Youth Counselling Policies (Virtual/Phone)

Consent & Youth Participation (Assent)

• Parent/guardian consent is required for counselling with minors.

• Youth participation is supported through age-appropriate assent (agreement to participate).

• Counselling works best when youth have privacy to speak openly while families remain involved for safety and support.

• Youth who are under foster care, social services, or any form of ministry/agency guardianship must have consent from the legal guardian or responsible agency before services begin.

Parent/Guardian Presence for Virtual Sessions

• Ages 6–10: A parent/guardian must be physically present in the home for the entire session and available to support redirection or safety if needed.

• Ages 11–17: A parent/guardian must be in the home and reachable in case of safety concerns.
  The adult does not participate in session unless requested or clinically indicated.

Session Environment Requirements

Parents/guardians agree to provide:

• a private, quiet space

• stable internet/phone connection

• a distraction-reduced environment

• reasonable supervision expectations (especially for younger children)

If the session environment repeatedly prevents clinical work, a parent may be required to stay nearby, sessions may be rescheduled, or services may be modified.

If the session environment prevents effective clinical work, the session may be paused or rescheduled to ensure youth safety and privacy.