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CLIENT DISCLOSURE, TERMS OF SERVICE, CONSENT & PRIVACY AGREEMENT

ORACLE SOCIAL WORK LTD

Independent Social Work Consultancy, Advocacy & Advisory Service

 

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Please read this agreement carefully before engaging in services with Oracle Social Work Ltd.

This document explains:

  • The nature and scope of services provided

  • The limitations of the service

  • Confidentiality and safeguarding responsibilities

  • Data protection and privacy arrangements

  • Client and practitioner responsibilities

  • Payment and cancellation terms

  • Professional boundaries and conduct expectations

By using our website, you confirm that you understand and agree to these terms.

 

1. NATURE OF SERVICES

Oracle Social Work Ltd provides independent social work consultancy, advocacy, support, guidance, and advisory services.

Services may include, but are not limited to:

  • Advocacy and support relating to children’s services, adult social care, education, safeguarding, and family support systems

  • Assistance understanding social work processes, procedures, assessments, meetings, plans, and interventions

  • Guidance regarding professional reports and agency involvement

  • Support preparing for meetings, conferences, reviews, assessments, or proceedings

  • Signposting to relevant services and agencies

  • Emotional and practical support

  • Independent professional observations and recommendations where appropriate

Services are intended to support clients in understanding systems and making informed decisions.

 

2. NO LEGAL ADVICE

The client understands and agrees that:

  • Oracle Social Work Ltd does not provide legal advice.

  • No information, guidance, recommendation, opinion, or support provided should be interpreted as legal advice.

  • Services provided do not establish a solicitor-client relationship.

  • Advice provided does not replace, override, or supersede advice given by a qualified solicitor, barrister, or regulated legal professional.

  • Clients are encouraged to obtain independent legal advice where court proceedings, legal rights, statutory action, or legal disputes are involved.

  • Oracle Social Work Ltd is not authorised or regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and does not provide reserved legal activities.

Where necessary, clients may also be advised to seek specialist medical, therapeutic, educational, financial, or psychological advice from appropriately qualified professionals.

 

3. RELIANCE ON CLIENT DISCLOSURE

The client acknowledges that all guidance, recommendations, and support provided are dependent upon the information disclosed during consultation.

The client agrees that:

  • Information provided must be accurate, honest, complete, and timely

  • Relevant documents, updates, and developments must be disclosed promptly

  • Advice may change if additional information becomes available

  • Failure to disclose relevant information may significantly affect the accuracy or suitability of advice provided

Oracle Social Work Ltd cannot accept responsibility or liability for outcomes arising from:

  • Incomplete disclosure

  • Misleading information

  • Withheld information

  • Inaccurate information

  • Delayed disclosure of relevant information

  • Misrepresentation of circumstances

The client acknowledges that effective support relies on collaborative working and transparent communication.

 

4. DOCUMENT REVIEW & PREPARATION LIMITATIONS

Clients may seek guidance relating to:

  • Court bundles

  • Social services records

  • Child protection documentation

  • Assessments

  • Medical records

  • Education reports

  • Statements

  • Professional correspondence

  • Safeguarding reports

  • Care plans

  • Chronologies

  • Other formal documents

The client understands and agrees that:

  • Adequate time must be provided for proper professional review

  • Advice may be limited where documents are supplied late or incompletely

  • Verbal summaries may not accurately reflect documentary evidence

  • Preliminary advice given before full review is provisional only

  • Oracle Social Work Ltd cannot accept liability for advice provided without sufficient opportunity to review documentation fully and appropriately

  • Where extensive documentation is involved, additional consultation or review time may be required.

 

5. PROFESSIONAL OPINIONS & OUTCOMES

Any professional opinion, guidance, or recommendation provided by Oracle Social Work Ltd:

  • Is based on information available at the time

  • Reflects independent professional judgement

  • Does not guarantee any particular outcome

The client acknowledges that:

  • Final decisions are made by statutory agencies, courts, schools, healthcare providers, or the client themselves

  • Outcomes cannot be guaranteed

  • Oracle Social Work Ltd cannot guarantee assessments, placements, investigations, service provision, legal outcomes, or safeguarding decisions

  • Clients remain responsible for their own decisions and actions

Oracle Social Work Ltd operates in accordance with applicable professional standards, ethical obligations, and Social Work England professional expectations.

