( AC 1.1 )

This a guide to understanding your roles. responsibilities and relationships in education and training.

Your department and college prides itself on its warm, welcoming, friendly, inclusive setting and At the heart of all we do are, a set of values to which our staff and student communities are actively committed to. • Respect and Nurture • Inspire and Aspire • Be Agile and Responsive • Be Honest and Accountable These values, form part of our internal, and external values, morals, and principles, that become part of our teaching, to ensure inspirational efficacy, for all whom form part of our infrastructure. our position and post entails the provision of teaching counselling from level 2 right through to level 4, where the learner will be at a sufficient academic level, to pursue a carer in counselling.

Our role within this, is to facilitate a safe environment, that is warm, comfortable and benefitting the required elements needed to deliver effective learning for each individual learner attending. This includes, scheme of works, electronic and physical resources and support within the learning environment, such as weekly preparation of class resources, delivering the lesson in a professional non judgemental environment, offering support, via one to one tutorials and signposting student when needs are identified.

We are also one of 20 colleges to hold the accreditation as a disability confident employer, in doing so we have successfully undertaken and completed the Disability Confident self assessment, Are taking all of the core actions to be a Disability Confident employer and Are offering at least one activity to get the right people for our business and at least one activity to keep and develop our people. Our commitment to this programme ensures a continued inclusive environment for staff and students alike. We welcome you, and your commitment ,to the shared vision for teaching young people and adults the skills they needs to promote individuality, on an inclusive platform.

Unit 1 -Understanding roles. Responsibilities and relationships in education and training AC 1.1 Explain the teaching role & responsibilities in education and training

Your role as a tutor in Counselling & psychotherapy carries with responsibilities, for not only the course content, but also the observation and support of personal development within the individual self, along with the reflection of this growth, within the group setting. As most students who choose to attend our college and lessons, are entering a world of self discovery and growth,( in order to help others when qualified), it is paramount to your teaching, that all individuals within the group, remain just that, especially when you come to supporting the learner through their individual journey. Monitoring the individual learners journey from start to finish, will ensure that we remain connected throughout the course duration, and also help facilitate the individual requirements needed, in order for the learner to gain the most for the experience with ourselves and the college. Being a lecturer is more than just handing out assessment, setting tasks or homework, it is relational, and our investment in ourselves, and how you are perceived or how relatable you are to our learners, will have a direct impact of how the learner perceives and interoperates the learning. If you, as the tutor, can display a passion and enthusiasm for the chosen subject then this will have a direct affect on the learners experience, this engagement is relational, it offers the opportunities for collaboration, enquiry and discovery, both of the chosen subject, and of self. As part of the tutor/learners experience, they must also feel held, heard, and able to communicate, especially when the lesson doesn’t make sense, or the subject matter isn’t understood, or they feel they can’t relate, this maybe due to difference or diversity within the room, or from a previous lived experience, that they are still dealing with, or it maybe its the way you have delivered the lesson?. Our preparation for our learners as a teacher/tutor, can never be underestimated, starting as you mean to go on, has benefits for both self and the learner. If you are well prepared, know your subject, and have made the necessary provisions for learners with additional needs, this creates the right setting and provision for the individual learner. Listening carefully to the wants and needs of the individual learner and identifying each learners uniqueness, will ensure we are identifying and monitoring each learners unique needs and we can adjust the learning to suit this uniqueness. In being honest, transparent and all of yourself, you can expect a learner to be all of themselves too. Being able to recognise and monitor this within the individual learner, to understand what and where issues are, we can adjust the learners experience accordingly, or, signpost for extra support, or, services, when needed or identified, this can make the difference to the learner experience and ensure they remain part of the learning experience and relational depth within the group lesson and college life. part of our roles and responsibilities, recognise the importance of remaining vigilant and adhering to safeguarding polices, this cannot be stressed enough, continued monitoring and self awareness will ensure that both yourself and the learner, remain, safe, within the set boundaries discussed, recognised and agreed within the introductory assessment and mirroring the Ethical Framework set out by the BACP ( British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapist ).Remember this is a Guide, your own phenomenological experience will also guide you.

(AC 1.2) Whilst working at NWSLC, it is possible that you may encounter professional or personal circumstances/ ethical dilemmas or emergencies , that may affect yourself, or the learners within your section or, college campus. Many of the following acts cover aspects that you may encounter during your employment/placement within the college. It is therefore, vital that you familiarise yourself with the codes of practise/legislation & polices listed, in order to, in the event, act accordingly, or to access further information, for either action for self, or, action/signpost a learner, to the appropriate organisational support. In the event, you are unsure of the best approach, please seek advise and support from your, LSM/ HR/Safeguarding hub/counselling dept or ,department vice/principle/principle.

