Coronavirus Policy for Practitioners...Drawing and Talking Practitioners work with children and adults who suffer from emotional health needs and who require further support and intervention

Drawing and Talking Ltd

Coronavirus Policy for Practitioners

March 2021

© Drawing and Talking Ltd

Policy Information Sheet

Policy Title Coronavirus Policy for Practitioners

Date Created November 2020

Responsible Marcus Dyke, Safeguarding Manager

Date of Most Recent Review 8th March 2021

Date of Next Review 12th April 2021

Target Group Drawing and Talking Practitioners

Policy Location www.drawingandtalking.com/coronavirus-practitioners

Related External Documents

Related Internal Documents

Legal Statement Drawing and Talking Ltd does not provide this document to the sector in anything less than ‘guidance’. Drawing and Talking Ltd takes no responsibility for how users of this document interpret or apply the guidance. Users of this guide must ensure they operate within the law, social distancing guidelines and meet their specific duties and responsibilities to stakeholders. It is for each organisational unit to make its own local decisions on how to apply the advice included. Drawing and Talking Ltd cannot be held accountable for local decisions reached based on this guidance. Organisations must ensure they have suitable action plans, risk assessments and be self-satisfied that they have considered all reasonable actions to protect the welfare, health and safety of staff, volunteers, employees and service users.

This guidance does not supersede any legal obligations relating to health and safety, employment or equalities and it is important that as an organisation, charity, local authority or an employer you continue to comply with your existing obligations, including those relating to individuals with protected characteristics.

This document contains both statutory and non-statutory guidance to consider when complying with these obligations.

When considering how to apply this guidance, consider agency workers, contractors and other people, as well as your employees and service users/young people. To help you decide which actions to take, you need to carry out an appropriate COVID-19 risk assessment, just as you would for other health and safety hazards.

Users should ensure they are using the most up-to-date version of this document and can check this at any time via the Drawing and Talking Website (URL above) or call the office 0208 715 0745.

This guidance document has been provided to allow practitioners to draw their own conclusions as to the nature of safe activity and appropriate levels and types of activities at any given time.



Background Drawing and Talking Therapy is a Tier 1 and 2 therapeutic intervention delivered by Practitioners who are trained and certified by Drawing and Talking Ltd (“the company”). Drawing and Talking Practitioners work with children and adults who suffer from emotional health needs and who require further support and intervention. This work takes place in education settings, private practices, both face to face and virtually. Drawing and Talking Ltd thanks the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) for guidance issued to Counsellors and Psychotherapists across the UK throughout the Coronavirus Pandemic. Drawing and Talking Ltd adopts the guidelines written by BACP and due to the nature of Drawing and Talking Therapy work, the company encourages trained practitioners to follow the below guidance. Scope This guidance applies to Practitioners within the United Kingdom (UK) only. RAG Guidance

Alert Level Deep Red Red Amber Green Guidance Online Sessions

Face to Face Sessions in Education Settings for Vulnerable Children & Key Worker Children Face to Face Sessions at Business Venues (registered business addresses) where online sessions cannot take place Group Work should not compromise bubbles

Online Sessions Prioritised Face to Face Sessions in Education Settings Face to Face Sessions at Business Venues (registered business addresses Enhanced Health and Safety measures (including Social Distancing & Hygienic Cleaning)

As in red, as well as: Face to Face Outdoor Sessions Face to Face Sessions in Homes (which are non-business addresses)

Sessions as normal No additional Health and Safety measures required


Roadmap out of Lockdown Government Coronavirus Roadmap in England

8th March 2021 29th March 2021 12th April 2021 (No earlier than)

17th May 2021 (No earlier than)

21st June 2021 (No earlier than)

Red Red Amber Amber Green Government Coronavirus Roadmap in Wales At the time of publication, the Welsh Government is yet to release a roadmap out of lockdown.

