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Welcome to a new way of accessing
child and educational psychology
for parents and educators.
Say hello...
Welcome to a new way of accessing
child and educational psychology
for parents and educators.
The Little Psychology (“we”, “us”, “our”) (crn: 13562270) and registered at 91a Church Lane, Bulphan, Upminster, England, RM14 3TR) provides psychological assessment and related services to children and young people, their parents/guardians, and commissioning organisations such as schools, GP practices and local authorities.
For the purposes of data protection law, we act as the “data controller” for the personal data we process, unless otherwise stated.
If you need to send sensitive information, please contact us first to discuss the most secure method using the details below. Or, if you have any questions about this Privacy Notice or about how we handle personal data, please contact our data protection lead at:
Email:samantha@thelittlepsychology.co Telephone: 07730463976
You can also raise data protection concerns with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO)
This Privacy Notice explains how we collect, use and protect personal data in connection with:
psychological assessments and related services we provide;
our communications with you (including by email, telephone and online/remote platforms);
our practice management, record-keeping, billing and related business operations; and
your use of our website, online forms and any cookies/analytics we use (see our Cookies policy in clause 8 below).
Applies to personal data relating to children and young people we work with, their parents/guardians, and staff at commissioning organisations (such as schools, GP practices and local authorities). It also applies to personal data processed by our associates/contractors when delivering services on our behalf.
We may process personal data using trusted third-party systems (for example, secure practice-management, email, video and transcription tools) acting under our instructions. Their use is covered by this Privacy Notice and is explained further below.
Where a commissioning organisation (such as a school or local authority) acts as a separate or joint controller for certain data, their own privacy notices will also apply to their processing activities.
This Privacy Notice should be read together with our Terms and Conditions, which set out the basis on which we provide services.
We act as a data controller for most of the personal data we process in connection with our services. This means we decide why and how personal data is used.
In some cases, a commissioning organisation (for example, a school or local authority) may be a separate or joint controller where it determines purposes and means of processing alongside us. Where there is a joint-controller relationship, we will agree responsibilities and explain the essence of that arrangement on request. Their own privacy notices will also apply to the personal data they process.
If you have any queries about whether we or another organisation is acting as controller, please contact us.
Where we engage associate psychologists or other professionals to deliver services on our behalf, they act under our direction and will either be data processors or independent controllers depending on the nature of their work. We explain any such arrangements in this Privacy Notice or on request.
The types of personal data we collect will depend on who you are (e.g. child/young person, parent/guardian, school or other referrer) and the nature of the work.
Typically, we may collect:
Child or young person:
Identification details: name, date of birth, gender, contact details;
Family and social information: household and family composition, parental responsibility, relevant background;
Educational information: school/college, year group, attendance, SEN status, reports from school;
Health and developmental information: medical history, diagnoses, medications, developmental milestones, previous assessments and reports;
Assessment data: interview notes, observations, results of standardised tests and questionnaires, formulations, recommendations;
Safeguarding information: information about any actual or potential risks of harm, referrals to safeguarding bodies, outcomes;
Recordings and transcripts: audio recordings and automated transcriptions of sessions where used
behavioural information, including observations and information shared by parents, carers, schools or other professionals
Parents/guardians and family members:
Identification details: name, relationship to child, contact details;
Family circumstances: relevant information about family dynamics, support networks, legal status and parental responsibility (e.g. court orders where relevant);
Information shared during consultations or in questionnaires that may relate to your own health or mental health where relevant to the assessment;
Financial and billing information: where you are paying for services (e.g. invoices, payment records).
Schools, referrers, commissioners and professionals
Contact details: name, role, organisation, professional contact details;
Information you provide as part of the referral or ongoing liaison (e.g. school reports, observations, safeguarding concerns);
Correspondence with you regarding the child/young person, including emails and meeting notes.
Technical and usage information
When we deliver services remotely or communicate by electronic means, we may collect:
basic technical data such as IP address, device information and connection logs needed to provide secure online sessions;
information about emails and communications sent and received.
We do not routinely track detailed online behaviour for marketing or profiling purposes.
