Level 4 Counselling & Psychotherapy Diploma Student Placement Information
Clinical placements are required in order for students to complete the necessary counselling hours with clients. To complete the Diploma students are required to undertake 100 client hours and to complete the BSc a further 150 client hours (registration with UKCP requires a further 200 client hours which is generally completed in a placement/s).
Placements begin in year 2 after students have been observed at least twice in triads either by a Programme Lead and/or another tutor and have been assessed as ‘ready to practice’. Students cannot start in placement until they have a ready to practice letter and a signed and approved Placement Agreement with a placement organisation. The Senior Management Team and the Programme Lead will give advice and support in searching for and attaining a placement.
Opportunities for volunteer posts with placement agencies are regularly posted onto the HUB. Ayurva Academy has liaisons for placements with many local service providers.
Securing a placement
Whilst Ayurva will help students to think about the type of placement they would like to work in it is a student’s responsibility to secure the placement. We have connections with most voluntary organisations in the area. Ayurva do not let a student new to working in a placement set up counselling provision in an organisation that does not have a counselling service already established. We also do not let a student have a placement in their place of work. Part of the process of becoming a professional counsellor or psychotherapist is applying for and starting work in a placement, and we will support students with this important step in their development.
Professional membership
Students will be required to become a student member of either the UKCP (as a trainee) or the BACP before starting to practice with client. They may also be required to complete a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. The placement will organise this.
Placement Agreement
A completed Placement Agreement form is required for all placement positions. This clarifies the main areas of safe professional practice. This form is agreed and signed by four parties: Ayurva Academy representative, Supervisor, Placement Liaison coordinator and the student. The course tutor will overview and sign the Placement Agreement last. Students cannot begin any client work until a fully signed and completed Placement Agreement is in place.
Supervision
Students will be expected to work with a supervisor recognised and listed in the Ayurva Academy Directory of Supervisors. All students pre-Diploma award will need an experienced and trained supervisor on the Training Supervisors list or eligible for the list and willing to apply for enrolment. Qualified students (post diploma award) may also work with the list of Core Supervisors. Please see the Ayurva Academy Supervision policy for further details. Students and supervisors must agree to observe the BACP or UKCP Code of Ethics.
Placement Agreement for Counselling & Psychotherapy Practice
This Agreement is dated and made between:
The Ayurva Academy
and
……………………………………………………(Name of Organisation)
Date of Agreement: / /
Background
The Ayurva Academy teaches students in counselling, psychotherapy and supervision. Students are required to undertake practice in these disciplines external to the Ayurva Academy and as part of their programme of study.
The Organisation provides counselling and/or psychotherapy and/or supervision of these disciplines in clinical practice.
The parties wish to collaborate in providing experience and access to clinical practice to students in the area/s named above.
It is agreed that:
In this Agreement, unless the context otherwise requires, the following words shall have the following meanings:
DBS Disclosure and Barring Service
Placement A process whereby a Student spends an agreed period of time at the Organisation’s premises, obtaining practical experience as a counsellor and/or psychotherapist and/or supervisor of these disciplines.
Students Students of Ayurva Academy on a programme in counselling and/or psychotherapy and/or supervision of these disciplines, whether full-time or part-time, placed within the Organisation.
This Agreement shall commence on the date hereof and shall continue unless terminated in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. This Agreement shall apply in relation to each Student on a University programme in counselling and/or psychotherapy and/or supervision of these disciplines.
This Agreement should be read in conjunction with the Ayurva Academy’s Guidelines for Student Counselling and Psychotherapy Practice and Supervision appended to this Agreement as Appendix 1 which may be amended from time to time. The Organisation agrees (in its capacity as a practice provider or practice setting) to deal with each Placement and Student in a manner consistent with such Guidelines.
The placement organisation agrees with the aims and philosophy of the course as stated in appendix 2.
A Placement shall not create an employment relationship between the Student and the Organisation. The Organisation shall be under no obligation under this Agreement to pay travel or subsistence expenses to Students.
For the avoidance of doubt, once the Placement has expired, the Organisation shall be free to offer employment to the Student to commence on completion of the programme. The terms of any such appointment are a matter for the Organisation and the Student, and this Agreement shall have no relevance.