Wales continues to remain in Deep Red until further notice. Government Coronavirus Roadmap in Scotland

8th March 2021 15th March 2021 5th April 2021 26th April 2021 (Possible date)

Deep Red Red Red Amber Government Coronavirus Roadmap in Northern Ireland

8th March 2021

Stage 1 (Lockdown)

Stage 2 (Cautious First

Steps)

Stage 3 (Gradual Easing)

Stage 4 (Further Easing)

Stage 5 (Preparing for the

future) Deep Red Red Red Red Amber Green

Sessions

Deep Red Red Amber Green Online Sessions Permitted Permitted Permitted Permitted Face to Face (1:1) Education Setting Permitted** Permitted* Permitted* Permitted Home Address Not Permitted Not Permitted Permitted* Permitted Business Address Permitted** Permitted* Permitted* Permitted Face to Face (Group) Education Setting Permitted** Permitted* Permitted* Permitted Home Address Not Permitted Not Permitted Permitted* Permitted Business Address Permitted**

(up to 15) Permitted* (up to 15)

Permitted* (up to 30)

Permitted

** Face to face sessions should only take place if virtual sessions cannot - a last resort. * Additional health and safety measures and considerations (See appendices).


Face to Face Working The government has not provided any specific guidance for counselling or psychotherapy, but please see its guidance on close contact services. This contains extensive guidance on risk mitigation applicable to a range of working environments. While primarily written for employers, you can adapt the guidance if you're self-employed and working from your own home or rented premises. Further information and guidance HM Government: Keeping workers and clients safe during COVID-19 in close contact services The face-to-face conversational element of therapy, combined with the length of exposure during a typical therapy session, puts you and your clients at particular risk. We advise you read the guidance in full, considering especially:

• How will you comply with the social distancing guidelines or considering and setting out the mitigations you will introduce in your risk assessments (p8)

• If people must work face to face for a sustained period with more than a small group of fixed partners, whether the activity can safely go ahead. The closer someone is to the source of the virus, the greater the risk of transmission. Pay particular attention to avoiding contact with surfaces near to the client and thoroughly cleaning those surfaces after each client (p9)

Different rules and restrictions apply across the four nations of the UK. Please check the guidance that relates to your area. Preparing to Work Face to Face If you're thinking about working face to face, you need to:

• Consider your clients on a case by case basis - is the risk to the client of working remotely greater than the risk of working face to face?

• Consider whether the space you plan to work from allows for social distancing of two metres or at least one metre with mitigation - this includes any areas such as entrances, exits, corridors and waiting areas

• Decide whether you need protective equipment such as masks or visors • Conduct and publish a risk assessment of your premises and create a procedure checklist to

mitigate the risk of contamination before, between and after seeing clients. This is a legal requirement.

• If you work with others from a shared space, ensure they're also applying appropriate measures and there's no risk that any of these will be compromised

• If you work from rented premises, check whether your landlord has any risk assessment or sanitisation process you need to follow

• Check if your indemnity policy covers you for face-to-face work • Check whether you need to make any amendments to your contract with clients and asked

them about the possibility of returning to or starting face to face work

(Adapted from BACP Coronavirus Guidelines, 2021)


Carrying out Risk Assessments It is a legal requirement for all businesses to complete a COVID-19 risk assessment. If you have fewer than five workers, or are self-employed, you don’t legally have to produce a written risk assessment. However, this may be a helpful exercise and a useful document to have if asked by insurers or concerned clients. Templates and Guidance can be found on the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Website: www.hse.gov.uk/coronavirus/working-safely/index.htm Face Coverings Wearing face coverings is currently mandatory in most indoor settings, including in premises where personal services are provided to clients. We encourage the use of face coverings for clients receiving therapy face to face, where appropriate, to protect the safety of both the client and the therapist. If you have concerns about the possible effect on the therapeutic relationship of wearing a face covering, consider working online instead. If you practise within a service setting or from a rented space, you should also check your employer or landlord’s COVID-19 risk assessment and associated procedures. Do clients need to wear a face covering? There are some circumstances where people are exempt from wearing face coverings. They do not have to prove that they are exempt. These exceptions can include:

• Young children under the age of 11 (Public Health England do not recommend face coverings for children under the age of 3 for health and safety reasons)

• Not being able to put on, wear or remove a face covering because of a physical or mental illness or impairment, or disability

• If putting on, wearing or removing a face covering will cause severe distress • If travelling with or providing assistance to someone who relies on lip reading to communicate

Face coverings may also be removed include if speaking with people who rely on lip reading, facial expressions and clear sound. You should consider these exceptions before meeting with a client and agree if an exception should be applied.


