Counselling
- Counselling
- Aims
- Professionalism and Service Standards
- Independence
- Objectives
- Staffing
- What is available
- How the Service oprates
- Referrals
- Associated Services
- Evaluation
- Constraining factors
- Complaints
Counselling
The overall aim of counselling is to provide an opportunity for people to work towards living in a more satisfying and resourceful way.
The objectives of particular counselling relationships will vary according to individual needs.
Counselling may be concerned with developmental issues, addressing and resolving specific problems, making decisions, coping with crisis, developing personal insight and knowledge, working through feelings of inner conflict or improving relationships with others.
The counsellor's role is to facilitate the client's work in ways which respect the client's values, personal resources and capacity for self-determination.
How often do we share a confidential problem or difficulty with a friend or member of our family?
Quite often that is all we need, but sometimes we may need more than that because the issue may be work related or too personal or private to share with friends or family, or it may even be that friend or family member who is causing the difficulty.
The University recognises that members of staff can not only be affected by work related issues but also personal problems, such as bereavement or relationship difficulties.
As part of an overall welfare package for staff, the University provides a professional Staff Counselling Service available to all its employees . This service is internal, independent and free to all members of staff.
Aims
The aim is to offer staff a Counselling Service that is established on three guiding principles:
Professionalism; Independence; Confidentiality.
Professionalism and Service Standards
The Service will only use professionally qualified counsellors and psychotherapists and will conform to the code of ethics and practice of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy.
Independence
Any member of staff is able to use the Service without reference to their supervisor or to any other department of the University, whether academic of administrative.
There is a separate Counselling Service for students.
Objectives
The Staff Counselling Service will:- offer an effective professional service to individuals and groups based firmly on the concept of anti-discriminatory practice
- make the Service available to all members of staff and operate in a confidential setting
- seek to offer a service which is helpful and therapeutic to staff
- offer individual members of staff an opportunity to explore feelings which are adversely affecting them in the workplace
- promote the use of counselling and transferable counselling skills in other University activities
At all times we will seek to enhance the reputation of Staff Counselling as a responsive, informed and efficient service.
A separate Service is available for students on tel: 0117 954 6655. See also Student Counselling Service
Staffing
The Service has one full-time counsellor and three part-time counsellors. The services of external counsellors can be made available when appropriate. Care is taken to ensure that staff members are not allocated to a counsellor who is known to them in some other context in the organisation.
What is available
The Staff Counselling Service is free to members of staff and offers the opportunity to meet with a counsellor for a time limited period. The number of sessions offered is usually six, but will be agreed on an individual basis.
How the Service operates
The Service operates with an appointment system. Individuals normally make an appointment with the Service secretary or a counsellor direct (see contact us). Any further appointments are made at the initial meeting. Appointments are offered at mutually convenient times, generally between 9.00 am and 5.00 pm. In addition, there is some flexibility outside these hours, including lunch hours.
Referrals
Usually members of staff will refer themselves to the Service. Sometimes this may be on the suggestion or advice of colleagues or others. Counsellors have knowledge of external specialist organisations and agencies and, if appropriate, will encourage clients to refer themselves to such agencies, or will help in that process.
Associated Services
Coaching is available on request.
Coaching is available to all staff. This service is less problem-orientated and more about identifying priorities and goals and being supported in working towards them. We offer specific maternity/paternity coaching as part of an Equality & Diversity initiative to support people in finding a new balance between home and work responsibilities.
Consultations are available in person of by phone to managers who would like to talk through staff welfare issues, such as a sudden death in the workplace, personality clashes in a team or concerns about an individual's wellbeing.
The Director of Staff Counselling also chairs the Dignity at Work Advisers' Group and is available to support Advisers in their work with harassment and bullying issues.
The Staff Counselling Service is also involved in providing training through the Staff Development programme and for the Positive Working Environment agenda. The training offered can cover areas such as mental health in the workplace, stress management, resilience, parenthood, listening skills and understanding harassment and bullying.
Evaluation
In order to maintain professional standards and assess individual benefits, it is important that we evaluate client's experience of using the service. Therefore, users will be invited to complete a questionnaire after the final session.
We are also beginning to use a nationally recognised assessment questionnaire known as CORE (Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation) for counselling clients only. This 36-question tick-box questionnaire measures the client's level of distress at the beginning and ending of their counselling sessions.
Constraining factors
Whilst every effort will be made to offer an appointment to members of staff within five working days, it may not always be possible and will depend on the demands upon the Service.
If a counsellor is unable to fulfil an appointment (e.g. because of illness), every effort will be made to notify individuals where this can be done without breaching confidentiality.
The Service is not a Crisis Service in itself but will respond positively wherever possible, and if appropriate.
Complaints
Complaints about either the Service or individual counsellors should initially be taken up with a counsellor. If unresolved, the matter can be discussed with the Head of Service, who has overall responsibility for the administration of the Service. Every effort will be made to resolve specific complaints quickly and efficiently. Complaints that cannot be resolve within the Department will be referred to the Registrar. In some cases of complaint, there may need to be some compromise in counsellor confidentiality in order to facilitate discussing the complaint. This will be raised with the complainant at the outset.