For Clients
Our Commitment to Children and Young People
At Adelaide Narrative Therapy Collective, the safety and wellbeing of children and young people is the first consideration in all aspects of our work.
Children are welcomed here as people with their own experiences, perspectives and ways of making sense of the world. They are treated with respect, care and attention. Their voices are listened to, not interpreted for them, and not required to serve adult needs or outcomes.
This is a space where children can speak, pause, question, or choose not to answer. Their participation is invited, not assumed. Their comfort, pace and sense of safety matter.
In family law and complex family contexts, it is especially important that children are not placed in positions of responsibility for adult conflict. This practice does not ask children to take sides, provide evidence, or carry the weight of decisions that belong to adults or institutions.
Our role is not to produce outcomes for court, but to create conditions where children can be understood safely, and where their experiences can be held with care, clarity and professional responsibility.
Where there are concerns about harm or risk of harm, we act in accordance with our legal and ethical obligations to protect children and young people.
This commitment is carried through all aspects of the practice, including how sessions are conducted, how decisions are made, and how we remain accountable to the children and families we work with.
For Children and Young People
Your Rights in Sessions
When you come to a session, you have the right to feel safe, respected and listened to.
You can talk, stay quiet, take your time, or say that you don't want to answer something. You can ask for a break, change the topic, or ask for things to be explained in a different way. You do not have to say things to make adults happy, and you are not responsible for solving problems between parents or other adults.
This is not a place where you are asked to give evidence or prove something. It is a place where your experience can be understood in a way that feels safe for you.
Most of what you say is kept private. If there is a concern that you or another child may not be safe, we may need to get help from other people whose role is to keep children safe. Where possible, this will be explained to you.
Sometimes another adult may be in the room, such as another therapist or a student. You will be told beforehand, and you can say if you are not comfortable.
If something doesn't feel right, you can say so. You will be taken seriously.
For Parents and Families
How We Work with Children Safely
Work with children is approached with care, structure and clear boundaries.
Before beginning sessions involving a child or young person, we consider who has authority to consent, the family context, and whether the work is appropriate at that time. Children are invited into the process in a way that is suited to their age and development, and their willingness to participate is taken seriously.
Sessions are conducted in a way that prioritises the child's safety and emotional wellbeing. Children are not asked to take sides, carry messages, or participate in adult conflict. In family law contexts, therapy is not used to gather evidence, influence a child's account, or advance a legal position.
Where co-working, student observation or co-counselling occurs, this is explained in advance and requires consent. The child's comfort is central, and sessions will not proceed in this format if the child is distressed or unwilling.
Confidentiality is maintained, with clear limits where there are concerns about harm or risk of harm, or where legal obligations apply. Communication with parents and other professionals is managed carefully, particularly in separated family contexts.
All practitioners at the Collective are Mandated Notifiers under South Australian law, meaning they are legally required to report reasonable suspicions of child abuse or neglect. Each practitioner also holds a current Working with Children Check, as required for individuals engaged in work involving children.More information on Working with Children Checks
Professional and Legal Responsibilities
Safety, Reporting and Practice Standards
Adelaide Narrative Therapy Collective operates within South Australian child protection law and professional standards for counselling and family therapy.
All practitioners and students working within the practice are required to hold a current Working with Children Check and to operate in accordance with this Child Safe Environments Policy and Code of Conduct.
Where there is a reasonable suspicion that a child or young person is at risk of harm, a report will be made to the Child Abuse Report Line (CARL). In situations of immediate danger, emergency services will be contacted.
The practice maintains ongoing training, supervision and consultation to support safe and accountable work with children and young people, particularly in complex areas such as family law, family violence and reunification work.
Concerns or complaints are taken seriously and responded to in a timely and fair manner. Where appropriate, external complaint pathways are available.
Professional and Legal Responsibilities
Code of Conduct
Our practitioners also operate in accordance with the South Australian Code of Conduct for Certain Health Professionals, which sets out the minimum standards of conduct and practice expected of unregistered health professionals in South Australia. The Code is administered by the Health and Community Services Complaints Commissioner (HCSCC) and provides an additional layer of accountability and protection for the people we work with.
Professional Associations
PACFA — Psychotherapy & Counselling Federation of Australia
PACFA is the peak professional body for counsellors and psychotherapists in Australia. Its Code of Ethics establishes the ethical framework for practice, placing clients at the centre. It outlines core values — including accountability, integrity, respect for diversity and client autonomy — and articulates specific standards for clinical practice, supervision, education and research. Practitioners are expected to put clients first, work to high professional standards, build relationships of trust, maintain appropriate boundaries, and uphold confidentiality within its legal limits. The Code also provides clear pathways for making a complaint about a practitioner's conduct.
AASW — Australian Association of Social Workers
The AASW Code of Ethics (2020) guides social workers in Australia through three core principles: respect for persons, social justice, and professional integrity. It sets standards for working with service users, colleagues and organisations, with particular emphasis on informed consent, confidentiality, cultural safety, and maintaining professional boundaries. The Code includes a formal ethics complaints and sanctions process to protect the public and uphold the standing of the profession.