Counselling Referrals
Unit 3 Assignment 6 report on referrals
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Sonia Mahmood 2.1 Identify and answer common client questions about referral, referral processes and referral agencies.
Once a decision has been made to refer a client to another agency reasons for the referral should be discussed in detail with the client. Often clients will have mixed feelings with regard to their referral, some may welcome their referral whilst others may feel a sense of rejection and heightened anxiety feeling that they may be an unsuitable client for your agency. Some will have specific and common questions as to the reasons for the referral etc. A clear explanation should be offered at all times and the reason for the referral should correlate with what the chosen agency has to offer. The client should be given a reasonable timeframe and as much information to come to an informed decision.
Details about the referral process, the agencies fee structure, if there is waiting list and geographical location should also be provided, as the provider must be accessible to the client. Specific needs of the client i.e. disabled access should also be taken into consideration if applicable. The counsellor will need to explain to the client the process of referral specific to that agency for referring on for example whether this is done through a phone call or correspondence.
Once the client is willing to be referred the counsellor will need to discuss and agree what information will be passed onto the agency. The client’s permission will be required of any notes made of the assessment are to be passed on to the referral agency. In the case of receiving correspondence from the client’s GP you will need the client’s agreement for this to be included in the notes and you may also need to obtain permission from the sender of the letter for it to be passed on.
There is a tendency for agencies to do their own assessment of the client’s needs even if they have been assessed by the
By
Sonia Mahmood 2.1 Identify and answer common client questions about referral, referral processes and referral agencies.
Once a decision has been made to refer a client to another agency reasons for the referral should be discussed in detail with the client. Often clients will have mixed feelings with regard to their referral, some may welcome their referral whilst others may feel a sense of rejection and heightened anxiety feeling that they may be an unsuitable client for your agency. Some will have specific and common questions as to the reasons for the referral etc. A clear explanation should be offered at all times and the reason for the referral should correlate with what the chosen agency has to offer. The client should be given a reasonable timeframe and as much information to come to an informed decision.
Details about the referral process, the agencies fee structure, if there is waiting list and geographical location should also be provided, as the provider must be accessible to the client. Specific needs of the client i.e. disabled access should also be taken into consideration if applicable. The counsellor will need to explain to the client the process of referral specific to that agency for referring on for example whether this is done through a phone call or correspondence.
Once the client is willing to be referred the counsellor will need to discuss and agree what information will be passed onto the agency. The client’s permission will be required of any notes made of the assessment are to be passed on to the referral agency. In the case of receiving correspondence from the client’s GP you will need the client’s agreement for this to be included in the notes and you may also need to obtain permission from the sender of the letter for it to be passed on.
There is a tendency for agencies to do their own assessment of the client’s needs even if they have been assessed by the