policies and PROCEDURES

This section details the policies and procedures I adhere to in my practice. Also for the policies of JET Education Services (of which I am a research staff member), see www.jet.org.za. In my practice, you will receive a hard copy of this document at our first face-to-face meeting. I will request you to sign it, once you signed it, it will become an agreement between us.

My training and qualifications

I was initially trained as a Foundation Phase teacher.  I later qualified as a remedial teacher and psychometrist.  I am currently completing my masters degree in Educational Psychology at the University of Johannesburg.  When doing psychological assessments for clinical purposes, I work under the supervision of an educational psychologist. This is a requirement of the Health Professionals Council of South Africa.  I work as a researcher at a non-profit organisation, JET Education Services.   My work with JET Education Services only involves research.  I do not engage in assessment for clinical purposes or learning support activities in my work with JET Education Services.

My services

During our first interactions we will together make a decision whether working together would be beneficial for you.  If we decide that your needs would be best served by another health professional, I will put you in contact with the relevant health professional.

Options

In our work together we will discuss the risks and benefits of various options available to you.  We will most probably discuss and revise our plans from time-to-time during our work together.  You have the right to ask questions or express any concerns you may have about options available to you.  I would like us to find the most suitable options for you.  To achieve this we will need to work honestly, openly and collaboratively.

Terminating of service

You have the right to terminate services at any time.  I hope we can work together to ensure that termination is a beneficial process for you.  I recommend a termination session, in which we will discuss whether you would like to have check-in sessions in future.

Should I feel that our work together is no longer beneficial for you (for whatever reason) I will discuss this with you, possibly terminate our sessions together and provide you with referrals (if appropriate).

Should you feel that our work together is no longer beneficial for you (for whatever reason), I recommend that we discuss your concerns.  I will endeavour to assist you with finding an alternative service provider, by providing you with the necessary referrals.

Confidentiality

I place a high value on client confidentiality and therefore take great care to ensure that your privacy is ensured.  Anything you discuss with me, any assessment documents or results and any records and content of our sessions together are privileged information.  This means I may not communicate it or allow access to it, without your written permission.  The Health Professions Act (Act 56 of 1974) allows me to communicate privileged  information without your written consent only in circumstances where I judge there is a potential of harm to you or others should I withhold the information.  In such circumstances the burden of showing that the benefit of disclosure outweighs the risks is upon me.  I will document the circumstances carefully and discuss it with you at the first possible opportunity.

In our sessions together we will discuss when, where, to whom and under which circumstances you would like me to disclose privileged information, e.g. it might be beneficial in the course of providing learning support to discuss specific issues with learning and possible ways of assisting the child in class with the teacher at school.  I will ask you to sign a form to authorise any such disclosure.

Confidentiality of records

For billing purposes your medical aid might require the disclosure of a diagnosis.  We will discuss this before I provide you with an invoice for medical aid claims.  Typically medical aids require the following information: