Basic terms and conditions
The present agreement is between you (the client) and Gemma Angurell Gimenez, referred to from now on as Gemma.
The present agreement abides by the GDPR legislation 2018. By using this service, the client (you) agrees to the following terms and conditions:
All new clients are required to read and confirm the acceptance of the terms and conditions of this work agreement. Confirmation can be provided in writing via email.
Gemma offers two distinct services: behaviour support and sleep support. Both of these services consist of an assessment, the design of a support plan to address the difficulties identified and live meetings. The content and structure of each service will vary and will be shared with you.
This service is only available through teletherapy. Live sessions are provided through videocall using either Zoom or Skype. You understand that Gemma will not work directly with your child but will provide you with knowledge and guide you to develop the skills needed for you to be able to assess and deliver the interventions to address the child’s behaviour and/or sleep concerns. To learn more about this way of working and why families benefit most from working this way, please visit the “What I do” and “How I work” sections on the website: https://gemmabehaviourandsleep.com/
The client is responsible for ensuring that they have all the technical means to be able to attend live videocalls, record and send/share videos at least 20 minutes long (for specific requirements, please visit https://gemmabehaviourandsleep.com/requirements/). Clients are encouraged to test this prior to requesting Gemma’s services.
The client is responsible for attending the live sessions on time. In case of any delays or cancellations, please get in touch as soon as possible so we can rearrange it. Cancellations with less than 24h of notice will incur a 30% charge of the fee you paid (in other words, you’ll receive a 70% refund).
The payment for the service needs to be made at least 48h before the next scheduled meeting. Gemma reserves the right to cancel meetings if the payment is not made on time. Please get in touch if you have any difficulties with your payment.
Gemma abides by the code of confidentiality of HCPC, BABCP, BPS and GDPR regulations. Identifying information, such as client’s name, address, biographical details and other description of a Patient’s life and his/her circumstances, will be kept confidential and stored safely.
Clients can contact outside sessions in case of any doubts by the e-mail address provided. Gemma will get back to you as soon as possible, please bear in mind that during busy periods this can take a few days. Gemma will inform you of her current availability for e-mail support at the time of your booking. Please be mindful that Gemma doesn’t provide a crisis service. If you require emergency support please contact your GP, NHS 111, 999, or The Samaritans (24hr): 116 123.
Juristiction
These terms and conditions are governed by and interpreted in accordance with English law. In the event of any dispute arising in relation to these ‘terms and conditions’ or any dispute arising in relation to the services provided, whether in contract or otherwise, the English courts will have exclusive jurisdiction over such dispute.
- Details of the agreement
1.1 After booking an appointment, the client, in accepting the appointment, accepts the following conditions for the appointment: The client agrees to Gemma contacting him/her via email, Skype or Zoom. If the client prefers that Gemma uses a specific method of communication (e.g., only text, or only email or only telephone call), they must state this via email or during a videocall.
1.2 Booking: To book an appointment the client and Gemma will agree on a date and time. This can be done through e-mail or videocall. Gemma will e-mail an appointment confirmation.
1.3 All new clients will be required to email Gemma their full name, their child’s full name, the child’s age, contact details and other relevant information in order to enable Gemma to provide effective interventions.
1.4 The client commits to be truthful, share all relevant information and follow Gemma’s advice and interventions where possible. If the client doesn’t feel they can carry out Gemma’s advice they need to communicate this as soon as possible so Gemma can provide additional support or alternatives where appropriate.
1.5. The client agrees to provide Gemma with all pre-session work such as questionnaires and video recordings as appropriate within the requested time frame prior to the booked session. The exact deadline will be agreed between the client and Gemma. In the case of the client being unable to complete the required work, they will need to communicate this as soon as possible and this may result in sessions being rearranged to a later date.
1.6 Lateness: It is the client’s responsibility to attend the sessions on time. We understand that unexpected events may happen. In this case, the client is required to let Gemma know as soon as they can if they will be more than five minutes late. In case of the client to be more than 10 minutes late, the session will need to be rescheduled for another time. The client will be also kept updated if Gemma is likely to be delayed more than five minutes from the arranged time.
1.7 Gemma is not required under any circumstances to go beyond the arranged session finishing time. For this reason it’s important that the client makes sure they mention any important issues they want to discuss early enough in the session to allow time to address it or before the session in an e-mail so Gemma can ensure it is included in the session agenda. In case of an important issue not being discussed during the session or arising after the session, the client is encouraged to use e-mail support included in your package.
1.8 Gemma will use her best care and skill in providing the service to the client. Every child is different and so is every intervention. Outcomes are subject to how the child and the family respond to it and parents’ consistency and accuracy at delivering the intervention. For this reason, parents are encouraged to keep open and honest communication with Gemma so, in case of problems, she can provide additional advice or modify the intervention if it appears to be ineffective or inappropriate for the family’s needs. Psychology and sleep are not exact sciences, therefore there are no guarantees of successful outcomes.
