PRIVACY POLICY
Leena Sarkar is a member in good standing of the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers, (OCSWSSW) and adheres to the Social Worker’s Code of Ethics.
Essential Selves Counselling and Personal Develop maintains a file of client personal information, which is to be used for assessment and treatment purposes . This information will not be shared with any other organization or professional without your written consent ( and for a specific reason.). The information is held on file for a period of five years and then shredded, if the file is no longer active. You have access to the information in this file.
Confidentiality applies to all counselling services except in the following circumstances, where legal and ethical obligations require that all professionals are required to intervene for public safety, and where we, as counsellors, cannot guarantee confidentiality :
- If a counsellor assesses that you are at serious risk of harming yourself or someone else.
- If a counsellor receives information about child abuse (physical, sexual, emotional/neglect), and there is any degree of risk to other children, the law requires that counsellors report this to the relevant youth protection service.
- Upon the request of a judge, counsellors must provide requested documentation to the court.
- If a counsellor receives information about inappropriate sexual conduct of a regulated health professional, I must alert the respective college of the behaviour of that health professional.