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Complaints Policy

Continuum Counselling, Training & Consultancy

Karen Lafferty, Company Director  |  NCPS Member

 

Version1.0       

Date adopted : June 2025

Next review: Annually

 

Applies to: All clients and customers of Continuum Counselling, Training & Consultancy

Professional body: National Counselling & Psychotherapy Society (NCPS)

 

1. Our Commitment

At Continuum Counselling, Training & Consultancy, we are committed to providing a high standard of care to every client. We take all complaints and concerns seriously, and we believe that feedback — including when things have not gone as hoped — is an important part of improving the service we offer.

As a member of the National Counselling & Psychotherapy Society (NCPS), we operate in accordance with the NCPS Code of Ethics. All clients have the right to raise a concern or complaint, and we will handle every concern with care, fairness, and respect.

This policy sets out how you can raise a concern, how we will respond, and what options are available to you if you remain dissatisfied.

2. What You Can Raise a Complaint About

You may raise a concern or complaint about any aspect of the service you have received from Continuum Counselling, Training & Consultancy, including:

  • The conduct or behaviour of your counsellor

  • The standard of counselling or support you received

  • How an appointment, cancellation, or session was handled

  • Any communication you have received from us

  • How your personal data has been handled (see Section 7)

  • Any other aspect of your experience with us

 

You do not need to know or understand our professional Code of Ethics in order to make a complaint. You simply need to tell us, in your own words, what your concern is.

3. How to Raise a Concern

Step 1 — Talk to Us First (Informal)

In many cases, concerns can be resolved quickly and informally. If you have a concern, we encourage you to raise it directly with Karen Lafferty in the first instance, by email, phone, or in person. We will listen carefully and aim to resolve your concern as quickly and sensitively as possible.

You can contact us by:

 

You are welcome to ask someone to contact us on your behalf if you would find this helpful.

Step 2 — Formal Complaint

If you would prefer to make a formal complaint, or your concern has not been resolved informally, you can submit a written complaint to Karen Lafferty at the contact details above. You do not need to use a specific form — a written email or letter explaining your concern is fine.

When you contact us, it would help if you could include:

  • Your name and contact details

  • A description of your concern and what happened

  • Approximately when the issue occurred

  • What outcome you are hoping for

 

We recognise that raising a complaint can feel difficult, particularly in the context of grief or bereavement support. You can take as much time as you need, and we will always aim to make the process as straightforward and respectful as possible.

4. How We Will Respond

Once we receive your formal complaint, we will:

  • Acknowledge your complaint in writing within 5 working days of receipt

  • Investigate your complaint thoroughly and fairly

  • Keep you informed of progress throughout

  • Aim to provide a full written response within 28 days

  • Let you know the outcome, including any action we are taking, as soon as we reasonably can

 

If your complaint requires more time to investigate, we will contact you to explain why and to give you an updated timescale.

Where appropriate, we will seek to resolve complaints informally, including through mediation, if both parties agree. Any informal resolution is agreed by both parties and is not a substitute for a formal process if you choose to pursue one.

5. Escalating Your Complaint to the NCPS

If you have raised a concern with us and remain dissatisfied with our response, you have the right to escalate your complaint to the National Counselling & Psychotherapy Society (NCPS), the professional body of which Karen Lafferty is a member.

The NCPS has a formal complaints and concerns procedure and can investigate whether a member has breached their Code of Ethics. You do not need to understand the Code of Ethics to submit a complaint — you simply provide information about your experience and the NCPS will guide you through the process.

You can contact the NCPS Professional Conduct Department as follows:

  • Email: conduct@ncps.com

  • Phone: 01903 213 683

  • Post: Professional Conduct Department, National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society, 19 Grafton Road, Worthing, BN11 1QT

 

The NCPS Code of Ethics is available to read at https://www.ncps.com/about-us/code-of-ethics

As a member, Karen Lafferty is committed to upholding the standards set out in that Code.

Please note: the NCPS would generally expect you to have raised your concern with us first before escalating, where it is appropriate and safe for you to do so.

6. Confidentiality

All complaints are handled confidentially. Information shared as part of a complaint will only be disclosed to those directly involved in investigating or resolving it. We will not discuss the details of your complaint with anyone outside of this process without your consent, except where we are required to do so by law or for safeguarding reasons.

If your complaint is escalated to the NCPS, please be aware that details of your complaint may need to be disclosed to the member and, in certain circumstances, to relevant panels or reviewers, as part of the NCPS formal process.

7. Complaints About Data Handling

Under the Data Use and Access Act 2025 (DUAA), you have a formal right to raise a complaint with us if you believe your personal data has not been handled correctly.

If you have a concern about how we have collected, used, stored, or shared your personal information, you can raise this as a data complaint using the contact details in Section 3.

When we receive a data complaint, we will:

  • Acknowledge your complaint within 30 days of receiving it

  • Investigate your concern and keep you informed throughout

  • Let you know the outcome as soon as reasonably possible

 

If you remain dissatisfied after raising a data complaint with us, you have the right to escalate to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO):

  • Website: ico.org.uk

  • Phone: 0303 123 1113

 

For full details of how we handle your personal data, please refer to our Privacy Policy, available on request or at our website.

8. Record Keeping

We keep a record of all formal complaints received, including the nature of the concern, how it was handled, and the outcome. This record is used to identify any patterns and to improve our service. Records are held securely and in line with our Privacy Policy and applicable data protection legislation.

9. Learning and Improvement

We view every complaint as an opportunity to reflect on our practice and improve the experience of our clients. Complaints are reviewed as part of our ongoing professional development and supervision, in line with NCPS requirements.

10. Policy Review

This policy will be reviewed annually, or sooner if there are relevant changes to legislation, NCPS requirements, or our practice. The most recent version will always be made available to clients on request.

 

Contact Details

Karen Lafferty, Company Director

Continuum Counselling, Training & Consultancy

hello@continuumcounselling.com

 

NCPS Member — bound by the NCPS Code of Ethics

 

This policy should be read alongside our Privacy Policy. It does not constitute legal advice. Clients are encouraged to read the NCPS Code of Ethics and Complaints Procedure at ncps.com.

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