neurodiversity will still handle that information carefully and with regard to the child’s privacy, dignity and welfare.

Parent coaching does not give a parent/carer automatic access to private information shared by a child or young person in any separate 1:1 work.

If Flourish With Neurodiversity is also working directly with the child or young person, separate confidentiality boundaries will apply to that work. Flourish With Neurodiversity will aim to agree what information may be shared between child sessions and parent coaching sessions. Safeguarding concerns may override normal confidentiality.

16. Online Sessions and Practical Safety

Where sessions take place online, parents/carers are responsible for helping ensure that the child or young person has a suitable, safe and private space, appropriate technology and appropriate adult support nearby where needed.

The level of adult involvement required will depend on the child’s age, needs, risk level, the nature of the session and any agreed arrangements. Flourish With Neurodiversity may pause or end an online session if the setting is not appropriate, safe or suitable for the work.

17. Behaviour, Boundaries and Suitability

Flourish With Neurodiversity reserves the right to decline, pause, suspend or end services where the work is not suitable, safe or appropriate. This may include situations involving unclear consent, safeguarding concerns, non-payment, repeated missed appointments, inappropriate communication, unsafe behaviour, parental disputes or needs outside the scope of the service.

Where appropriate, Flourish With Neurodiversity may signpost to other services or recommend that specialist support is sought.

18. Complaints or Concerns

If a parent/carer, child or young person has a concern about the service, they are encouraged to raise this in writing by email to [email protected]. Flourish With Neurodiversity will aim to respond within a reasonable timeframe and may request further information where needed.

19. Acceptance of These Terms

By booking, paying for or attending a service involving a child or young person, the parent/carer confirms that they have read, understood and agree to these Children, Young People and Parent/Carer Terms, alongside the Main Client Terms and any relevant Service-Specific Terms.

Where appropriate, Flourish With Neurodiversity will also seek the agreement and involvement of the child or young person in a way that is suitable for their age, understanding, needs and circumstances.

These terms apply unless alternative terms have been agreed in writing by Flourish With Neurodiversity.

Flourish with Neurodiversity

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.flourishwithneurodiversity.com