Safeguarding Policy

1. Our Commitment

Mindful UK is committed to the safety and wellbeing of all individuals who use our platform. We recognise that people accessing mental health support may be in vulnerable situations, and we take our responsibility to support safe practice seriously.

While Mindful UK operates as an introductory platform rather than a direct therapy provider, we are committed to promoting safe, ethical, and responsible practice across our platform.

2. Scope

This policy applies to:

• Mindful UK as a platform operator.
• All therapists and professionals listed on the Mindful UK platform.
• All clients and users accessing the platform.

3. Emergency Situations

Mindful UK is not an emergency service. If you or someone you know is in immediate danger or experiencing a mental health crisis, please contact:

• Emergency Services: 999 (immediate risk to life)
• NHS 111 (urgent medical or mental health advice)
• Samaritans: 116 123 (free, 24 hours, 7 days a week)
• Crisis Text Line: Text SHOUT to 85258
• CALM: 0800 58 58 58 (5pm–midnight)
• Your GP or local emergency mental health services
• Your nearest A&E department

4. Therapist Safeguarding Responsibilities

All therapists listed on Mindful UK are expected to maintain and follow their own appropriate safeguarding policies and procedures. This includes:

• Completing relevant safeguarding training appropriate to their client group.
• Maintaining awareness of their duty of care and when confidentiality must be broken to protect a client or third party.
• Following their professional body's guidance on safeguarding and risk management.
• Reporting safeguarding concerns to the appropriate statutory authority (e.g. local authority, police) when required.
• Maintaining appropriate records in relation to safeguarding concerns and actions taken.
• Holding a current enhanced DBS check where appropriate to their client group.

5. Vulnerable Adults and Children

Therapists working with vulnerable adults or children are expected to have appropriate additional training, qualifications, and safeguarding clearances in place. Any therapist working with minors must hold a current enhanced DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check.

Mindful UK encourages therapists to be transparent about their suitability to work with particular client groups and to refer clients on where appropriate.

6. Concerns About a Therapist

If you have a concern about the conduct or practice of a therapist listed on Mindful UK, please:

• Raise concerns directly with the therapist in the first instance where safe to do so.
• Contact the therapist's professional body or regulator (e.g. BACP, UKCP, BPS, NMC, GMC).
• Contact us at safeguarding@mindful-uk.comif you believe a therapist's listing on our platform poses a risk to others.

Mindful UK reserves the right to remove any therapist from the platform where serious safeguarding concerns are raised.

7. Data Protection and Safeguarding

Where safeguarding concerns arise, data protection law does not prevent the sharing of information with statutory authorities where there is a serious risk to life or welfare. In such circumstances, relevant information may be disclosed to appropriate authorities without consent.

8. Platform Safety

Mindful UK maintains the following platform safety measures:

• We encourage therapists to provide accurate and verifiable professional information.
• We reserve the right to remove therapists who pose a risk to platform users.
• We provide signposting to emergency services and crisis resources throughout the platform.
• We review and update this policy regularly.

9. Contact

For safeguarding queries or concerns relating to the Mindful UK platform, please contact: safeguarding@mindful-uk.com

Please note that Mindful UK cannot investigate clinical safeguarding concerns — these must be directed to the therapist's professional body or statutory authorities.