Know the service
Understand the practitioner’s role, the purpose of therapy or screening, expected activities, limits and practical arrangements.
AO PSYCHOLOGY / GUIDANCE & POLICIES
Your understanding and choices matter.
Before agreeing to counselling, screening or written work, you should understand your options and rights. This page explains the consent conversations, choices and professional limits we intend to make clear before a service begins.
BEFORE SUPPORT BEGINS
Decisions should be informed and collaborative.
You should be able to ask what the service involves, why it is suggested, how long it may take and what it costs. Questions and preferences are part of the process, not an interruption.
Make an informed choice
Ask questions, discuss alternatives and make decisions about whether to participate. An enquiry alone is not consent to commence care.
Set goals together
Where suitable, identify what matters to you and agree on goals, feedback and progress reviews rather than assuming a one-size-fits-all approach.
Discuss concerns or change
Talk about what is or is not helping, the appropriateness of referral elsewhere and the implications of pausing or ending an agreed service.
CONFIDENTIALITY AND COMMUNICATION
Your personal information deserves care.
Counselling may involve sensitive information. Before any clinical work, AO Psychology must explain how information will be collected, kept, used and shared, and when there may be legal or safety-related limits to confidentiality.
What may be discussedThe purpose of the service, expected contact, therapeutic boundaries, fees, record-keeping and any professional supervision arrangements should be understood in advance.
Information sharingReferrers, schools, family members, support coordinators or other professionals should not assume they will receive updates. Any sharing requires an appropriate basis, including consent where required.
Children and young peopleThe child or young person’s capacity, needs, voice and safety must be considered with relevant parent/carer participation and applicable legal requirements. Confidentiality arrangements are discussed before work begins.
Questions about recordsYou can enquire about access or correction of your information in accordance with applicable privacy and health-records law. See the Privacy Policy.
DIFFERENT SERVICES
Clarity about what a service provides.
Screening and therapy serve different purposes. Individual screening results may prompt further assessment or support; they should not be presented as an automatic diagnosis. A report must have an agreed purpose and limits.
TherapyLearn how therapy works.
ScreeningUnderstand screening and reports.
Fees and cancellationsFees & Access and Cancellation Policy.
FeedbackFeedback & Complaints.