The Mentoring Alliance 

This Agreement is entered into by The Neuro-Affirming Partnership Ltd ("the Mentor") and [Insert Young Person's Name] ("the Client”). If the Client is under 18 years of age, this Agreement is also entered into by ("the Parent/Guardian").

This document sets out the professional boundaries, 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: Mentoring and education are collaborative processes. The Mentor provides the framework, psychoeducation, and strategic support, but the Client is at the centre of the process and is encouraged to make their own 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/ICFGlobal Codes of Ethics), we must clearly define what our service is not.

  - We provide non-clinical, non-medical 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.

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

3. Trust, Privacy & The Parent/Guardian Dynamic

For mentoring to be effective for young people, trust and psychological safety are essential. We draw strict but supportive boundaries regarding privacy:

  - 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: To build trust, 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. We will not share the young person’s thoughts or feelings with their parents/guardians without the young person's explicit consent.

  - When We Involve Parents/Guardians: We will only break this privacy boundary and contact a parent/guardian if the young person explicitly asks us to share something with them, OR if there is a safeguarding risk (see Section 6).

  - Clients Aged 18-24: For legally adult clients, standard adult confidentiality applies. We will not communicate with parents/guardians under any circumstances without the Client's explicit written consent, unless there is a critical threat to life.

4. Logistics, Rescheduling & Expiry

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

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

  - 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.

  - 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.

5. Communication & Crisis Boundaries

  - Between Sessions: The Client (or Parent/Guardian) is welcome to email notes or reflections between sessions if it helps with processing. The Mentor will read these before the next session. However, we do not provide 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.

6. Confidentiality & Safeguarding (Duty of Care)

Privacy is paramount. Everything discussed in our sessions is strictly confidential and stored securely in Google Workspace in compliance with UK GDPR 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.

7. Professional Supervision

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

8. Agreement & Signatures

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

Client (Young Person) Name: 

Client Signature:               Date:

(We encourage the young person to sign this to build autonomy and understanding of their own boundaries, regardless of age). For Clients Under 18: (A Parent or Legal Guardian must also sign below to authorise the commencement of services).

Parent/Guardian Name: 

Parent/Guardian Signature:‍ ‍Date: