Shiatsu Society

Working with Children

In order to keep in line with government recommendations and legislation on working with children the Ethics Sub-Committee has revised the Guidelines for Practice 5) b) 1 in the Rules and Regulations. Geoff Hogan, of the Ethics Sub Committee, has produced a summary of the Department of Health's document on Working with Children to highlight the key areas for practitioners. This is available on the downloads page.
If you ever have any queries about boundaries and responsibilities when working with friends or family, the general public, children or vulnerable adults then please contact the Ethics Director  or the Office."

What Balens Insurance say about treating minrors:

"As I understand it, Case Law under the Frazer guidelines says that Minors can make decisions about their own health (not just contraception- it has apparently wider implications) if they are competent to do so, without seeking parental permission first.  We have got this agreement with Zurich as it has cropped up elsewhere for others of our clients."
DAVID BALEN CERT PFS, MANAGING DIRECTOR, BALENS

Sexual / Physical Abuse

We have compiled a list of contacts for members who have suffered sexual / physical abuse and also details of workshops for members who wish to develop their skills in these areas. You can view it on the Members Downloads page. Please do let us know if you have any further useful information or contacts we could add to the list.

SUPPORT GROUP FOR MEMBERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED SEXUAL ABUSE  
Following much groundwork and preparation, Paul McNicholls and Heidi Armstrong are now ready to start a regular Support Group for Shiatsu practitioners and students who are survivors of sexual abuse. The aims of the Group will be to create a safe and holding space in which students and practitioners can begin to explore their issues around boundaries and any underlying causal themes from their history . Paul and Heidi are both experienced Shiatsu teachers and practitioners, and have training and experience in working with clients who have experienced sexual abuse. Both Paul and Heidi receive regular counselling supervision for this work. They are setting up a support network of qualified mentors for group members to contact between sessions, if needed. Members who are interested in participating are advised to contact Paul directly, and will have full confidentiality maintained, at  paulmcnic@freeuk.com

COUNSELLING HELP
www.counselling-directory.org.uk. is a website aimed ultimately to provide the UK with a huge counselling support network, enabling those in distress to find a counsellor close to them and appropriate for their needs.  This is a free, confidential service that will hopefully encourage those in distress to seek help. The website also contains a number of sections on emotional disorders (types of distress section) and provides some useful statistics. Every counsellor on the site who has   submitted their profile has either sent a copy of their qualifications and insurance cover to us, or is registered with a professional body online with recognised codes of ethics and practice, this way we can be assured of their professionalism.
The site is a useful resource for those looking for support or general advice about counselling.

Guidance on Sexual Boundaries

The Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence (CHRE) has published an excellent paper on sexual boundaries between health workers and their clients. Click here to view the paper and gain some excellent advice.