Professional Conduct notice / JW

April 2025: Janet Wilkinson, Reference No 00790096, Registrant ID 180120

Outcome Details

This outcome was reached by agreement.

Reasons

Janet Wilkinson (the Member), a 网爆门 individual member, agrees to the following outcome of the investigation into a complaint of professional misconduct under reference PCP/[鈥.

1. Background

1.1 The Member has been a 网爆门 member since [鈥.

1.2 The Complainant, [鈥, whose child (Child A) was a former client of the Member, made a complaint to 网爆门 about the Member and their professional conduct.

1.3 On 30 September Year 2, the IAC referred the Member to a Practice Review Track hearing in relation to the following allegation:

Allegation 1

1.1 On or around the following dates:

(a) 25 May Year 1 and/or

(b) 26 May Year 1 and or

(d) 4 October Year 1 and or

(e) 12 October Year 1 and/or

(f) 18 October Year 1.

when in receipt of information which led her or ought to have led her to have concerns about the welfare of Child A, the Member failed to take any and/or any sufficient action to raise her concerns about and/or safeguard Child A.

1.2 The Member thereby failed to meet professional standards, including in particular by acting in a way which was inconsistent with paragraph 13 of 鈥楪ood Practice鈥� in the Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions 2018 which states:

13. 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.

2. Admissions

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2.2 The Member makes the following admissions which the 网爆门 accepts:

2.2.1 That she failed to take sufficient action to raise concerns about and try and safeguard Child A.

2.2.2 That she failed to write a letter to Child A鈥檚 parents at the end of May Year 1, when the work was terminated to outline her concerns, without breaking Child A鈥檚 request for confidentiality.

2.2.3 That she failed to provide information both to Child A and her parents of other resources, such as CAMHS Crisis Team contact information, 24-hour helplines and other websites or contact help lines for young people, so that Child A could access other resources, if in any sort of crisis or distress. (especially for 鈥榦ut of hours鈥� times).

2.2.4 That she was aware that Child A had a history [鈥

2.2.5 The ethical breaches alleged in Section 1 above.

3. Mitigation

3.1 The Member puts forward the following in mitigation, which have been taken into account by the IAC in deciding the appropriate outcome:

3.1.1 She was suffering from a flare up of an [鈥 condition that made written work difficult;

3.1.2 She entered into some communication with Child A and provided copies;

3.1.3 She attempted to contact Child A鈥檚 parents on 13 October Year 1;

3.1.4 She has made changes to her practice including: creating standard lists of other resources and contact details for clients; writing a letter setting out concerns and options for ongoing support when clients leave prematurely; providing information that manages clients鈥� (and their parents鈥�) expectations; increasing the frequency of contact with clients鈥� parents;

3.1.5 She has reflected on, identified and taken responsibility for her failings.

4. Conclusion

4.1 The issues identified and admitted by the member amounted to breaches of the Ethical Framework in particular paragraph 13 of the Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions 2018:

4.2 One of the aims of the Professional Conduct Procedure is to protect members of the
public. The IAC in considering the appropriate outcome and sanction for the admitted breaches in this case have taken into account the importance of public protection and determined that it is reasonable and proportionate to conclude this case by agreement on the terms set out below.

4.3 The IAC considered the submissions and admissions contained within the Member鈥檚 application for consensual disposal, the guidance within the 网爆门 Protocol on Sanctions (PR14), the 网爆门 Indicative Sanctions Guidance and the powers of sanction set out in Article 5.12 of the 网爆门 Professional Conduct Procedure 2018. It considered each possible sanction individually and concluded that:

4.3.1 The Member is required, within four weeks of the date of this letter, to provide the 网爆门 with a written statement demonstrating change/improvement in her practice, in particular her personal reflections on:

4.3.1.1 what went wrong with Child A and her parents;

4.3.1.2 what she has learned from this incident and the complaint;

4.3.1.3 how she has changed her practice going forward.

4.4 The Member agrees that this Agreement will be published by the 网爆门 in line with the Publication Policy and that it will be disclosed to the complainant.

4.5 The Member agrees that she will not act in any way inconsistent with this agreement such as, for example, by denying the findings in paragraph 2 above.

4.6 If the Member fails without good reason to comply with the sanction set out above or acts in a way which is inconsistent with this Agreement the matter will be referred to a sanction panel for consideration. The decision of the sanction panel may be published.

4.7 If the Member acts in a way which is inconsistent with this Agreement her membership/registration will be terminated. Such a decision will be published.

(Where ellipses [ . . . ] are displayed, they indicate an omission of text)

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