Verdure Psychology Ltd | Version 1.0 | Adopted 13 November 2026

Organisational safeguarding contact: Dr Richard Jenkinson, Director, info@verdurepsychology.co.uk. This is an organisational correspondence contact, not a continuously monitored safeguarding helpline. Do not delay urgent external advice or referrals while attempting to reach Dr Jenkinson.

We are committed to safeguarding children, young people and adults at risk from abuse, neglect, exploitation and avoidable harm. We aim to listen respectfully, recognise the different forms of harm, and act promptly, fairly and proportionately. This policy describes the company’s organisational arrangements; it does not replace an individual’s clinical judgement, local safeguarding procedures or an independent practitioner’s own policy.

1. Scope and independent associates

Verdure Psychology Ltd provides outpatient psychological services and operates the Verdure Psychology website and certain shared practice arrangements. Our usual minimum age is 16; individual practitioners may have higher limits, including Dr Zeina Bushnaq, who works with people aged 18 and over. We are not an emergency or crisis service and cannot provide treatment to people currently experiencing suicidal thoughts or risk, or requiring crisis or coordinated mental health care. If such concerns arise during existing treatment, the treating practitioner must respond clinically and arrange appropriate escalation, rather than simply ending contact.

Independent associates are not employees of Verdure Psychology Ltd. They are independent clinicians with their own professional and safeguarding responsibilities, policies, supervision, clinical records, registration, insurance, privacy information and service agreements. Their clinical work is not routinely supervised, risk-assessed or governed by the Director. Merely being listed on the website or using office space does not transfer their clinical responsibilities to Verdure Psychology Ltd. Associates should follow their own safeguarding arrangements and seek advice through their own supervisor, the relevant local authority safeguarding service or other appropriate external service.

Verdure remains responsible for the activities it itself undertakes, including its own clinical services, website administration and reasonable coordination of safety arrangements in shared premises.

2. How website enquiries are handled

When an enquiry is addressed to an independent associate through the Verdure website, the information is routed directly to that practitioner for them to respond. Verdure does not routinely assess the enquiry, make decisions about clinical suitability or become involved in the resulting therapeutic relationship. If an associate is unavailable for a prolonged period, Verdure may contact the enquirer to explain that the practitioner is unavailable and suggest seeking another service. We will minimise any information used for that purpose.

Website enquiry forms are not monitored continuously and must not be used for emergencies. If Verdure itself becomes aware of a safeguarding concern in the course of its own work, it will take appropriate action within its role, including external referral where needed.

3. Responsibility and escalation

Dr Richard Jenkinson is the named organisational safeguarding contact for concerns relating to Verdure Psychology Ltd’s own work or governance. This does not mean he is an on-call safeguarding consultant for independent associates, the designated supervisor for their clinical cases, or a required first point of contact before referral. Associates remain personally responsible for managing concerns arising in their clinical work. They should contact the relevant local authority, police, NHS or emergency service directly whenever appropriate, including when Dr Jenkinson is unavailable.

Where responsibilities overlap, for example a safeguarding incident on shared premises or a concern about a company-managed activity, Verdure and the relevant clinician will coordinate only what is necessary to protect people, support lawful information sharing and avoid delays.

4. Recognising safeguarding concerns

Concerns may include physical, emotional or sexual abuse; neglect; domestic abuse and coercive control; exploitation, grooming or trafficking; financial or discriminatory abuse; organisational abuse; self-neglect; or abuse by someone in a position of trust. We take people’s own accounts, communication needs, disability, cultural context and wishes seriously.

Children: Anyone under 18 is a child for safeguarding purposes, even where a 16- or 17-year-old is able to consent independently to therapy. Where a child is at risk of significant harm, contact the relevant children’s social care service or police without avoidable delay. Earlier support may be suitable where statutory thresholds are not met.

Adults: Under section 42 of the Care Act 2014 (England), the statutory safeguarding enquiry threshold involves an adult who has care and support needs, is experiencing or at risk of abuse or neglect, and cannot protect themselves because of those needs. Receiving psychological therapy does not automatically establish that threshold. Other concerns may nonetheless require clinical action, advice, a police report or another appropriate referral.

Self-harm or suicidal thoughts require a proportionate clinical risk response but do not automatically amount to a Care Act safeguarding concern. Urgent clinical services or emergency services should be involved where indicated.