1.9 By making the required payments, the client is purchasing the service as detailed in the details of service document. The client is not purchasing a particular outcome, e.g., A reduction in challenging behaviour. Therefore if the client’s goals are not achieved, despite Gemma’s best efforts, she won’t be able to issue a refund.
1.10 Prior to the client making any payments, Gemma will review information provided by the client and meet through a videocall for a brief 15 minute discussion to learn more about the child and the family. This is so Gemma can assess whether she’s able to help you. After this call, you’ll get written feedback explaining whether Gemma feels able to help you, broadly what the intervention will entail and what the next steps are. In the unlikely event of Gemma deciding that she is not able to help you once the paid service has started, Gemma will issue a refund of the proportional part of the package that has been paid and not provided. If the client decides to terminate the service prematurely and against Gemma’s recommendations, they won’t be entitled to any refund. To avoid unexpected problems which could lead to a premature service termination, we encourage parents to provide as many details as possible and to keep conversations honest. Gemma has an open minded and non judgemental approach. She has worked with children and families presenting with a variety of complex needs and situations so you are unlikely to shock her.
1.11 Some families may have socially complex backgrounds: history of past or present domestic violence, illegal substance use, addictions, mental health issues, among other situations. We understand that some clients may feel apprehensive about sharing this information with Gemma for fear of being judged or reported to the authorities. It is very important for Gemma to know these details as in some cases, families need to better manage these situations, often with support from other services, prior to engaging with Gemma’s services. Gemma has a duty of care towards the members of the family. This means that in case of a member of the family being at significant risk of harm, Gemma is obligued by law to report this situation to the authorities such as the police or social services. Similarly, in case of Gemma learning that any of the family members are involved in a serious crime Gemma is obligued by law to report this to the police. Gemma will not report any behaviours from family members that do not pose such risk, even if they are against the law, as this is protected by the client’s right to confidentiality.
1.12 Confidentiality is agreed between the client and Gemma. The client is entitled to expect that the information they give to Gemma about themselves, and others will remain confidential. Information can be disclosed only if it is required by law.
1.13 In order to ensure that the client benefits from the sessions as much as possible, It is expected that the client should not arrive under the influence of alcohol, non-prescribed drugs, or wherever possible, under the influence of prescribed medication which affects the client’s cognitive abilities e.g., sedatives or having recently been under general anaesthetic. If Gemma has any reason to believe that this may be the case, then she will draw the session to a close/not commence a session.
1.14 Gemma recognises that the process may, for some, generate strong emotions. In rare circumstances where Gemma has a concern that such emotions have escalated to the point where they are preventing the session from continuing, she will draw the session to a close early and contact the client later to reschedule the session at no additional cost.
1.15 As part of the assessment and to track intervention progress Gemma may require you to record videos of the child and yourself or other family members interacting. Recordings are solely used for assessment or intervention review purposes by Gemma only. Recordings, alongside other clients’ information are stored in either password protected cloud storage or in an external drive, in a password protected folder. Any images and personal information are deleted immediately after the end of the last session with the family.
1.16 At the client’s request Gemma will keep the client’s information and recordings for a year after the end of the last live session. Some clients may want Gemma to keep their information in case they require support again in the near future (within a year). As it saves them from having to provide all the information again.
1.17 The client under no circumstances is permitted to record (video, audio) the session (on the phone or any other device) unless Gemma has issued consent in writing.
1.18 Gemma will seek the client’s explicit permission in writing prior to recording any live session.
1.19 Gemma may share some resources with the client to provide information or to help in the delivery of the intervention. These resources are for the family use only and are not to be publicly shared or used for commercial purposes.
1.20 The client has the right to access any clinical notes, recordings or information Gemma keeps at any time. To exercise this right the client needs to request it in writing.
1.21 The client’s child is likely to present with challenging behaviour prior to contracting any services with Gemma. It is expected that, in some cases, challenging behaviour can initially escalate in intensity and/or frequency at the beginning of the intervention. This is what’s called “extinction burst” in Psychology. Clients have to bear this in mind and be prepared to be able to keep themselves and their child safe, should an escalation occur. Gemma will give you some advice on keeping safe. Gemma won’t be liable for any injuries, damages or losses caused by the child’s behaviour.
- Gemma’s public presence on social media
- Gemma uses social media as a way to share her knowledge and experience to the wider public free of charge. This information can help parents prevent behavioural or sleep problems or intervene at early stages, when they are easier to address. Clients considering using Gemma’s services are encouraged to watch or read the information that it’s relevant to them to familiarise themselves with Gemma’s philosophy and, if possible, try some of the changes suggested prior to contacting Gemma.
- Gemma’s content is based on her professional experience and knowledge. Clients’ specific cases are not discussed so as to protect their confidentiality. However, many children present with similar problems and some clients may see similarities with their own situation. Please understand that this is a coincidence. If you have any concerns on Gemma’s content on social media, please get in touch with her as soon as possible.
2.3 Like most people, Gemma has personal social media accounts. Please understand that she is not able to accept any friend requests or any form of contact from clients. Gemma will share with you which ones are her current professional social media accounts to which you can subscribe to, if you wish.