We collect personal data from a variety of sources, including:
Directly from you – when you contact us, complete forms or questionnaires, attend consultations, or make a payment;
From the child or young person – through direct work, assessment tasks, discussion and observation;
From schools and other professionals – such as teachers, SENCOs, GPs, paediatricians and other healthcare or social care professionals involved in the child’s care;
From commissioning organisations – such as local authorities or other agencies funding the work;
From recordings and transcriptions – audio recordings and automated transcriptions of sessions, where used
From publicly available or third-party sources – on a limited basis, e.g. checking professional contact details or verifying safeguarding information.
From associate psychologists or other professionals working on our behalf - where they collect information as part of delivering services.
From documents you provide to us, such as previous reports, EHCPs, medical letters or legal documents.
We use a small number of trusted third-party service providers to help us deliver our services safely and efficiently. This section explains their role under data protection law and, in broad terms, how personal data flows through these systems.
Except where stated otherwise, these providers act as our data processors, meaning they process personal data on our behalf and only in accordance with our instructions, under written contracts that require them to keep data secure and not use it for their own purposes.
Practice-management and case-file system
We use a secure, cloud-based practice-management / case-file system to store and manage:
clinical records and assessment notes;
copies of reports and correspondence; and
basic client and contact details (for children/young people, parents/guardians and, where relevant, schools and other referrers).
This system acts as our data processor. It processes personal data only so that we can
create and maintain case records;
track appointments and tasks; and
securely store and retrieve documents and correspondence.
The provider does not decide what information is collected or why; we remain the data controller for this information.
Online booking and scheduling
We may use a third-party online booking/scheduling platform to manage appointments.
This system will typically process:
the name and contact details of the person making the booking;
basic information about the child/young person (e.g. name, age) needed to identify the case;
appointment details such as date, time and location/format (in-person or online).
For this processing, the booking platform acts as our data processor, operating under our instructions so we can schedule, confirm and manage appointments. We remain the controller for this booking data.
Remote consultation platforms (e.g. Zoom)
When we deliver services remotely, we use secure video-conferencing platforms (such as Zoom) to conduct sessions.
Session content (audio/video) – During a live consultation, the platform processes audio and video data as a data processor, providing the technical means for the session. We do not normally record sessions unless we have told you and obtained consent.
Platform account and usage data – The platform provider may separately act as an independent data controller for its own account, authentication, security and usage data (for example, your login, device and connection data, and its own logs).
That processing is governed by the platform provider’s own privacy notice, and we do not control how they use such data for their own purposes (e.g. service maintenance and security).
We choose providers that offer appropriate security and encryption, and we configure them to use privacy-protective settings wherever reasonably possible.
Where payments are made electronically, we use a third-party payment service provider (for example, a card processor or online payment gateway) to process payments for our services.
We do not store full card details or sensitive payment-card information on our own systems. The payment service provider typically acts as a separate data controller for payment processing. It determines what card and transaction data it needs to collect, how long to retain it, and how it uses it to prevent fraud and comply with financial regulations.
We receive confirmation of the transaction (e.g. that a payment has been authorised or declined) and limited transaction details so that we can reconcile our accounts and allocate payments to client records; we act as controller for that limited accounting data.
You should refer to the payment provider’s own privacy notice for more detail on how it handles your payment information.
Our website and online forms are hosted by third-party providers who may process limited technical information as data processors to keep the site secure and functioning properly.
We use strictly necessary cookies and equivalent technologies that are required for the website and any online forms to function (for example, to maintain a secure session or to remember form entries while you complete them).
Our hosting and security providers may keep logs of access to the site (IP address, date/time, pages visited, basic browser/device information) for security, troubleshooting and performance monitoring purposes.
We do not currently use analytics cookies (such as Google Analytics) or marketing/tracking cookies on our website.
If this changes in the future, we will update this Notice and, where required, seek your consent before setting any non-essential cookies.
If you submit a contact form or enquiry via the website, the information you provide (for example, your name, contact details and message) is sent to us and stored in our practice systems so that we can respond to your enquiry.
Our website host or form provider processes this information as a data processor on our behalf.
We use personal data for the purposes set out below. For each, we indicate the main lawful bases under the UK GDPR / Data Protection Act 2018.
