We are dedicated to safeguarding your privacy and fostering your trust in us. Any information you choose to share with us is kept confidential unless:

• Legally required by a court subpoena.

• There’s a serious risk of harm to you or others.

• You provide written consent to share information with other professionals or individuals (e.g., doctor, family, spouse).

Confidentiality also applies children, though parents may receive general feedback on their child’s progress when deemed appropriate and necessary by the counsellor.

Hills Relationship Centre uses external providers to enhance services, including the Upheal platform. Upheal empowers counsellors to concentrate on their services by offering automated notes and analytics for client conversations. As a part of this process, Upheal handles personal information for counsellors, adhering to the Privacy Act 1988 (as amended).

Hills Relationship Centre has signed an agreement to protect data that is shared with Upheal. Under this agreement, Upheal adheres to regulations such as the Privacy Act 1988, ensuring that personal information is safeguarded through appropriate administrative, physical, and technical measures, ensuring its confidentiality, integrity, and security. You can learn more about Upheal and its privacy practices at www.upheal.io/privacy.

Hills Relationship Centre uses Cliniko, a secure, industry-standard practice management system, to store and manage client information. All session notes, personal details, appointment records, and communications are kept within this platform. Cliniko uses encrypted data storage, secure servers, and strict access controls to protect your information. Only authorised Hills Relationship Centre team members can access your file, and access is limited to what is necessary for providing you with safe and effective care. Cliniko is fully compliant with Australian privacy legislation, including the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs).

Additionally, all counselors under The Australian Counselling Association or similar bodies undergo supervision to ensure industry standards. While discussing cases in supervision, no identifiable information is disclosed.

When working with families and children, we may occasionally speak with you individually. For preschool-aged children, sessions typically involve a parent or guardian to ensure they are informed of the information being shared.

For older children, it can be beneficial for them to have some sessions alone with the counsellor, but only if the child and family are comfortable with this. During these sessions, confidentiality applies, and we would seek the child’s consent before sharing any specific information with parents, except in cases of risk of harm.

We aim to keep parents informed and involved in the therapy process, providing general feedback on progress and guidance for supporting their child at home. For younger children, we often share feedback with parents at the end of the session, in consultation with the child, to respect confidentiality while ensuring parents are well-informed.

Confidentiality also applies to family and individual sessions with parents or adults.

Our fee structure is designed to be transparent and fair. Hills Relationship Centre has a strict card-on-file policy. All clients are required to provide us with payment details at the time of booking. These details will be collected and stored securely and will be used to process payment in accordance with our policies. Your payment information will be destroyed when you are no longer a client of Hills Relationship Centre.

You are responsible for ensuring your payment details are up to date. Failure to process payment for your initial session may result in cancellation.

For other appointments, payment can be made after your session via cash or card.

If you need to reschedule or cancel, please notify us at least 2 business days in advance. Late cancellations and no-show clients will incur the full session fee.

To ensure we have accurate information and comply with legal requirements, all new clients must complete an intake form before their first appointment. This form must be submitted within the specified timeframe to confirm your booking. If it is not completed, we will be unable to proceed with your appointment.

We ask that you please keep your details up to date throughout your time working with us. Existing clients will not need to complete a new intake form unless a significant amount of time has passed since your last appointment, or your details have changed (such as a change of address, relationship status, or phone number).

We require your explicit consent to communicate with other individuals, professionals, or agencies. For us to disclose or receive information from another party, you must complete and sign a consent to disclose form.

By law, we maintain confidential client files. You may request a copy of your file at any time, though an administrative fee applies. In the event that you require a letter of support, or a report to be written, a fee will apply, and you will be required to pay a non-refundable deposit. Please note that letters and reports can take several hours to compile, especially in matters where there are court orders involved that we must adhere to. Please contact our team to arrange a quote.

To protect the health and safety of both our staff and clients, please attend your appointment only if you are in good health. If you arrive unwell, we reserve the right to refuse service, and the full fee will apply. We offer Telehealth sessions as an alternative; if you're not feeling well, please contact us beforehand to arrange a Telehealth session.

At no time will any inappropriate or aggressive behaviour be tolerated. To ensure Hills Relationship Centre remains a safe and respectful space, we reserve the right to discontinue any appointment with a client where inappropriate, disrespectful or aggressive behaviour is being displayed. We expect that you treat all our staff with the same respect we give to you.

We are committed to providing the best possible experience during your scheduled sessions. However, we do not offer support between appointments via phone, text, or social media. If you require additional assistance or need to discuss something outside of your session, please book another appointment.

Counsellors also cannot connect with clients on social media to maintain professional boundaries and privacy.

Our counsellors are not available 24/7 and we are therefore unable to offer urgent or crisis support counselling. If you need support outside of a scheduled session, please contact one of the listed 24-hour services:

Lifeline - 13 11 14

1800 RESPECT - 1800 737 732

Kids Helpline - 1800 55 1800

Mensline - 1300 789 978

Suicide Callback Service - 1300 659 467

QLife - 1800 184 527 (3pm to midnight)

If you or someone you know are in immediate danger or are fearful for your safety, contact 000.