The Neuro-Affirming Family

This Agreement is entered into by The Neuro-Affirming Partnership Ltd, trading as The Neuro-Affirming Family ("the Practitioner", "we", "our") and the individual(s) named at the end of this document ("the Client", "you"). If the Client is under 18 years of age, this Agreement is also entered into by their Parent or Legal Guardian ("the Parent/Guardian").

This document sets out the professional boundaries, commercial terms, expectations, and ethical guidelines of our work together. Please read it carefully before our first session.

1. The Nature of the Relationship

Our objective is to support the Client in understanding their unique neurodivergent processing, adopting strategies that work with their brain, and building self-advocacy and long-term stability.

  - A Collaborative Partnership: Coaching and mentoring are collaborative processes. The Practitioner provides the framework, psychoeducation, and strategic support, but the Client remains at the centre of the process and is responsible for (and encouraged to make) their own decisions, actions, and life choices.

  - Neuro-Affirming Practice: We proudly validate both formal neurodevelopmental diagnoses and self-identification. We will always operate from a neuro-affirming standpoint, keeping the Client's authentic self at the core of our work.

2. Strict Non-Clinical Disclaimer

To adhere to professional coaching and mentoring ethics (e.g., the AC/EMCC/ICF Global Codes of Ethics), we must clearly define what our service is not:

  - We provide non-clinical, non-medical coaching, mentoring, education, and

    strategic support.

  - We are not clinical psychologists, psychiatrists, or medical doctors.

  - We do not provide medical diagnoses, psychiatric treatment, trauma therapy (e.g., EMDR, CBT), or crisis intervention.

  - Coaching and mentoring are not substitutes for clinical mental healthcare. If, during our work, it becomes apparent that clinical therapeutic support is required, the Practitioner has an ethical duty to pause the process and signpost the Client/Family to an appropriate medical or therapeutic professional.

3. Client Dynamics, Trust & Privacy

Depending on the age and relationship of the Client(s), specific dynamics and boundaries apply:

3.1 Young People (Aged 12–18) & Parents/Guardians For mentoring to be effective for young people, trust and psychological safety are essential.

  - The Young Person is the Client: Even if a parent or guardian is funding the sessions, the young person is our primary focus.

  - A Private, Safe Space: The contents of the mentoring sessions are strictly private. We do not provide parents/guardians with "progress reports” detailing what the young person has said, nor will we share their thoughts or feelings without the young person's explicit consent.

  - Parental Involvement: We will only break this privacy boundary and contact a parent/guardian if the young person explicitly asks us to share something, OR if there is a safeguarding risk (see Section 7).

3.2 Young Adults (Aged 18–24) & Adults (25+) For legally adult clients, standard adult confidentiality applies. We will not communicate with parents, guardians, or other family members under any circumstances without the Client's explicit written consent, unless there is a critical threat to life or a legal safeguarding mandate.

3.3 Couples Coaching If you are engaging in Couples Coaching, we draw on principles of family mediation to ensure both partners have an equal, validated, and respected voice.

  - Balancing the Individual and Partnership: We deeply respect your individual need for psychological safety and processing time.

  - Individual Confidentiality (Shuttle Coaching): If you communicate with the Practitioner privately (e.g., via email or a 1:1 breakout discussion), that information remains strictly confidential. We will not expose your thoughts to your partner on your behalf; instead, we will support you in finding a safe way to communicate them yourself.

  - Power Imbalances & Coercive Control: We are highly vigilant regarding power imbalances. If a private disclosure reveals signs of coercive control, domestic abuse, or a fundamental lack of psychological safety, the Practitioner will prioritise your safety over the coaching process. We will not encourage forced joint communication and reserve the right to pause or terminate joint sessions to protect the vulnerable party, signposting to safe, statutory support.

4. In-Session Behaviours & Expectations

To ensure a safe, productive, and respectful environment for both the Client and the Practitioner, the following expectations apply to all sessions:

  - Respectful Communication: We hold a zero-tolerance policy for verbal abuse, aggressive behaviour, or harassment directed at our Practitioners.