Providing psychological assessment and related services:
Assessing the child/young person’s needs;
Conducting interviews, observations and assessments;
Interpreting standardised measures and questionnaires;
Preparing and sharing assessment reports and recommendations;
Providing feedback to parents/guardians and, where appropriate, the child or young person;
Liaising with schools and other professionals involved in the child’s care.
Lawful bases:
Performance of a contract (Art. 6(1)(b));
Provision of health or social care or treatment (Art. 9(2)(h));
Substantial public interest, including safeguarding (Art. 9(2)(g) + Schedule 1 DPA 2018).
Safeguarding and promoting welfare:
Identifying, assessing and responding to risks of harm to children/young people or others;
Making and responding to referrals to safeguarding bodies, local authorities or the police;
Recording safeguarding decisions and actions.
Lawful bases:
Legal obligation (Art. 6(1)(c));
Substantial public interest: safeguarding children and individuals at risk (Art. 9(2)(g) + Schedule 1 DPA 2018);
Vital interests (Art. 6(1)(d) / 9(2)(c)) in some cases.
Practice management, administration and billing:
Managing bookings and appointments;
Maintaining clinical and administrative records;
Invoicing and processing payments;
Responding to queries and complaints;
Managing our business operations and accounts.
Lawful bases:
Performance of a contract (Art. 6(1)(b));
Legal obligation (e.g. tax and accounting) (Art. 6(1)(c));
Legitimate interests in running our practice efficiently and securely (Art. 6(1)(f)).
Legal and regulatory obligations:
Complying with professional and regulatory requirements (e.g. HCPC, BPS);
Responding to court orders or legal processes;
Maintaining appropriate records for defence of legal claims and professional indemnity insurance.
Lawful bases:
Legal obligation (Art. 6(1)(c));
Substantial public interest (Art. 9(2)(g)).
Training, quality assurance and service improvement:
Using recordings and automated transcription tools to support accurate note-taking and record-keeping;
Limited internal training and quality-assurance activities to improve our services.
Recordings are not used to make automated clinical decisions and are not used for external marketing.
We do not carry out automated decision-making that produces legal or similarly significant effects on individuals solely by automated means.
From time to time, we may use secure audio recording and automated transcription tools during consultations to assist with accurate note-taking and record-keeping, and for limited internal training and quality-assurance purposes.
We will tell you (and, where appropriate, the child or young person) if a consultation is being audio-recorded, explain what will be recorded and why and give you the opportunity to ask questions.
Recordings and transcripts may include special category data (health, mental health, family circumstances) and are treated as part of the clinical record, subject to the same confidentiality, safeguarding and security standards as other records.
We only use reputable third-party providers who act as data processors under written contracts requiring them to keep data secure, act only on our instructions and not use data for their own purposes.
You (and, where appropriate, the child or young person) may decline to be recorded or may withdraw consent to recording at any time. We will then rely on written notes instead, and this will not prejudice access to our services.
Recordings and/or transcripts are retained only for as long as necessary for these purposes and in line with our record-keeping practices, after which they are securely deleted or anonymised.
We may share personal data with the following categories of recipients, where lawful and appropriate:
The child or young person – where appropriate and consistent with their age, understanding, and best interests, particularly in relation to their own assessment, feedback and reports;
Parents/guardians and those with parental responsibility – to the extent necessary to provide the assessment, share findings and recommendations, and safeguard the child/young person;
Schools and educational settings – including teachers, SENCOs and other relevant staff, for the purposes of assessment, planning and supporting the child/young person’s education and only where appropriate and lawful;
Healthcare and social care professionals – including GPs, paediatricians, CAMHS, social workers and other clinicians involved in the child/young person’s care;
Safeguarding bodies, local authorities, police and courts/tribunals – where necessary to protect children or others from harm, comply with legal obligations, or respond to lawful requests;
Commissioning organisations – such as local authorities, schools or other funders, to the extent needed to deliver and account for commissioned work
Service providers and professional advisers including:;
our secure practice-management/case-file system,
online booking and scheduling tools,
remote consultation platforms,
IT, email and cloud-storage providers,
transcription providers, and
accountants, legal advisers and insurers.