 

6. ADVOCACY ROLE LIMITATIONS

Where advocacy support is provided:

  • Oracle Social Work Ltd acts independently and in the client’s best interests

  • Advocacy does not include legal representation

  • Advocacy support does not grant authority to make decisions on behalf of the client unless legally authorised

  • Oracle Social Work Ltd cannot compel agencies or professionals to act in a particular way

 

6A. MEETING ATTENDANCE & REPRESENTATION

Where Oracle Social Work Ltd attends meetings, conferences, reviews, professional discussions, or other multi-agency forums on behalf of or alongside a client, such attendance is provided in a supportive, advocacy, and advisory capacity only.

Oracle Social Work Ltd cannot control or guarantee the actions, decisions, conduct, recommendations, or outcomes of any agency, professional, organisation, court, or third party involved.

Attendance at meetings does not create responsibility for decisions ultimately made by external agencies or professionals.

 

6B. CONSULTATION SUMMARIES & WRITTEN DOCUMENTS

Any consultation summaries, written notes, letters, correspondence, advocacy documents, or written observations produced by Oracle Social Work Ltd are intended for general advisory and supportive purposes only unless explicitly stated otherwise in writing.

Such documents do not constitute formal expert evidence, independent social work assessments, legal opinions, psychological assessments, or court-directed reports unless specifically commissioned and agreed in writing.

Clients remain responsible for determining how any written documents are used, shared, or relied upon.

 

7. NON-EMERGENCY SERVICE DISCLAIMER

Oracle Social Work Ltd does not provide crisis intervention or emergency services.

Clients must contact appropriate emergency or statutory services where immediate risk exists, including:

  • Emergency services (999)

  • NHS services

  • Mental health crisis teams

  • Local authority safeguarding teams

  • Police

  • Out-of-hours services

The client understands that messages, emails, or calls may not be monitored continuously and should not be relied upon in emergencies.

 

8. CONFIDENTIALITY

Information shared during consultation will be treated confidentially wherever reasonably possible.

However, confidentiality is not absolute.

Information may be disclosed without consent where there are concerns relating to:

  • Child safeguarding

  • Vulnerable adult safeguarding

  • Risk of serious harm

  • Self-harm or suicide risk

  • Criminal activity

  • Terrorism or exploitation concerns

  • Court orders

  • Legal obligations

  • Regulatory or professional duties

Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility.

Where possible and appropriate, clients will be informed before information is shared.

 

9. SAFEGUARDING RESPONSIBILITIES

Oracle Social Work Ltd has a professional and ethical duty to act where safeguarding concerns arise.

This may include sharing information with:

  • Local authorities

  • Police

  • Healthcare professionals

  • Schools

  • Safeguarding agencies

  • Regulatory bodies

The client acknowledges that the welfare and safety of children and vulnerable adults takes priority over confidentiality.

 

10. DATA PROTECTION & UK GDPR

Oracle Social Work Ltd processes and stores personal information in accordance with:

  • UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR)

  • Data Protection Act 2018

  • Applicable professional obligations

Personal data may include:

  • Contact details

  • Consultation notes

  • Reports

  • Correspondence

  • Safeguarding information

  • Professional records

  • Identification documents

  • Case-related documentation

The client understands that:

  • Information will only be collected where relevant and necessary

  • Data will be securely stored using appropriate safeguards

  • Access to records will be restricted appropriately

  • Information will not be shared unnecessarily

  • Data may be retained for professional, legal, safeguarding, insurance, or regulatory purposes

  • Clients may request access to their information subject to lawful exemptions

Further details are available within the company Privacy Policy.

 

11. CONSENT TO COMMUNICATE

The client consents to communication via:

  • Telephone

  • Email

  • SMS/text message

  • Video consultation platforms

  • Messaging applications (where agreed)

The client understands that:

  • Electronic communication carries some security risk

  • Absolute security or confidentiality of electronic communications cannot be guaranteed.

  • The client is responsible for maintaining the security of their own devices and accounts

  • Oracle Social Work Ltd cannot guarantee immediate availability, instant responses, or ongoing unlimited support outside agreed services.

Clients are encouraged not to rely solely on messaging applications or informal communication methods for urgent, significant, or time-sensitive matters.

 

12. RECORDING OF CONSULTATIONS

Clients may not audio-record or video-record consultations without prior written agreement.

Where recording is agreed:

  • Recordings must not be altered, misrepresented, or published without consent.

  • Recordings remain subject to confidentiality and data protection obligations.

Oracle Social Work Ltd reserves the right to refuse recording requests.

