Guidance for Trainee Counselling Psychologist

This document outlines the expectations, responsibilities, and policies for trainee counsellors working with TMAF. By joining the programme, you agree to follow TMAF procedures, professional guidelines, and the ethical requirements of your training provider.

1. Technical Setup and Data Management

Professional Email Address

You must use a professional email address for all client-related communication. A professional email you have set up specifically for your clinical practice

DO NOT use personal email addresses (e.g., firstname.lastname@gmail.com) for client communication.

Secure Data Storage

As an independent practitioner, you are responsible for storing all clinical notes, session records, and client information securely and in compliance with GDPR and HCPC requirements.

You must:

  • Store all clinical notes and recordings on password-protected devices only

  • Use encrypted storage solutions (e.g., password-protected folders, encrypted cloud storage linked to your professional email)

  • Ensure all files containing client information are password-protected

  • Never store client information on unsecured or shared devices

  • Follow your university's data protection policies and procedures

  • Maintain secure backups of clinical records

Session Platform

You must work with your university to ensure you have a secure, private platform account for online sessions. Your platform must:

  • Be password-protected

  • Have waiting room functionality enabled

  • Comply with GDPR requirements

  • Meet your university's clinical practice standards

Data Retention

Follow your university and HCPC guidance on how long to retain clinical records. When you no longer need to retain records, you must securely delete or destroy them in accordance with GDPR requirements.

2. Appointment Management Responsibilities

Initial Contact: You will receive an email with your clients details once they have registered. Please contact your client within three working days to arrange the first session.

Post Session Records: Counsellors must complete the Post-Session Form after each session. This helps TMAF track engagement, attendance, and progress: https://forms.gle/J63gReCpi93VECcx5

Non-Attendance: If a beneficiary misses two consecutive sessions, inform TMAF immediately.

3. Service Provision

Counselling Hours: Each beneficiary is entitled to 15 hours of counselling.

Clinical Notes: You are responsible for maintaining your own clinical notes and records in accordance with your university, GDPR and HCPC requirements. These should be stored securely as outlined in Section 1.

4. Professional Expectations

Trainee counsellors are expected to:

  • Provide reliable, professional, and high-quality support

  • Notify TMAF of any issues affecting your ability to deliver sessions

  • Not subcontract or transfer counselling responsibilities to anyone else

  • Inform TMAF if your availability changes

  • Report any planned absences longer than two weeks (outside public holidays)

  • Maintain professional indemnity insurance and HCPC registration

  • Comply with GDPR and data protection requirements at all times

    5. Booking Policy

    Session Length: Sessions are typically 60 minutes.

    How to Book: Sessions are booked directly with the trainee counsellor by email or phone (please specify your preferred method when contacting clients).

    Regular Time Slot: Clients may be offered a regular weekly slot to support continuity. However, they may request 2 session per a week spread out, please discuss this with your supervisor and inform us of any changes and explain the reason .

  • Confirmations: A booking is confirmed once you and the client have agreed on a time and you have confirmed via email.

  • Number of Sessions: Clients are entitled to 15 hours of counselling over 15 weeks. The structure and pacing of sessions should be discussed during the first meeting.

    6. Cancellation Policy

  • Notice Required: Clients must give at least 24–48 hours' notice (choose and state your specific time frame).
  • Late Cancellations: Sessions cancelled with less than the required notice will be marked as missed for monitoring attendance
  • Non-Attendance: If a Client does not attend without prior notice, the session will be recorded as missed.
  • Trainee Cancellations: If the counsellor must cancel, you should give as much notice as possible and offer an alternative time.
  • Planned Breaks: Please communicate any known absences (holidays, academic commitments, etc.) to clients  and TMAF in advance.

    7. Rescheduling Policy

    Trainee counsellors should accommodate reasonable changes, but advise clients that alternative slots may not always be available.

    8. Consent to Data Collection and Recording

    Client Consent for Data Collection and Recording

    When applicants apply to take part in the counselling project, they are asked to give consent (or decline) to the collection of data. Specifically, they respond to the following two statements:

    1. Consent to use material: "I agree that anonymised material from my sessions may be used for training and assessment purposes."

    2. Consent to record sessions: "I agree that sessions may be audio and/or video recorded and that recordings may be used for training and assessment purposes."

    How You'll Be Informed:

    When a counsellor is assigned a client, the allocation email will clearly state the client's consent status for both statements. You will immediately know whether the client has consented or not.