Most of these providers act as our data processors under written contracts requiring them to keep personal data secure, act only on our instructions and not use data for their own purposes.
Certain providers, including payment processors and some professional advisers, act as independent controllers for the personal data they process.
We do not sell personal data and we do not use identifiable personal data for advertising or external marketing.
Some of our service providers (for example, IT, cloud storage or transcription providers) may process personal data outside the UK. This mainly occurs because many widely used technology providers are based outside the UK or use global infrastructure.
Where personal data is transferred outside the UK, we will only do so where:
the destination country is covered by a valid adequacy decision; or
appropriate safeguards are in place, such as the UK International Data Transfer Agreement or equivalent standard contractual clauses, together with any additional measures required
Further information about specific transfers can be provided on request.
We keep personal data only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes set out in this Privacy Notice, including to meet any legal, regulatory, clinical or reporting requirements.
In particular:
Clinical records and assessment reports are retained for a minimum period in line with professional guidance and legal requirements for child clinical records (typically until the child reaches age 25 or for a minimum period recommended by relevant regulators), after which they may be securely destroyed.
Administrative and billing records are typically kept for at least the period required by tax and accounting law.
Recordings and transcripts used for note-taking and quality purposes are kept only as long as needed for those purposes and then securely deleted or anonymised.
Specific retention periods may vary depending on the type of record and the applicable guidance. Further details are available on request.
Individuals whose personal data we process have a number of rights under data protection law, subject to certain conditions and exemptions:
Right of access – to request a copy of the personal data we hold about you and information about how we use it;
Right to rectification – to have inaccurate or incomplete data corrected;
Right to erasure – to request deletion of your personal data in certain circumstances (this may be limited where we need to retain records for legal, regulatory or clinical reasons);
Right to restriction – to request that we restrict the processing of your data in certain circumstances;
Right to object – to object to processing based on our legitimate interests or for certain public interest purposes, in which case we will consider your request and stop processing unless we have compelling legitimate grounds to continue;
Right to data portability – to receive personal data you have provided to us in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format, and to request that we transmit it to another controller where technically feasible.
For clinical records, there may be circumstances in which we cannot fully comply with a request (for example, where it would cause serious harm to the physical or mental health of any individual, or where it would disclose information about a third party). We will explain our reasons if we cannot meet a request in full.
If you wish to exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details in section 1. We may need to verify your identity before fulfilling your request and, where the request is on behalf of a child, confirm your authority to act.
You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) if you are unhappy with how we handle your personal data:
Website: https://ico.org.uk Telephone: 0303 123 1113 (UK)
Postal address: Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF
You may contact the ICO at any time, although we would appreciate the opportunity to address your concerns first.
Because we work with children and young people, issues of consent and confidentiality can be complex. We will explain the nature and purpose of the assessment or intervention in a developmentally appropriate way and, where appropriate, seek the child/young person’s own consent or agreement.
For younger children or those who cannot give informed consent, we rely on consent from those with parental responsibility, or from commissioning organisations where lawfully authorised.
For children and young people considered capable of making their own decisions about their information (often referred to as Gillick-competent), we will take account of their wishes and confidentiality rights, subject always to safeguarding and legal obligations.
We will usually seek to discuss proposed information sharing with parents/guardians and, where appropriate, with the child/young person, unless doing so would increase the risk of harm or is otherwise not practicable.
Nothing in this Privacy Notice overrides our safeguarding duties or legal obligations.
We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised or unlawful processing, accidental loss, destruction or damage,
This includes:
storing data in secure systems with access controls and authentication;
limiting access to those staff and professionals who need it for their roles;
using encryption and secure transfer methods where appropriate;
maintaining policies and procedures for record-keeping, retention and disposal and
ensuring our service providers also implement appropriate security measures under their contracts with us.
Despite these measures, no system can be completely secure. If we become aware of a personal data breach that is likely to result in a high risk to your rights and freedoms, we will notify you and, where required, the ICO.
We may update this Privacy Notice from time to time, for example to reflect changes in law, professional guidance, or our services. The latest version will be made available on our website or on request.
