Safeguarding Clients...

How to stay safe with online therapy sites.

It is estimated that over 74% of people requiring any form of help turn to the Internet first. Conduct a search for any form of health advice or therapy and you will be presented with a bewildering range of options. Unfortunately not everyone with websites that are saying they are offering help are there for the clients benefit.

It is a sad fact of the internetthat there are increasing number of sites that are either:

• Fake sites
• Inexperienced
• Have no qualifications
• Have no, unclear or biased terms or conditions
• Make false claims
• Use made up or biased testimonials
• Using unethical methods to make a site look genuine or more appealing
• Have unclear or 'trap' charging structures
• Offers no or unclear guarantees, or guarantees that can never be used
• The site contains malicious software that can harm your computer
• Have no real complaints process
• Have no way of communicating with the service provider
• Don't offer after sales service
• Take your money and don't deliver anything.

How can you tell the service you are considering is genuine and safe?

The Verification Mark is a seal that a site is has been independently inspected and conforms to the The Therapeutic Standards Codes of Practice and have signed & agreed to be bound by the Ethics Assure protocol.

Always check (Authenticate) the Verification Mark on a site is genuine by clicking on it. A genuine seal will take you to the certificate for the site in question and tell you if the certificate is valid or not.