Do therapists need to wear a face covering? Government guidance states that where a distance of two metres is not possible, a face mask (type 2 surgical) should be worn as well as a clear visor that covers the face. How this works in the therapy room depends on individual circumstances. Even if you can maintain the two-metre distance, you and your client are at increased risk due to the face-to-face position and prolonged exposure during a therapy session. This is particularly important where the client is exempt from wearing face. You should consider:

• Can you maintain the recommended social distance? • If you can maintain social distancing, could the risk to you and your client be reduced by

using face coverings? • If you can't maintain social distancing, would it safer for you and your client to continue to

work online? What’s the difference between a face covering and a surgical face mask? The HSE guidance on face coverings and face masks explains the difference between the two. Government advice is that a face covering is appropriate for the client. Service providers should wear a Type 2 face mask and visor if social distancing cannot be maintained. In the UK, many retailers are selling face coverings and face masks. You’ll find details of a product’s conformance to any standards under the product details section online, or on the packaging or label of the covering itself. Insurance We've received confirmation from several insurance providers that they are providing policy cover in relation to claims arising from COVID-19. However, we recommend speaking with your indemnity insurance company to specifically check whether you're covered under your existing policy. If you're reviewing your insurance cover and considering switching to another provider, check:

• The cancellation policy of your current provider - some insurers will not cover claims made against you for past practice if you don't follow their cancellation procedure

• Any associated cancellation costs • Whether your potential new insurer covers you for claims against COVID-19 as well as your

general practice needs Contact Tracing If you test positive for coronavirus, the NHS Test and Trace service will ask you about people you've been in contact with. The NHS will then contact them to provide support and testing. This has raised concerns about whether you can identify your clients to the NHS. The government recommends that businesses keep a temporary record of clients and visitors that they’ve had in the last 21 days.

(Source: BACP Coronavirus Guidelines, 2021)


Government Guidance on Cleaning in Close Contact Services Keeping the Workplace Clean Objective: To keep the workplace clean and prevent transmission by touching contaminated surfaces. Steps that will usually be needed:

• Spacing appointments to allow for frequent cleaning, disinfection and sterilisation of work areas, tools and equipment between uses, using your usual cleaning products.

• Frequent cleaning of objects and surfaces that are touched regularly, including door handles or staff handheld devices, and making sure there are adequate disposal arrangements for cleaning products, for example touch free bins.

• Clearing workspaces and removing waste and belongings from the work area at the end of a shift, including not providing reading materials such as newspapers and magazines in client waiting areas.

• Sanitising any reusable equipment, including client chairs, treatment beds, and tools, such as scissors after each appointment, and at the start and end of shifts.

• Using disposable gowns for each client. Where this is not possible, use separate gowns (and towels as usual) for each client, washing between use and disposing appropriately as required.

• If you are cleaning after a known or suspected case of COVID-19 then you should refer to the specific guidance.

• Providing extra non recycling bins for workers and clients to dispose of single use face coverings and PPE. You should refer to guidance for information on how to dispose of personal or business waste, including face coverings and PPE.

(Adapted: www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19/close-contact-services)

Hygiene: Handwashing, Sanitation Facilities and Toilets Objective: To help everyone keep good hygiene through the working day. Steps that will usually be needed:

• Using signs and posters to build awareness of good handwashing technique, the need to increase handwashing frequency and avoiding touching your face.

• Adopting good handwashing technique and increasing handwashing during and in between appointments. For mobile operators, in the absence of handwashing facilities, you must use hand sanitiser.

• Providing clients access to tissues and informing them that if they do need to sneeze or cough, they should do so into the tissue, which should then be discarded appropriately and that they should wash their hands thoroughly or use hand sanitiser after using a tissue.

• Providing regular reminders and signage to maintain hygiene standards. • Unless crucial for the treatment, change practices to avoid any potential skin to skin contact

or use gloves where possible. • Providing hand sanitiser in multiple locations in premises in addition to washrooms. • Setting clear use and cleaning guidance for toilets to ensure they are kept clean and social

distancing is achieved as much as possible. • Enhancing cleaning for busy areas. • Providing more waste facilities and more frequent rubbish collection. • Providing hand drying facilities - paper towels, continuous roller towels or electrical dryers.