We encourage you to review this Privacy Notice periodically to stay informed about how we use personal data. By continuing to use our services after changes take effect, you agree to the updated Privacy Notice in relation to personal data collected thereafter.
These Terms and Conditions (the “Terms”) set out the basis on which The Little Psychology (“we”, “us”, “our”) provides psychological assessment and related services to:
children and young people who are the subject of the assessment or other psychological services; and
parents and those with parental responsibility for a child or young person, and
schools, GP practices, local authorities and any other organisations or individuals who commission or fund such services (together referred to in these Terms as “you”, “your”)
By booking or receiving any services from us, you agree to be bound by these Terms.
Separate privacy information explaining how we handle personal data, including children’s health data, is set out in our Privacy Notice, which forms part of these Terms.
We provide psychological assessments and related services for children and young people, which may include (as agreed in writing):
developmental and family history
consultations with caregivers/eduactors.child or young person
cognitive and dynamic assessments, scoring and interpretation
observations in school/nursery/home setting
written reports and feedback sessions;
attendance at multi-agency meetings; and
training and consultation to schools and other organisations.
The services listed above are indicative only. We may provide additional or ancillary psychological services where required for the assessment or support of the child or young person, provided these are agreed with you in writing. (‘Services’)
We may engage suitably qualified and supervised associate psychologists or other professionals to carry out parts of the services on our behalf. They will be bound by the same confidentiality, safeguarding and data protection obligations as us. We remain responsible for the overall provision of the services.
Our practitioner psychologists are Chartered Psychologists with the British Psychological Society (BPS) and are registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). They work within the HCPC Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics and relevant BPS ethical guidelines.
We maintain appropriate professional indemnity insurance (and, where applicable, public liability insurance) for the services we provide. Nothing in these Terms affects or limits our statutory duties or our professional obligations under the HCPC Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics, BPS ethical guidelines, or applicable safeguarding law and guidance.
We will exercise reasonable skill and care in providing our services. However, we do not guarantee any specific diagnosis, recommendation, or outcome (for example, an Education, Health and Care Plan, a particular level of school support, or benefits decisions). We do not guarantee that third-party organisations (such as schools, local authorities, healthcare services, tribunals or benefits agencies) will accept our findings or make decisions in line with our recommendations. Outcomes of this nature are outside our control and depend on the policies and professional judgment of those bodies
Our services do not replace emergency or crisis services. See section 6 (Safeguarding, risk and emergencies).
An Educational Psychologist report is a professional document that aims to provide an understanding of a child or young person’s learning, development, strengths, and areas where additional support may be helpful within educational or related settings. It may include a summary of information shared during the assessment process, psychological formulation, and practical recommendations to support the child or young person at home, in school, or in other environments. The report is intended to offer guidance and professional opinion at the time of assessment based on the information available. It is not a medical diagnosis, legal determination, or guarantee of specific outcomes, and it does not replace assessments carried out by medical, clinical, or other specialist professionals where these may be required. Recommendations are advisory and their implementation remains the responsibility of the relevant educational setting, parents or carers, and other professionals involved.
We will communicate with you primarily by email unless otherwise agreed. We aim to respond within 7 working days. We do not offer out-of-hours or emergency support; for emergencies, see clause 6.
Where a parent or person with parental responsibility instructs us directly, the contract is between us and that person.
Where a school, GP practice, local authority or other organisation commissions the work, the contract is between us and that organisation. We will agree separately what information will be shared with the parent/guardian and with the commissioning body, subject always to our legal and professional duties (including data protection, confidentiality and safeguarding).
The data subject is usually the child or young person being assessed. In some cases, we may also process data about parents, guardians or other family members where this is relevant to the assessment or required for safeguarding or legal purposes.
The child or young person is not a party to these Terms and does not acquire contractual rights under them.
Our fees and charging structure will be confirmed before you confirm a booking and any work begins. This may include:
assessment package fees (consultations, direct work, observations, report writing, additional admin and travel),
hourly or daily rates for additional work (for example, meetings, tribunal or court attendance, further letters or reports); and
travel time and expenses, where applicable.
memo of understanding
Unless otherwise agreed in writing:
For private clients, payment of the assessment fee is due at the time of booking,
For schools and other organisations, invoices are payable within 7 days of the invoice date.