(AC 1.2 )Equality Act (2010) The Equality Act 2010, legally protects people from discrimination in the workplace and in wider society. The Act makes it unlawful to discriminate against someone on the grounds of any of these characteristics: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion/belief, sex (gender) and sexual orientation. These are often referred to as protected characteristics.

Data protection act (1998) The Data Protection Act (DPA)

This was developed to control how personal or customer information is used by organisations or government bodies. Part of the course work you provide, covers this legislation.

The BACP British Association of Counsellors & Psychotherapists, Ethical Framework (2018) Page 4 of 15 The Ethical Framework sets out the expected ethical principles, values and good practice standards for BACP members. Ethical frameworks are perspectives useful for reasoning what course of action may provide the most moral outcome. In many cases, a person may not use a reasoning process but rather do what they simply feel is best at the time. Part of the course work provided, covers this framework in greater detail, in order to gain a greater awareness surrounding the professional guidelines. .

Further & Higher Education act (2010) The Further and Higher Education Act 1992 made changes in the funding and administration of further education and higher education within England and Wales.

Human Rights Act (1988) The Human Rights Act is a UK law passed in 1998. It lets you defend your rights in UK courts and compels public organisations – including the Government, police and local councils – to treat everyone equally, with fairness, dignity and respect.

Safeguarding Vunerable groups Act (2006) This Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act (SVGA) 2006 was passed to help avoid harm, or risk of harm, by preventing people who are deemed unsuitable to work with children and vulnerable adults from gaining access to them through their work.

RESPECT Agenda (2005) Your organisation has a respect agenda which ask and promotes everybody to respect the environment, your future, your selves and others.

The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (HASAWA) lays down wide-ranging duties on employers. Employers must protect the 'health, safety and welfare' at work of all their employees, as well as others on their premises.

Children's act (2004) The Children Act 2004 places a duty on local authorities to promote and safeguard the welfare of children in need in their area. Other Acts and codes of practise that may form part of your ongoing teacher/ college setting could be, but not limited to:

Freedom of information act (2000) Gives learners the opportunity to request to see the information public bodies hold about them.

Health and safety regulations (1992) The Health and Safety Regulations 1992

place specific requirements on employers with the aim of protecting workers from the health risks associated with DSE.

(RIDDOR) Reporting of injuries, diseases and dangerous Occurrences regulation (1992) RIDDOR is the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995. By law it is required for employers, as well as people who are self-employed and people who are in control of a premises, to report specified incidents in the workplace. Codes of practice/professional practises:

A professional code of conduct document is included within your welcome pack that explains as employees how you are expected to act on behalf of NWSLC.

Code of conduct: how we are seen and how we are perceive, are mirrors of ourselves, our conduct within the college, should be seen as professional at all times, to promote the codes of conduct that our college manifesto was built and is maintained. at NWSLC we want to promote a professional outlook, this begins with yourself. Within our department and particularly our profession.

(AC 1.3)

Whilst working at NWSLC, you will be working alongside, other team members, learners, and other professionals within the college and from time to time, professionals representatives from outside the college. It is important, that we don't think of ourselves as an island, or that we are responsible for all facilitations of our learning. This would in short blur the lines and boundaries, leading us to work outside of our limits of ability and potentially endangering the very people we set out to protect, including ourselves. Being part of the NWSLC team, is just that, a team. We all play a critical role, in the smooth continuance of the college provisions to ourselves and our learners. You are now part of that team, your role in supporting others and your professionalism whilst carrying out this support, is critical to creating boundaries within the team. for example, you are a counselling lecturer, if any of your students need counselling you need to recognise this and be able to work within your limits of proficiency, by signposting the student to the safeguarding team/ college counselling team. its important that the learner recognises your limits and boundaries set out within the college contract, and the group contract within the classroom setting. By enmeshing ourselves and blurring the lines we run the risk of damaging the relationship and the learner being worse off by not receiving the right support. Within the department that you will be working alongside are: Colleagues LSM'S: premises officers, caretakers, cleaners, pastoral, college counsellors, Library staf, IT and also Externally : Inspectors/Regulators : BACP/CPCAB governing bodies of both the college courses and the intermediate in any Ofsted reports, is integral to the learners experience, no one person, could or should be relied upon to facilitate the wide, and varying needs of each individual student. Being part of the team collective, and treating them with the professionalism they deserve, ensures, safety, honesty and integrity, in providing a seemingly, seamless service, to the end user.

