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Ethical Framework - Professional Conduct Practice

The Ethical Framework is enforced through the Professional Conduct Practice and associated procedures of Play Therapy Australasia (PTAU), ('the Society’). Normally these procedures will only be applied to complaints against direct practitioner members of PTAU. The procedure is covered under the following headings:

Contents Links
Introduction
Aim
Bringing a Complaint
Complaints Against Non-Members
Timescale
Administration
Expenses
Dual Accountability
Resolution
Findings
Effective Date

Introduction

It is the responsibility of Members Complained Against and Complainants to ensure that they fully understand the Professional Conduct Procedure and the associated protocols. This procedure forms an essential part of PTAU’s commitment to the protection of the public. It is based directly on the British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy's Professional Conduct Procedure.

Members are required to inform any carer and the client, if appropriate, who indicates that they have a complaint or grievance about the existence of this procedure and any other applicable complaints or disciplinary procedures. If requested to do so, practitioners should inform their clients and carers about how they may obtain further information concerning these procedures. Further information may be obtained by contacting PTAU directly.

The first aim of the Professional Conduct Procedure is to afford protection to the public. The second is to protect the name of PTAU, its Affiliates and the professions of play therapy, therapeutic play and filial coaching/mentoring as conducted by both individual and organisational members of the Society.

Bringing a complaint

A complaint can be brought by either:

(a) A member of the public seeking or using a service provided by a member of the Society or
(b) A member against another member

Complaints should made in writing addressed to:

The Chief Executive

Play Therapy Australasia

PO Box 2247

Toowoomba Qld 4350

Complaints against non-members

The Society cannot deal with complaints against individuals or organisations who were not members of the Society at the time of the alleged breach of professional conduct.

A complaint must be lodged within three years of the alleged breach.

All records, save for details of the formal complaint, the formal response, the decision of the Professional Conduct Panel, Appeal decision and sanction which are kept for five years, will be kept for a period of two years only.

The administration of the Professional Conduct Procedure will follow protocols laid down from time to time by the Society. These will be administered by the Chief Executivet of PTAU.

The Society is not responsible for travel or any other expenses incurred either by the Complainant or the Member Complained Against (or any support person/representative) in connection with any stage of the complaint. The Society cannot order one party to a complaint to pay another party's costs.

Dual accountability

The Society may decide to hear a complaint against a member when another organisation is involved in a similar process arising out of the same substantive matters.

Before making the complaint, the Complainant is expected to attempt to resolve the issue with the individual or organisational Member Complained Against. The Complainant must demonstrate that all informal channels or, in the case of organisational members, all internal processes and procedures have been exhausted. If local resolution is impossible or inappropriate, an explanation as to why this is the case will be required.

The Society reserves the right to distribute any findings upheld against a member where it considers it right and just to do so in all circumstances.

This Professional Conduct Procedure 2007 will apply to all complaints received by the Society after 1 July 2007.

Back to Introduction to the Ethical Framework

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