The person or organisation making the booking is responsible for payment of all fees unless we expressly agree otherwise in writing.
You confirm that any credit card or other payment method you use is authorised and that all payment information provided is accurate and kept up to date.
If you have any concerns about an invoice or payment, you must raise them with us promptly. We will review and, at our discretion, may make adjustments or agree payment plans where appropriate.
Where sums remain overdue, we may suspend or delay further work, including scheduled appointments, until payment is received. We will not be liable for any delay or impact on reports or services arising from such suspension
If any invoice is not paid in full within 14 days of the due date, we may charge a fixed late payment fee of £20 per invoice to cover our reasonable administration and recovery costs. This fee is in addition to the outstanding balance. We may also continue to suspend or delay further work under clause 4.6 until all sums (including any late payment fee) are paid in full.
You may cancel, amend or request to reschedule an appointment by providing us with at least 48 hours’ notice prior to the scheduled start time of that appointment. No cancellation charge will apply where valid notice is received 48 or more hours before the appointment time.
Where you cancel, amend or request to reschedule an appointment less than 48 hours but at least 24 hours before the scheduled start time, we reserve the right to charge 50% of the full fee for that appointment.
Where you cancel, amend or request to reschedule an appointment less than 24 hours before the scheduled start time, or you fail to attend an appointment without notice, we reserve the right to charge 100% of the full fee for that appointment.
Notice of cancellation, amendment or rescheduling must be given by email using the contact details provided to you. A cancellation, amendment or rescheduling request will not be effective until it has been acknowledged by us in writing (including by email or other written electronic message). It is your responsibility to ensure that you receive our acknowledgement; if you do not receive it, you should assume the original appointment remains in place.
Any cancellation charges will be invoiced and are payable in accordance with the payment terms set out in these Terms.
If we need to cancel or reschedule, we will give you as much notice as reasonably possible and will offer a rescheduled appointment or, where appropriate, a refund of any fees paid for the
cancelled session. We will not be liable for any indirect or consequential losses arising from such cancellation.
OUR SERVICES ARE NOT AN EMERGENCY OR CRISIS SERVICE. If you or a child/young
person are at immediate risk of serious harm, or if there is any medical emergency, you must contact emergency services (999 in the UK) and/or relevant local crisis services immediately and seek in-person assistance.
If, during our work, we become aware of a risk of significant harm to a child/young person or to others, we have professional and legal duties which may require us to share information with appropriate agencies (for example, social services, your GP, school, or the police), even without consent.
We maintain a safeguarding policy and will act in accordance with that policy and with relevant statutory guidance (including Working Together to Safeguard Children and Keeping Children Safe in Education), as well as applicable local safeguarding procedures.
For remote sessions, you must ensure that:
we have an up-to-date emergency contact and physical location for the child/young person at the start of each session including that ensuring the registration form online is complete and up to date with contact details...; and
the online consent form parents must sign before work is completed either via video or face to face.
a responsible adult is available and contactable for the duration of the session, as agreed
Information shared with us in the course of our work is treated as confidential and is stored securely. Processing of personal data is explained in our Privacy Notice.
However, confidentiality is not absolute. We may share information without consent where:
there is a risk of significant harm to a child or young person or to others.
we are required to do so by law or by a court order; or
it is necessary to share information with other professionals involved in the child’s care or education, on a need-to-know basis, or for health and social care purpose, and this is justified under data protection law (for example, to provide health care or for safeguarding purposes).
We will usually seek to discuss any proposed information sharing with you (and, where appropriate, with the child or young person) unless doing so would increase the risk of harm or is otherwise not practicable.
For children who are considered capable of making their own decisions about their information, we will take account of their wishes and confidentiality rights, subject to safeguarding and legal obligations.
We may, from time to time, use secure audio recording and automated transcription tools during consultations to assist with accurate note-taking and record-keeping, and for limited internal training and quality-assurance purposes. Any such tools will be used in accordance with our Privacy Notice and data protection law. Any automated tools we use will not use your data to train external AI models.