It is the responsibility of Ayurva Academy to ensure that all necessary criminal record checks have been undertaken. Checks on Students taking up Placements involving children and/or vulnerable adults shall be made prior to the commencement of the Placement, and in the event that the DBS reports any conviction, the Organisation shall have the right to refuse a Placement to the Student concerned.
The parties are aware that they have obligations under discrimination and equality legislation in relation to students and those on work experience. The parties agree to act in accordance with such legislation in relation to Students and Placements.
The Organisation shall designate a staff member to oversee each Placement and to undertake immediate responsibility for the management of each Student. Ayurva Academy shall designate a staff member to oversee each / all Student[s] and Placement[s].
The Organisation will make available to the Student access to a trained counsellor who will undertake a mentoring responsibility in relation to the Student’s client case load and the administrative and other procedures expected of the Student by the Organisation. This person may be the designated staff member referred to in point 8 above.
Clinical supervision will be either
external to both the Organisation and Ayurva Academy, with a practitioner selected by the Student from the Academy’s Supervisors’ Network; or
provided by a supervisor designated by the Organisation, who shall meet the entry criteria for Ayurva Academy Supervisors’ Network.
At all times when a Student is placed with the Organisation, the Organisation shall indemnify the University against all losses, costs, claims and demands incurred by Ayurva Academy arising from any negligence by the Organisation in connection with a Student or the Placement and/or the Organisation’s failure to perform its obligations under this Agreement.
The Organisation confirms that it has in place comprehensive public liability insurance that will cover liability for personal injury or death of any Student engaged on Placement and for the personal injury or death of any other person arising as a result of any act or fault on the part of any Student whilst on Placement.
The Organisation confirms that it is fully compliant with health and safety law, has in place appropriate health and safety policies and procedures which are current and operational, and that the Student will be given an induction to these.
Ayurva Academy shall ensure that Students are made aware that for the duration of the Placement, and particularly while on the Organisation’s premises, those on Placement are required to abide by
the Organisation’s local policies, procedures and practices, including without limitation those relating to disciplinary rules, health and safety and
the BACP or UKCP Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions or
other relevant professional codes of ethics and practice.
The Organisation will ensure that each Student is made aware at the commencement of the Placement of the Organisation’s local policies, procedures and practices and how those will apply to the Student.
The Organisation shall report any breach of the above policies, procedures and practices to Ayurva Academy, which will then investigate and deal with such alleged breach under its own disciplinary policies and procedures. Any breach should be reported as soon as possible (normally within 24 hours of the concern being raised or event happening) to the Course Tutor, the programme lead and the student’s supervisor.
A Student may be suspended by mutual agreement between Ayurva Academy and the Organisation to enable both parties to reach a decision about the appropriate course of action in relation to any alleged breach.
Information relating to clients, patients, carers, visitors, Students or the Organisation’s staff must not be divulged to anyone at any time other than those employees of the Organisation or Ayurva Academy clearly associated with the Placement and those who are authorised to receive it in the course of their duties, such as external examiners. The parties will always have regard to the provisions of the Data Protection Act 2018.
Any breach of confidentiality by a Student will be discussed between the Organisation and the University and may result in the Student being suspended from the Placement.
In the event of any breach of this Agreement by either party, the other party may serve notice on the party in breach, requiring the breach to be remedied within a period of 28 days. If the breach shall not be remedied by the expiry of the specified period, the party not in breach may terminate this Agreement forthwith by notice in writing.
In the event of a material breach of this Agreement by either party which is not remediable, the other party may terminate this Agreement forthwith by notice in writing.
This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with English Law and the parties submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English Courts.
The Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 shall not apply to this Agreement to give any third party any right or benefit under this Agreement or any right to rescind any of its terms.
Signed on behalf of the Ayurva Academy
Name: (Course Tutor) ………………………………………………………
Title: Tutor in Counselling and Psychotherapy
Date: / /
Signed on behalf of the Organisation
Name: ……………………………………………………………………………
Title (if applicable) ………………………………………………………
Date: / /