(AC1.3)

As a Tutor at NWSLC, your professional relationships with the people you interact with, will have differing levels of boundaries, that you need to be aware of, and both, implement, and maintain at all times. Being aware of other differing professionals ,and their roles and responsibilities will indicate to you, the level of interaction and boundaries that come with those relationships. As a tutor within the counselling department, we start the very first lesson, with our learners with an informal agreed contract within the group. This sets out how we want to the group to work and interact, how’s its confidentiality is set, and what sort of boundaries we would like to set with each other. Part of this process is for you to establish your own boundaries within the group too, these boundaries can include the avoidance of dual relationships, ( where the teacher becomes interactive with a learner outside the professional/college framework. Ie, meeting outside, tagging on to learners social media networks) this prevents the tutor/learner being anything other than a tutor/learner relationship, Gifts are also another area that requires boundaries, a card or token gift from a class, is an acceptable format at long as it is registered within your department. Accepting anything greater than this, or not declaring the gift within the department, could, seen and deemed, as blurring the lines between professional, and personal relationships, this is unethical and unprofessional, and part of the BACP Ethical Framework that both the college and the course work adheres to, states “ The practitioners (Tutor) personal and relational moral qualities are of the upmost importance. Their perceived presence or absence will have a strong influence on how relationships with clients ( learners, other professionals ) and colleagues develop and whether they are of sufficient quality and resilience to support the work. “ High levels of compatibility between personal and professional moral qualities will usually enhance the integrity and resilience of any relationship.” “working to professional standards by, collaborating with our colleagues and other professionals, to improve the quality of what is being offered”, “As Individuals and Tutors, we must be competent to deliver the services being offered to at least fundamental professional standards, or, better. When we consider satisfying professional standards requires consulting others with relevant expertise, seeking second opinions, or making referrals, we will do so in ways that meet our commitments and obligations for client confidentiality and data protection. The technical and practical knowledge may vary according to how services are delivered, but all of our services will be delivered to at least fundamental professional standards or better. To pursue anything other than professional relationships without sufficient boundaries, both inside and outside the college network, could be seen as unethical and unprofessional. As part of your remit as a tutor, creating and maintaining the professional boundaries within the relationships between learners and other professionals carries responsibilities that start and stop with yourself. Our collective reflection of the morals, values, and principles, set out in the college manifesto & BACP Ethical Framework, sets the presidency for how we wish to both project, and be perceived. (AC 1.3)

(AC 1.4)

Points of referral to meet the individual needs of the learner Potential difficulties and solutions of learners and colleagues could be:

1, Difficulties at home / social or workplace employment, sexual emotional, physical abuse. Possible Referral Solutions = One to one tutorials, Safeguarding team, counselling service.

2, Mental Health issue/ Suicide, Neglect, Prevent, health concerns, or concerns for others Possible Referral solutions, One to one tutorials, Safeguarding team, student counsellor, student medical team, First aider. GP, Parents, or hospital.

3, Difficulties with finances/ student loans/ Bus, travel expenses, it or stationary expenses. Possible solutions = One to one tutorials, signposting to, Student Services, Finance department, bursary team, wellbeing hub.

4, I.T, related problems. Lanyards, passwords, projector/dictaphone hire, audio books. Possible Referral solutions = I.T. departments, Library department.

5 Difficulties with mobility or learning needs, possible referral solutions = Send team, student support team, wellbeing hub, Tutor

As a tutor within the Counselling department, from time to time you may have occasions that you feel the need to refer a learner to a more appropriate organisational department. Knowing your limits of proficiency, is key to getting the learner to the right department or service as quickly as possible. We have a duty of care to both our learners or other members of staff .Whatever the situation is, part of our duty is to identify and quantify, the issue, and act accordingly, in the best interest and beneficence of the individual involved.

This always needs to be carry out with compassion, consideration and confidentiality. Whist there is an endless list of potential difficulties that may come up for a learner, some will more sensitive than others. There should always be an open door policy, where learners feel able to approach and confide. Within the department we are all responsible for safeguarding for all whom we come into contact with. Knowing what to do and where to signpost in these instances will make the difference between a learner or colleague, receiving the right help, at the right time, as opposed to carrying on undetected and unsupported, and disconnected. It is therefore imperative that we all ,connect, communicate, and build relations that inspire us to feel able to notice, approach and be confident in the knowledge the right help is at hand.