382 – Data security in the BACP Ethical Framework 2026

Working Therapeutically with Adult Adoptees – Planning Ahead for Placements

In Episode 382 of the Counselling Tutor Podcast, your hosts Rory Lees-Oakes and Ken Kelly take us through this week’s three topics:

Firstly, in ‘Ethical, Sustainable Practice’, they explore data security in the BACP Ethical Framework 2026 – looking at what the new framework requires, why it matters, and how practitioners can protect client information across their practice.

Then in ‘Practice Matters’, Rory speaks with Alison Letlow about working therapeutically with adult adoptees – exploring adoption as a lifelong experience and the attachment, identity, and loss issues that can arise in therapy.

And finally in ‘Student Services’, Rory and Ken discuss planning ahead for placements – examining timing, mindset, and practical tips for securing a counselling placement, with insights from Sarah Henry.

Data security in the BACP Ethical Framework 2026 [starts at 03:47 mins]

In this section, Rory and Ken explore the new data security in the BACP Ethical Framework 2026 coming into force in November and what its requirements around data security mean for everyday practice.

Key points discussed include:

• The 2026 framework makes data security a visible part of ethical practice, connecting confidentiality, safety, competence, transparency, informed consent, record keeping, and accountability.
• Practitioners must be able to explain what client information is held, where it goes, who can access it, how it is protected, and what happens if something goes wrong.
• Modern practice creates a large data trail – enquiry forms, emails, texts, booking systems, payments, and notes – all of which must be stored securely and lawfully.
• Practitioners must know where their data is stored and comply with the laws of that jurisdiction, as accountability remains with the counsellor even when using third-party or AI tools.
• Informed consent must be explained and recorded before entering client data into any tool or platform, with clients free to withdraw consent at any time.
• A practical first step is to map the client data journey – listing every place where client information is created, copied, viewed, transmitted, or stored, including less obvious tools such as calendars and appointment reminders.

Working Therapeutically with Adult Adoptees [starts at 37:57 mins]

In this week’s ‘Practice Matters’, Rory speaks with Alison Letlow about her CPD lecture on working therapeutically with adult adoptees and what therapists need to understand when supporting adults exploring their experiences of adoption.

Key points from this conversation include:

• Adoption is a lifelong experience whose meaning can change at every developmental stage, often surfacing around life transitions such as adolescence, relationships, or becoming a parent.
• Adoptees may carry a deep sense of loss and unresolved grief, sometimes pre-verbal, which can be hard to acknowledge when adoption is viewed through a ‘rose-coloured’ lens.
• Internalised beliefs of being unwanted, along with shame and rejection sensitivity, can be brought into and worked through in the therapeutic relationship.
• Therapists need to be steady and consistent, aware of their own attachment style, and mindful of what the client may activate in them, working closely with supervision.
• Questions of identity, genetics, and cultural heritage can be significant, particularly for those who are transculturally or transracially adopted, and may lead to an ongoing search for self.
• Adoption-competent practice includes being trauma-informed, understanding the core issues in adoption, and using somatic and creative methods such as therapeutic letters and rituals.

Planning Ahead for Placements [starts at 01:03:20 mins]

In this section, Rory and Ken discuss planning ahead for a counselling placement, joined by Sarah Henry, exploring the timing, mindset, and practical steps involved in securing one.

Key points include:

• Most counselling and psychotherapy training requires a minimum of 100 supervised placement hours, so planning ahead is essential.
• Timing is crucial – placements often begin recruiting in October and November, so starting to look early gives students a valuable head start.
• The responsibility for finding a placement rests with the student, helping to develop the independence, resilience, and self-motivation the role requires.
• Volunteering at a relevant organisation is an excellent way to learn its culture, get known, and build a route towards a placement.
• Practical tips include asking your tutor for approved organisations, searching local charities, using Facebook groups, and looking a little further afield.
• Mindset matters – approaching placement hunting with tenacity and persistence, while choosing a setting that matches your values and the clients you want to work with.

Links and Resources

Counselling Skills Academy

Advanced Certificate in Counselling Supervision

Basic Counselling Skills: A Student Guide

Counsellor CPD

Counselling Study Resource

Counselling Theory in Practice: A Student Guide

Counselling Tutor Training and CPD

Facebook group

Website

Online and Telephone Counselling: A Practitioner’s Guide

Online and Telephone Counselling Course