Qualifications & Code of Ethics

About me:

Background

By profession I am a qualified social worker. I have a first degree in social sciences, covering psychology and social sciences and, after the birth of my first child, completed a two year post graduate course at Bath University in Social Work. In addition I have various professional qualifications: in management, change, loss, child development, mentoring, problem solving skills, assertiveness and counselling. I am also registered and accredited with the Myers Briggs Type Indicator institute and abide by their code of ethics with relation to using the MBT instrument.

My experience spans child development (including child abuse work), working with disability, terminal illness, psychiatric work in residential and home settings. I have been a manager, (front line and senior; I was the project lead for the merger of two large organisations), worked in the NHS, pioneered group work in the Probation Service, and have helped train volunteers in the art of supporting others for charities and the public sector.

Additionally, I have also run specialised and professionally supervised women’s groups for women in abusive situations, and women who want to change their lifestyles. I also worked and trained with the Springboard Consultancy on group work skills.  I’ve worked with senior women in business and women looking to return to work. ( I set up and ran a playgroup when my own children were small and took all the exams!) In short, I have quite a bit of experience!

Life Coach?

It is with a certain amount of reluctance that I have begun to call myself a ‘coach’ because that is what everyone else calls me, and, if I want to be found via search engines I need to use that term. However, it is a term I have problems with as ‘coaching’ is currently an unregulated industry. For example, I could, if I wished, set up my own coaching diploma course! A quick trawl of the web site will reveal many such companies. I have no idea if they are good or bad because there is no standard measure. I have investigated a few of them and have not yet found one that improves upon the professional  training I have already undertaken.

I am sure that there are some really good courses out there but until there is some formal regulation it’s hard to tell which they are!

My Code of Practice

All our work together is entirely *confidential, whether you are paying yourself, or being paid for by your employer. That applies to both courses and coaching.

*The one exception to this rule is anything which transcends my professional code of practice, such as disclosure of abuse of children.

I will not persuade clients to have additional coaching or do another course if it is not in your best interests. My aim is to support, enthuse, inspire and advise you, not encourage a dependency. If, after discussion, a different type of professional support seems appropriate I will refer you on, with your permission.

Our contract and any fees will be made clear at the outset and we will agree how we will work together.

You are free to terminate our contract at any time if the process is not working for you.

I keep myself professionally up to date with annual training and have regular supervision from a qualified professional.

I have full public liability insurance of five million pounds.

Advertising/Affiliations

Occasionally I accept one or two advertisements on this site, if I think they are ‘honourable’ and will be of interest to my readers. I also have an affiliate link with Amazon, which means if you buy something after using that link I earn a very small commission. If you have a negative experience with anything advertised here I would like to hear about it. If I promote anything or anyone in my posts, however, it’s because I genuinely think they are good, or will be of interest to you (usually both!) not because I am being paid to do it.

10% of all sales through the site, including advertising revenue, are donated to the women’s charity WomenKind

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If you have any questions at all please feel free to contact me without any obligation! You can ring me at the office on 01761 438749 (please leave a message as I personally monitor all calls and I will call you back as soon as possible) or email me.