    Discussing Consent with Clients:

    You may ask the client at the start of counselling whether they have changed their mind about their consent preferences. However, you must not pressure or influence them in any way. Consent must always be freely given.

    Withdrawing or Changing Consent:

    Clients have the right to give, withdraw, or change consent for the use of anonymised material and/or audio or video recordings at any time during their counselling journey.

    If a client withdraws consent, TMAF will notify you. However, a client may also contact you directly to withdraw or change their consent. In this case, you must inform TMAF in writing as soon as possible.

    Data Protection and Storage:

    All data collected must be kept confidential and anonymised wherever possible. Recordings are strictly for training and assessment purposes and must not be shared outside approved academic or supervisory settings.

    Storage of Recordings: All recordings must be stored securely in accordance with Section 1 (password-protected devices, encrypted storage).

    Can I see copies of client consent forms?

    Our consent forms are integrated into our online application process, so we cannot share completed consent forms directly. We have not obtained agreement from our beneficiaries that their completed forms will be shared with third parties.

    The exact wording on the application form where Clients select Yes or NO options are:

  • Consent to use material:  I agree that anonymised material from my sessions may be used for training and assessment purposes.

  • Consent to record: I agree that sessions may be audio/video recorded and that recordings may be used for training and assessment purposes.

    9. Data Anonymisation

    All identifying details must be anonymised. Only supervisors and tutors—who are bound by professional confidentiality—may access this material.

    Clients should be made aware that they may withdraw consent at any time. However, coursework that has already been submitted or marked cannot be altered retrospectively.

    10. Confidentiality and GDPR Compliance

    Your Responsibilities:

    You are operating as an independent practitioner and are therefore responsible for:

    • Complying with GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) and UK data protection law

    • Ensuring client confidentiality at all times

    • Storing all client data securely (see Section 1)

    • Only sharing client information where legally required or with explicit client consent

    • Reporting any data breaches to TMAF and your university immediately

    • Following your university's data protection procedures

    TMAF's Role:

    TMAF manages operational data (session attendance, contact details for allocation) separately. Your clinical notes and session content remain your responsibility under your university's governance.

    11. Withdrawal from the Scheme

    Clients may withdraw from the counselling service by notifying TMAF in writing. If a clients expresses the desire to leave, counsellors should explore this with them before concluding sessions and then inform TMAF.

    12. Monitoring and Auditing

    Counsellors will be asked to complete feedback surveys or contribute to quality assurance processes. Cooperation with these requests is required.

    13. Public Relations and Communication

    TMAF may refer to your work (without identifying details) in reports or impact summaries.

    If you wish to share or promote your involvement publicly (e.g., social media, websites), you must first seek TMAF's approval to ensure correct branding and messaging.

    14. Supporting clients with Issues

    Clients also known as beneficiaries should first raise concerns directly with their counsellor to discuss how the issue might be addressed.

    Counsellors must inform clients about the Issue Reporting Form, which allows them to confidentially share their experience, including how their concern was handled.

    Once submitted, the issue will be escalated and addressed by TMAF staff.

    Counsellors must also report any issues raised with them regarding their own counselling practices using the Trainee Counsellor Post-Session Form.

15. Ending the Agreement

TMAF reserves the right to terminate this agreement immediately in serious cases, including:

  • Legal or ethical breaches

  • Safeguarding concerns

  • Data protection violations

  • Actions that may harm TMAF's reputation or service delivery

16. What are the safeguarding procedures

Safeguarding Procedures: We have a comprehensive safeguarding policy that outlines all procedures, including who to contact and the process to follow if a safeguarding concern arises.

Please read our safeguarding policy here: Safeguarding Policy

17. What do I do if a client's needs are beyond my competency level?

Clients Beyond Your Competency: If you feel a client's needs are outside your current competency level, contact your supervisor immediately to discuss next steps and inform us of the decisions made, e.g referral to another counsellor.

Quick Setup Checklist for New Trainee Counsellors

Before your first client session, ensure you have:

☐ Professional email address set up (university or dedicated professional email)
☐ Secure, password-protected device for storing clinical notes
☐ Encrypted storage solution in place (password-protected folders/secure cloud)
☐ University-approved secure video platform (Zoom, etc.) configured
☐ Professional indemnity insurance valid and current
☐ HCPC registration details provided to TMAF
☐ Read and understood this guidance document
☐ Bookmarked TMAF's Post-Session Form
☐ Confirmed your preferred contact method with TMAF

If you have questions about any of these requirements, please contact TMAF before beginning client work.