Privacy Notice for Clients and Prospective Clients

Last updated: 16.06.2026

I am Jennifer Jefferies, a sole trader providing counselling services under the name Jen Jefferies Counselling. I am committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal information in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

This privacy notice explains what personal information I collect, why I collect it, how I use it, how long I keep it, and who I may share it with.

Name: Jennifer Jefferies, Jen Jefferies Counselling
Email: jenjefferiescounselling@gmail.com
Telephone: 07825 318550

Depending on the services you receive, I may collect:

• Your name, address, telephone number and email address.
• Date of birth and emergency contact details.
• Information relating to your health, wellbeing and personal circumstances.
• GP details and other healthcare professional details where relevant.
• Session notes and records relating to counselling sessions.
• Payment and invoicing information.
• Communications between us, including emails, messages and appointment records.

Some of this information may be classified as special category personal data because it relates to your physical or mental health.

I process your personal data for the following purposes:

• To respond to enquiries and arrange appointments.
• To provide counselling services safely and effectively.
• To maintain professional records of our work together.
• To manage payments, invoices and business administration.
• To comply with legal, ethical and professional obligations.
• To protect your vital interests or those of another person where there is a serious risk of harm.
• To obtain professional supervision as required by my professional body and ethical framework.

The lawful bases for processing your information may include:

• Performance of a contract (providing counselling services).
• Legitimate interests (running and developing my practice).
• Compliance with legal obligations.
• Explicit consent where required.
• Provision of health or social care services.

I keep personal information only for as long as necessary.

Typical retention periods are:

• Enquiry information from individuals who do not become clients: up to 12 months.
• Client records and counselling notes: 5 years after the end of counselling
• Records relating to children and young people: N/A - Jen Jefferies Counselling sees adult clients aged 18+
• Financial and tax records: 6 years following the end of the relevant financial year, as required by HM Revenue & Customs.

At the end of the retention period, records will be securely deleted or destroyed.

I treat your information as confidential and will not normally share it without your knowledge or consent - Please refer to the counselling contract or contact Jen Jefferies Counselling to obtain a copy. However, information may be shared in the following circumstances:

As part of ethical counselling practice, I discuss client work with a qualified clinical supervisor. Information shared is limited to what is necessary and is without identifiers, anonymous

.

I may share data with professional advisers such as accountants, insurers, legal advisers or IT service providers where necessary for the operation of my business and subject to appropriate confidentiality arrangements.

With your consent, I may communicate with your GP or other healthcare professionals where this supports your care.

I may disclose information without your consent if:

• I am required to do so by law.
• There is a serious risk of harm to you or another person.
• There are safeguarding concerns involving a child or vulnerable adult.
• Disclosure is necessary for the prevention or detection of serious crime.
• A court orders disclosure.

I take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal information. This may include:

• Password-protected devices and accounts.
• Secure storage of electronic records.
• Locked storage for any paper records.
• Secure disposal of records when no longer required.

Under UK data protection law, you have rights which may include:

• The right to access your personal information.
• The right to request correction of inaccurate information.
• The right to request erasure in certain circumstances.
• The right to restrict processing in certain circumstances.
• The right to object to processing in certain circumstances.
• The right to data portability where applicable.
• The right to withdraw consent where processing is based on consent.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact me using the details above.

If you have concerns about how I use your personal information, please contact me in the first instance.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO):

Website: https://www.ico.org.uk

I may update this privacy notice from time to time. The latest version will always be available on request and, where applicable, on my website.

This website uses cookies and similar technologies to ensure the website functions properly, improve user experience, and help me understand how visitors use the site.

A cookie is a small text file placed on your device when you visit a website. Cookies do not usually identify you directly, but they can provide information about how you use the website.

When you first visit this website, you will be presented with a cookie banner that allows you to:

• Accept all cookies.
• Reject non-essential cookies.
• Customise your cookie preferences using the available toggle controls.

These cookies are essential for the operation, security and functionality of the website. They enable basic features such as page navigation, security protection and remembering your cookie preferences.

These cookies cannot be switched off through the cookie preference centre because the website cannot function properly without them.

These cookies help me understand how visitors interact with the website by collecting information such as:

• The number of visitors to the website.
• Which pages are visited most frequently.
• How visitors navigate through the website.
• Any technical issues encountered by visitors.

This information is used to improve the website and the services offered.

These cookies are only activated if you choose to enable them using the cookie preference toggles.

Functional cookies allow the website to remember choices you make, such as preferences and settings, to provide a more personalised experience.

These cookies are only activated if you choose to enable them.

If marketing or advertising features are enabled in the future, marketing cookies may be used to measure the effectiveness of advertising or to provide relevant content.

Marketing cookies will only be used where you have given your consent through the cookie settings tool.

This website is hosted and managed using GoDaddy website services. GoDaddy may place certain essential cookies that are necessary for website security, performance and functionality.

Depending on the website features enabled, GoDaddy may also use analytics or performance-related cookies. These non-essential cookies will only be activated where you have provided consent through the cookie preference settings.

For further information about how GoDaddy uses cookies and personal information, please refer to GoDaddy's privacy information.

You can manage your cookie preferences at any time by:

• Clicking the "Cookie Settings" or "Cookie Preferences" link on this website.
• Using the toggle buttons to enable or disable non-essential cookies.
• Adjusting your web browser settings to block or delete cookies.

Please note that disabling some cookies may affect the functionality of certain parts of the website.

This Cookies Notice may be updated from time to time to reflect changes in legal requirements, website functionality or the services used on the website. The most current version will always be available on this website.

If you have any questions about this Cookies Notice or how your personal information is processed, please contact:

Jennifer Jefferies
Jen Jefferies Counselling
jenjefferiescounselling@gmail.com
07825 318550

If you have any questions or concerns about how I handle your personal information, please contact me in the first instance using the contact details provided in this Privacy Notice.

You have the right to make a complaint at any time to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the UK's independent authority for data protection matters.

For further information or to make a complaint, visit:

Information Commissioner's Office (ICO)

You can also find information about your rights under UK data protection law on the ICO website.

I am committed to providing a safe, professional and supportive counselling service. Your experience matters, and if there is something that concerns you or feels unsatisfactory, I encourage you to let me know. Raising concerns can help us understand what has happened and, where possible, work towards a resolution together.

If you feel comfortable doing so, I invite you to speak with me directly about any concerns you may have. Often, difficulties can be explored and resolved through open and honest conversation.

If you would prefer not to discuss your concerns with me directly, or if you feel that the issue has not been resolved, you are welcome to make a formal complaint.

Please submit your complaint in writing, either by email or letter, outlining the nature of your concerns. I will acknowledge receipt of your complaint and aim to provide a full response within 30 days.

All complaints will be treated with care, respect and fairness, and handled as confidentially as possible.

If, following my response, you feel that your concerns have not been adequately addressed, you have the right to contact my professional membership body, the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)  

https://www.bacp.co.uk/about-us/protecting-the-public/professional-conduct/professional-conduct-procedure

The BACP can consider concerns relating to professional conduct and ethical practice.

Further information about their complaints process can be found on the BACP website.

Should a complaint be made, it may be necessary for me to discuss relevant aspects of our work together with my clinical supervisor or, where appropriate, with the BACP. Any information shared will be limited to what is necessary and managed in accordance with professional confidentiality, ethical guidelines and data protection requirements.

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