Where we propose to audio-record a consultation or part of a consultation, we will tell you (and, where appropriate, the child or young person) at the time, explain what will be recorded and why, and give you the opportunity to ask questions before recording starts.
Recordings and transcripts may contain special category personal data, including information about health, mental health and family circumstances. These will be treated as part of the clinical record and handled with the same level of confidentiality and security as our other records, in line with our safeguarding, confidentiality and data protection obligations.
You (and, where appropriate, the child or young person) may decline to be recorded or may withdraw consent to recording at any time. If you do so, we will simply rely on contemporaneous written notes instead. Declining recording will not prejudice your access to services, although it may limit our ability to use certain efficiencies in note-taking.
We retain recordings and/or transcripts only for as long as necessary for the purposes set out above and in accordance with our record-keeping practices and retention periods described in our Privacy Notice. After that, they will be securely deleted or anonymised.
We will explain, in a developmentally appropriate way, the nature and purpose of the assessment or intervention to the child or young person and, where appropriate, seek their consent or agreement to proceed.
For younger children or those who are not able to give informed consent, we will obtain consent from a person with parental responsibility, or from a commissioning organisation where they are lawfully authorised to provide consent.
You are responsible for ensuring that those providing consent (including where there is shared parental responsibility) have been appropriately informed and that any disputes between adults with parental responsibility are resolved between them.
We may decline, suspend or terminate services where we consider that it would be unsafe or inappropriate to continue (for example, because of safeguarding concerns, persistent
non-attendance, or unresolved disputes between adults with parental responsibility that affect the child’s welfare or our ability to proceed safely).
Following an assessment, we will usually provide a written report and/or feedback as agreed at the outset. The report will explain the information gathered, assessment methods used, formulation or conclusions, and recommendations.
We will agree in advance:
the primary addressee of the report (for example, parent/guardian or school); and
to whom copies may be shared, subject to data protection and safeguarding duties.
Reports must be kept in full and not altered. If you share them with other professionals or agencies, you agree to share them in their entirety and not in a selective or edited form that could be misleading.
We may charge additional fees for:
extra letters or reports not included in the original assessment package;
attendance at meetings, case conferences, tribunals or court; and
substantial further correspondence or liaison beyond what was originally agreed.
Fees for such work will be confirmed before the work is undertaken and charged at our standard rate unless otherwise agreed.
We act as a data controller for most of the personal data we process in connection with our services. In some cases, a commissioning organisation (for example, a school or local authority) may be a separate or joint controller. Any such arrangements will be managed in accordance with data protection law and explained in our Privacy Notice.
We collect and process personal data, including special category data (health and mental health information), for purposes including:
providing psychological assessment and related services;
safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people;
managing our business, including administration and billing; and
complying with legal and regulatory obligations.
The main lawful bases we rely on include:
performance of a contract or steps taken at your request before entering into a contract;
provision of health or social care or treatment;
substantial public interest (including safeguarding children and individuals at risk); and
compliance with legal obligations and our legitimate interests in running our practice.
We may share personal data with:
the child or young person (where appropriate), parents/guardians;
schools, GPs, other healthcare professionals and relevant agencies involved in the child’s care or education;
safeguarding bodies, local authorities, courts and tribunals, where necessary; and
third-party service providers (for example, secure practice management systems, IT providers and audio-transcription tools) who act as our data processors under written contracts requiring them to keep data secure, to act only on our instructions and not to use personal data for their own purposes.
We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data, including secure systems, access controls and, where appropriate, encryption. Where personal data is transferred outside the UK, we will only do so where there is an applicable adequacy decision or appropriate safeguards in place (such as the UK International Data Transfer Agreement or equivalent standard contractual clauses), as described in our Privacy Notice.
Individuals whose personal data we process have rights under data protection law, including (in most cases) rights of access, rectification, erasure, restriction, objection and data portability, subject to certain clinical, legal and record-keeping limitations. They also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) if they are unhappy with how their personal data is handled. Further details of these rights, how long we keep different categories of data, and how to contact us or the ICO are set out in our Privacy Notice. By using our services, you also agree to the terms of our Privacy Notice, which is incorporated into and forms part of these Terms.
