366 – New Police Guidance on Accessing Counselling Records

Integrating Genograms and Social Graces – What Is Fitness to Practise?

In Episode 366 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’, we examine the new police guidance on accessing counselling records – essential listening if you work with trauma or abuse.

Then, in ‘Practice Matters’, Rory speaks with Lisa Williams on integrating genograms and social graces to enhance self-awareness and deepen the therapeutic relationship.

And finally, in ‘Student Services’, Rory and Ken explore fitness to practise – what it means, how to get signed off, and what to do if you’re struggling with that final hurdle.

New Police Guidance on Accessing Counselling Records [starts at 03:19 mins]

In this section, Rory and Ken discuss changes to police procedures on requesting client therapy notes, exploring new police guidance on accessing counselling records and what this means for practitioners working with victims of abuse or trauma.

Key points discussed include:

• New guidelines in England and Wales mean police cannot routinely request counselling notes without meeting the criteria of necessity, proportionality, and relevance.
• Requests must now be authorised at the Chief Inspector level – no longer standard procedure in criminal investigations.
• The guidance stems from campaigns around violence against women and girls, and aims to encourage more victims to seek justice.
• Clients’ therapeutic privacy is recognised as essential to healing; invasive requests may have deterred survivors in the past.
• While the guidelines currently apply only in England and Wales, they may impact online practitioners working cross-border.

Integrating Genograms and Social Graces [starts at 24:51 mins]

In this week’s ‘Practice Matters’, Rory speaks with Lisa Williams about using genograms and social graces as reflective tools to understand both client context and practitioner bias.

Key points from this conversation include:

• Genograms map relational and social histories, helping to uncover patterns, influences, and intergenerational dynamics.
• Social graces or ‘Social GGRRAAACCEEESSS’ (an acronym for aspects like gender, race, class, and age) deepen understanding of cultural positioning and identity.
• Integrating the two tools enables richer self-reflection and enhances work with clients from diverse backgrounds.
• These tools are valuable in supervision, personal therapy, case formulation, and even training workshops.
• Practitioners can use genograms to explore their own history and biases, bringing greater awareness to the therapeutic encounter.
• Lisa’s CPD lecture offers practical examples and updated symbolic representations, including inclusive gender markers.

What Is Fitness to Practise? [starts at 46:44 mins]

In this section, Rory and Ken explore what ‘fitness to practise’ means in counselling training and why it’s a critical step before starting client work.

Key points include:

• Fitness to practise is a tutor’s professional judgement that a student is ready to work ethically and safely with clients.
• It’s based on observed skills, theoretical understanding, and personal development – not just academic performance.
• The letter of fitness to practise is often required by placements and supervisors before a student begins seeing clients.
• Not passing the first time is not uncommon and does not mean failure – students are usually re-assessed after additional development.
• A refusal or delay may highlight areas needing growth, such as emotional readiness, ethical awareness, or communication skills.
• Receiving the letter often boosts student confidence and marks a rite of passage into the practitioner role.

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