(Adapted: www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19/close-contact-services)


Working Remotely: Contingency Planning Situations Drawing and Talking Practitioners may find themselves in one of the following 4 situations when working with clients: A. I was working Face to Face, and must transfer to Online delivery B. I was working Face to Face, and can continue Face to Face working C. I am going to start with Online delivery D. I was working Face to Face, but cannot transfer to Online delivery Situations A & C - Please see the online delivery section of this document Situation B - Follow Health and Safety Guidelines outlined in the COVID-19 Policy Situation C - Follow pausing and delaying sessions guidance There are additional resources relating to each of these situations available on the Drawing and Talking Membership site at members.drawingandtalking.com Online Delivery There are 2 primary methods of delivering 1:1 Drawing and Talking Therapy online, with an alternative method for the handling of the individual’s drawings. Type 1. The individual has access to a physical folder, paper and pen. They draw, show you by raising the picture to the camera or moving the camera to the picture. Type 2a. The individual draws using a virtual whiteboard or equivalent. You save it. Print it out and you show yourself putting their picture into their folder. You delete the virtual copy. Type 2b. (If you cannot do the above) The individual draws using a virtual whiteboard or equivalent. You save it. Then you print their picture(s) at a later date. Ending the sessions Type 1: “Would you like to give your picture a title? Can you turn your picture over and write number X (whichever number session you are on) and the date (whichever date it is). I would like you to put your picture into your folder and put your folder somewhere you would like to keep it safe” Type 2: “Would you like to give your picture a title? I am going to take a photo of your picture. I am going to print it off, put it into your folder and delete the photo, and I will keep it safe” If Type 2b, remember to tell them once you have been able to put their pictures into their folders and remind them that you have deleted any copies and will keep their physical picture safe. Delivering Online Sessions Safeguarding: Practitioners must continually be aware of Safeguarding issues and concerns that may arise and must continue to pay attention to this area of work, understanding that as events unfold in the rest of the world, this may have an effect on a person’s mental health, standards of care and protection, and safety. Practitioners must still report safeguarding concerns in the same way, and Independent Practitioners must be aware of who their Local Authority MASH/Safeguarding Team are and their contact details. In any doubt, Practitioners can seek an anonymous consultation with the Drawing and Talking Safeguarding Manager.


Marcus Dyke Safeguarding Direct Line: 0204 524 1008 Email: [email protected] (Addressed FAO Marcus Dyke) Professional Development: Drawing and Talking Ltd, in partnership with The Mental Health Hub, offer Safeguarding (Remote Interventions) training, which can be accessed here: www.virtualsafeguarding.com Therapeutic Alliance: Practitioners must remember that as part of delivering Drawing and Talking Therapy they form a therapeutic alliance with the child or adult they are supporting. This must not be under disrespected or undermined. Make sure that you continue to build on and respect the relationship formed Containment & Privacy: It is important that in our work, we continue to provide containment and privacy to the individual accessing support. Practitioners should ensure they are in an area free to noise and distractions, wearing headphones where appropriate to keep the containment and confidentiality. Pausing and Delaying Sessions If you find yourself in ‘Situation D’ as outlined above, which means that you are unable to continue delivering Drawing and Talking Therapy at this time, you should follow the following advisory framework. Contact the individual This could be in a number of ways, whichever is most appropriate for your role. This could include via parents/guardians, if appropriate. Let them know that you are sorry that sessions have been paused, you are thinking of them and you will keep their work safe.


Further Information British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) Face to Face Working Guidance www.bacp.co.uk/news/news-from-bacp/coronavirus/faqs-about-coronavirus/face-to-face-working Remote Working FAQs www.bacp.co.uk/news/news-from-bacp/coronavirus/working-online-faqs Working with Children and Young People www.bacp.co.uk/news/news-from-bacp/coronavirus/working-with-cyp Coronavirus and Your Business www.bacp.co.uk/news/news-from-bacp/coronavirus/coronavirus-and-your-business Drawing and Talking Ltd Coronavirus Guidance www.drawingandtalking.com/coronavirus-practitioners Virtual Working Supervision and Coaching Call members.drawingandtalking.com/coaching/additional/virtual2021 Moving Online Resources members.drawingandtalking.com/foundation Online Peer Mentoring Community www.facebook.com/groups/drawingandtalkingpractitionercommunity Government Websites England: www.gov.uk Scotland: www.gov.scot Wales: www.gov.wales Northern Ireland: www.nidirect.gov.uk Drawing and Talking 4 Langdale Avenue Mitcham Surrey CR4 4AE 020 8715 0745 [email protected]