Safeguarding Patients

This section sets out how ADHD Health Clinic safeguards children and young people aged 6–17 who use our services (e.g., online ADHD or autism assessments). It should be read alongside our Data Protection Policy and Terms & Conditions.

Principles

• The welfare of the child is paramount.
• Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. All staff share a duty to identify, record and act on concerns.
• We work in partnership with the young person, their parent/carer, education settings and health professionals.
• We share information lawfully, proportionately and without delay when it is necessary to protect a child from harm.
  
  

Definitions

A “child” is anyone under 18. This section emphasises ages 6–17 due to the services we provide.

Capacity, consent and involvement.

• We assess a young person’s ability to understand and make decisions about their care in line with UK law and clinical guidance.
• Ages 16–17: usually able to consent for themselves unless evidence suggests otherwise.
• Under 16: we assess decision-making ability on an individual basis.
• We encourage involvement of parents/carers. Where a young person is able to decide for themselves and withholds consent to share certain information, we respect their wishes unless sharing is required by law or to prevent serious harm.
  
  

Online-specific safeguards

• We verify identity and confirm parental responsibility (or formal authority) for bookings involving under-18s.
• A suitable, private environment, stable internet, and camera/audio are required.
• A parent/carer must be available for their part of the assessment at the agreed time.
• If behaviour, environment or actions prevent safe/meaningful assessment (e.g., refusal to appear on camera; persistent disruption; the required parent/carer not present), the clinician may end the appointment and apply our rebooking/fee policy (see Terms & Conditions).
  
  

Recognising risk

Staff remain alert to: physical, sexual and emotional abuse; neglect; exploitation (including online harms); self-harm and suicidality; domestic abuse; fabricated/induced illness; honour-based abuse/FGM; trafficking; radicalisation; severe school avoidance or unexplained injuries; sudden changes in behaviour or presentation; inconsistencies in history; and accumulation of minor concerns that together indicate elevated risk.

Information sharing

• We share relevant information with Children’s Social Care, police, education settings and health professionals, including the young person’s GP, when required for safeguarding, continuity of care or safe prescribing/management.
• We seek the young person’s and/or parent/carer’s consent where appropriate, but lack of consent does not prevent sharing when there is a safeguarding risk or legal obligation.
• All sharing is necessary, proportionate, and recorded.
  
  

Contact with the GP and school

• For assessments, we may request information from and share relevant outcomes/recommendations with the GP and the named school contact to support safety, reasonable adjustments and ongoing care.
• Standardised questionnaires (e.g., SRS-2) may be sent to parents/carers and school to inform assessment; authorisation is obtained at booking.
  
  

Recording and storage

• Safeguarding records are accurate, dated, contemporaneous, and stored securely in line with our Data Protection Policy.
• The safeguarding file clearly shows decision-making, actions and outcomes, including rationales for information sharing.