5. What to do when a concern arises

1. Consider immediate safety. Call 999 for immediate danger, serious injury or a crime in progress. Do not put yourself or others at risk.
2. Listen and respond carefully. Take concerns seriously, avoid leading questions and do not investigate the allegation yourself. Explain the limits of confidentiality; do not promise secrecy.
3. Record necessary facts. Establish sufficient information to decide on safety and referral without collecting unnecessary personal or clinical details. Note the person’s words where material and distinguish observations from interpretation.
4. Seek appropriate external advice or refer. Use the relevant children’s or adults’ local safeguarding pathway, police or emergency service. Supervision may be helpful but should never delay urgent action.
5. Document decisions and sharing. Record the concern, wishes and capacity where relevant, risk assessment, actions, lawful reasons for information sharing, recipients, dates and follow-up.
6. Continue appropriate follow-up. An external referral does not automatically remove the treating clinician’s responsibility for immediate clinical safety or continuity of care.

6. Consent, capacity and confidentiality

Information is shared for safeguarding only when lawful, necessary and proportionate. Where safe, the person’s views and consent should be sought and they should be told what will be shared and why. There are circumstances where sharing without consent is justified, including where it is needed to protect a child or a person at serious risk, or where seeking consent would increase danger or undermine an investigation. The reasoning and lawful basis must be documented.

For adults, practitioners should apply the Mental Capacity Act 2005 where relevant: capacity is presumed unless there is reason to assess it, people should be supported to make their own decisions, and any decision made for a person lacking capacity must meet the applicable legal requirements. For 16- and 17-year-olds, both decision-making rights and continuing child safeguarding duties should be considered.

Each independent clinician is responsible for their own clinical records and privacy information. Routine sharing of an associate’s clinical records with Verdure or Dr Jenkinson is not part of this policy. Any sharing with the company must be limited to a legitimate company responsibility or a necessary safeguarding response.

7. Local safeguarding contacts: City of York

For concerns relating to another area, including clients seen online, use the safeguarding services for the location relevant to the concern. The information below is specific to City of York, England; other UK nations have different legal frameworks.

• Immediate danger: 999. Non-emergency police: 101.
• Children: City of York Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH), 01904 551900 during office hours. Professionals should use the current MASH contact and referral procedure.
• Adults: City of York Adult Social Care, 01904 555111 (Monday to Friday, 8.30 am to 5 pm), and the Safeguarding Adults Board’s referral process.
• Out of hours for children or adults: Emergency Duty Team, 0300 131 2131.
• Allegations about a person working with children: York Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO), 01904 551783. Follow the local allegations procedure promptly, normally within the same working day when its criteria are met.
• Adult position-of-trust concerns: Follow the local Persons in Positions of Trust (PiPoT) process where applicable.
• Urgent mental health support in England: NHS 111, selecting the mental health option; call 999 or attend A&E in immediate danger.

8. Allegations about practitioners and speaking up

Any allegation or concern about a clinician, director or person connected with the practice who may have harmed a child or adult must be taken seriously, recorded and directed to the appropriate external service where criteria are met. Internal enquiries must not compromise a police, LADO or adult safeguarding investigation. Where relevant, consider professional regulator and Disclosure and Barring Service duties, subject to their own legal criteria.

Concerns involving Dr Jenkinson or Verdure’s response may be raised directly with the relevant local authority, police or professional regulator. Anyone raising a concern in good faith should be treated fairly and must not be discouraged from contacting an external safeguarding service.

9. Prevention and safe practice

• Explain age limits, outpatient suitability, confidentiality boundaries and crisis pathways clearly.
• Use informed and ongoing clinical consent, proportionate risk assessment, respectful and accessible communication, and safeguarding knowledge appropriate to the practitioner’s role.
• For remote work, consider privacy, local emergency arrangements and the client’s current location where clinically necessary.
• For work at the Innovation Centre, follow the building’s fire, evacuation, first-aid, out-of-hours and lone-working procedures. Independent associates using the office are responsible for safe conduct of their own clinical appointments.
• Keep safeguarding records secure and access limited to those with a genuine need to know. Maintain suitable recruitment and professional checks where applicable; do not assume enhanced DBS eligibility solely because a person is self-employed or works in therapy.
• Learn from concerns, incidents and changes in law or local procedures.

10. Review and sources

Policy owner: Dr Richard Jenkinson, Director. Version: 1.0. Adopted: 13 November 2026. Next routine review: November 2027, or sooner following a relevant incident or change in guidance, law or service arrangements. Independent associates review and follow their own safeguarding policies.

Key sources: Working Together to Safeguard Children 2026; DfE safeguarding information-sharing guidance; Care Act 2014, section 42; HCPC standards; and the City of York safeguarding partnerships linked above.

Legal update: The child-sexual-abuse mandatory reporting provisions in section 85 of the Crime and Policing Act 2026 were prospective at the date of this policy. Their commencement and applicability will be checked when the policy is next reviewed.