  - Substances: Clients must not attend sessions under the influence of alcohol or non-prescription recreational drugs.

  - Breach of Expectations: If a Client breaches these behavioural expectations, the Practitioner reserves the right to terminate the session immediately. Such sessions will be fully charged, and the Practitioner reserves the right to terminate the overarching Agreement.

5. Logistics, Fees, Rescheduling & Expiry

To protect our Practitioners' energy, executive function, and commercial viability, we maintain strict scheduling and operational boundaries:

  - Platform: All sessions take place online via Google Meet.

  - Fees & Payment: All packages must be paid for in advance of the first session unless a formal payment plan has been agreed upon in writing.

  - The 48-Hour Boundary: You may reschedule a session up to 48 hours before the start time using your Acuity Scheduling link.

  - Late Cancellations & No-Shows: If you cancel or reschedule with less than 48 hours' notice, or fail to attend within 15 minutes of the start time, that session will be counted as "used" and deducted from your package without refund.

  - Package Expiry: Your 6-week Foundational Package expires 100 days from the date of purchase. Your 6-week Integration Package expires 200 days from the date of purchase. Any unused sessions after this date will be forfeited without refund.

6. Communication & Crisis Boundaries

  - Between Sessions: The Client (or Parent/Guardian) is welcome to email notes or reflections between sessions to aid processing. The Practitioner will read these before the next session. However, we do not provide coaching or mentoring responses via email, text, or WhatsApp between scheduled sessions.

  - No Emergency Support: We do not monitor communications outside of our standard working hours. If the Client is in crisis, you must dial 999, contact your GP, call a crisis line (e.g., 111, Childline, or Samaritans), or contact the relevant statutory support in your country of residence.

7. Confidentiality, Data Protection & Safeguarding (Duty of Care)

Your privacy is paramount. Everything discussed in our sessions is strictly confidential and stored securely in Google Workspace in compliance with UK GDPR. We will only collect and process data necessary for the delivery of our services.

However, under UK Law and professional safeguarding ethics, we must break confidentiality if:

1.  The Client discloses an imminent plan to cause serious harm to themselves or another person.

2.  The Client discloses the abuse, neglect, or exploitation of a child (under 18) or a vulnerable adult.

3.  We are legally compelled by a UK court of law.

If the Client is under 18, we are legally obligated to involve a parent, guardian, or Local Authority (Children's Social Care) if a safeguarding risk is identified.

8. Professional Supervision

To ensure we provide the highest standard of ethical practice, our Practitioners attend regular professional coaching/mentoring supervision. We may discuss our caseload with a qualified supervisor to ensure best practice, but all identifying details (name, school, workplace, location, etc.) are kept strictly confidential and anonymised.

9. Liability & Governing Law

  - Limitation of Liability: While we apply our vast professional experience to support your neurodivergent processing and strategic goals, we make no guarantees regarding specific life, relationship, or health outcomes. To the maximum extent permitted by law, the liability of The Neuro-Affirming Partnership Ltd for any breach of this Agreement shall be limited to the total fees paid by the Client for the services.

  - Governing Law: This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales, and the courts of England and Wales shall have exclusive jurisdiction over any disputes.

10. Agreement & Signatures

By signing below, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to the professional boundaries, non-clinical disclaimers, commercial terms, privacy limits, and safeguarding rules outlined in this Agreement.

Client Name:

Client Signature:

Date:

(For clients aged 12-17: We strongly encourage the young person to sign above to build autonomy and understanding of their own boundaries. However, a Parent or Legal Guardian must also sign below to authorise the commencement of services).

Parent / Guardian Name: 

(Required if Client is under 18)

Parent / Guardian Signature:

Date:

Partner 2 Name: 

(Required for Couples Coaching)

Partner 2 Signature: 

Date: Updated: 30 September 2026