We may deliver some or all services remotely using secure online platforms. While we take reasonable steps to provide a reliable and secure service, you understand that no online service can be always guaranteed as uninterrupted or error-free.
You are responsible for ensuring that:
the child/young person has access to suitable equipment and internet connection;
they are in a private, safe and appropriate environment free from unnecessary distractions or interruptions; and
you and the child/young person follow any instructions we give regarding platform use, confidentiality and safeguarding.
We will not be liable for interruptions, technical failures or other issues caused by factors beyond our reasonable control (for example, your internet connection, hardware or software).
We may pause, end or reschedule a remote session if the environment, technology, or level of supervision means the session cannot be conducted safely or effectively.
You agree that all information you provide to us is accurate, true and complete to the best of your knowledge, and that you will promptly inform us of any material changes (for example, change of contact details, change in legal status, new safeguarding concerns).
You must ensure that:
we are informed of all relevant medical, developmental, educational and social history;
any questionnaires or forms are completed honestly and promptly; and
the child/young person attends as agreed, unless you have cancelled or rescheduled in accordance with clause 5.
You agree not to record sessions (audio or video) without our explicit prior written consent. We may keep clinical notes and, where appropriate, audio or video material as part of the assessment process, in line with our policies and with data protection law.
You agree to behave respectfully towards us at all times. We may suspend or terminate services where behaviour towards us is abusive, threatening or otherwise inappropriate.
We retain ownership of all intellectual property rights in our materials, including reports, letters, templates, handouts and training materials.
We grant you a non-exclusive, non-transferable licence to use our reports and materials for the purposes for which they were provided (for example, supporting the child’s care or education). You may not reproduce, publish, distribute, edit or adapt them for other purpose without our prior written consent. You must also not use our materials for any commercial purpose without our prior written consent.
Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits our liability for:
death or personal injury caused by our negligence;
fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation; or
any other liability that cannot lawfully be excluded or limited.
Subject to clause 15.1, and to the fullest extent permitted by law:
we shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, consequential, special, punitive or exemplary damages, or for loss of profits, business or anticipated savings;
we are not liable for any delay or impact on outcomes caused by your failure to provide information, attend appointments, or follow our guidance; and
our total aggregate liability arising out of or in connection with the services and these Terms (whether in contract, tort, negligence or otherwise) shall not exceed the total fees paid by you to us for the particular assessment or piece of work giving rise to the claim.
These limitations are separate from, and do not override, our professional and ethical obligations. Nothing in these Terms affects your rights to bring a claim under our professional indemnity insurance, where applicable.
If you are dissatisfied with any aspect of our services, please raise your concerns with us as soon as possible so that we can try to resolve the issue informally.
We also have a formal complaints procedure, details of which are available on request.
You may also have the right to raise concerns with relevant regulatory or professional bodies (such as the HCPC or BPS) and, in relation to data protection, with the ICO.
We may update these Terms from time to time, for example to reflect changes in law, professional guidance or our services. The latest version will be made available on our website or
on request. Where we make any material changes, we will take reasonable steps to bring them to your attention.
Unless otherwise stated, changes will take effect when the updated Terms are published. Changes will not affect services that have already been booked and confirmed. By continuing to use our services after the updated Terms take effect, you agree to be bound by them.
These Terms and any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with them (including non-contractual disputes or claims) are governed by the laws of England and Wales.
The courts of England and Wales shall have non-exclusive jurisdiction to settle any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with these Terms.
These Terms, together with any written engagement letter or service description, constitute the entire agreement between you and us in relation to the services and supersede any prior representations or understandings, except any that are made fraudulently.
If any provision of these Terms is held by a court to be illegal, invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect.
We may assign or transfer our rights and obligations under these Terms to another appropriately qualified provider or entity. You may not transfer your rights or obligations under these Terms without our prior written consent.
We will not be liable for any delay or failure to provide the services due to events outside our reasonable control (including illness, technical failures, extreme weather, transport disruption or other unforeseen circumstances). We will notify you as soon as reasonably possible and offer to reschedule.