 

13. USE OF AI, TRANSCRIPTION & ADMINISTRATIVE TOOLS

Where appropriate, Oracle Social Work Ltd may use secure digital systems or transcription/administrative tools to support note-taking, scheduling, document management, or record keeping.

Reasonable steps will be taken to ensure compliance with confidentiality and UK GDPR obligations.

Any digital systems used will be selected with reasonable consideration for confidentiality, security, and UK GDPR compliance.

 

14. PROFESSIONAL BOUNDARIES

Clients are expected to engage respectfully and appropriately.

Oracle Social Work Ltd reserves the right to suspend or terminate services where:

  • Abuse, threats, harassment, or intimidation occur

  • Discriminatory behaviour occurs

  • Professional boundaries are repeatedly breached

  • There are concerns regarding safety, professional boundaries, or the appropriateness of continued engagement

  • Information is deliberately withheld or falsified

  • The service is used dishonestly or unlawfully

Fees for completed work remain payable.

 

15. SOCIAL MEDIA & CONTACT BOUNDARIES

To maintain professional standards:

  • Personal social media contact requests may not be accepted

  • Communication should occur through agreed professional channels

  • Contact outside working hours may not receive an immediate response

 

16. FEES, PAYMENTS, CANCELLATIONS & CREDIT POLICY

The client understands that fees charged may include professional preparation time, document review, consultation time, advocacy, administrative work, correspondence, and reserved appointment allocation.

Clients are requested to provide at least 24 hours’ notice if they need to cancel or rearrange an appointment.

Where cancellation is made with more than 24 hours’ notice:

  • a refund may be issued subject to a £20 administrative fee; or

  • the client may request that the amount paid is retained as account credit for future services.

Credits must be used within 6 months unless otherwise agreed in writing.

Where less than 24 hours’ notice is provided, fees are ordinarily non-refundable due to the inability to reallocate appointment time and preparation already undertaken. However, Oracle Social Work Ltd may exercise discretion in exceptional circumstances.

Where document review, report analysis, bundle preparation, or other professional work has already commenced, the client acknowledges that some or all fees may remain chargeable even where an appointment is cancelled.

Clients are encouraged to notify Oracle Social Work Ltd as soon as possible where attendance may be difficult. It is recognised that emergencies, family difficulties, safeguarding issues, health concerns, and unforeseen circumstances can arise, and these will be approached reasonably and compassionately where possible.

Repeated cancellations, persistent non-attendance, or ongoing difficulties engaging with the service may result in a review of whether the service remains appropriate and may lead to suspension or discharge from services.

Outstanding fees may result in suspension of ongoing support or future bookings.

 

17. COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE

If a client is dissatisfied with the service provided, concerns should first be raised directly with Oracle Social Work Ltd.

Complaints should be submitted in writing where possible.

Oracle Social Work Ltd will aim to:

  • Acknowledge complaints promptly

  • Review concerns fairly

  • Respond within a reasonable timeframe

Nothing within this agreement removes any legal rights available to the client.

 

18. INDEPENDENT STATUS

Oracle Social Work Ltd operates independently unless otherwise stated in writing.

Oracle Social Work Ltd reserves the right to determine whether requested services fall within the practitioner’s competence, professional remit, availability, and ethical scope of practice.

The company is not acting on behalf of:

  • Local authorities

  • Cafcass

  • HMCTS

  • NHS organisations

  • Schools

  • Solicitors’ firms

  • Government departments

 

19. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

To the fullest extent permitted by law:

  • Oracle Social Work Ltd shall not be liable for indirect, consequential, incidental, or unforeseeable losses

  • Liability is excluded where advice was based on incomplete, inaccurate, delayed, or withheld information

  • Oracle Social Work Ltd is not responsible for decisions made by third parties or agencies

  • Clients remain responsible for decisions they make following consultation

Nothing in this agreement excludes liability where exclusion would be unlawful.

 

20. EQUALITY, DIGNITY & RESPECT

Oracle Social Work Ltd is committed to promoting:

  • Equality

  • Diversity

  • Inclusion

  • Anti-discriminatory practice

  • Respectful and ethical engagement

Discrimination, harassment, or hate-based conduct will not be tolerated.

 

21. CONSENT TO CONTACT THIRD PARTIES

The client understands that Oracle Social Work Ltd will not ordinarily contact third parties without consent unless safeguarding or legal obligations apply.

Separate written consent may be required before contacting:

  • Schools

  • Social workers

  • Solicitors

  • Healthcare providers

  • Family members

  • Other agencies

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22. EXISTING ENGAGEMENTS

Where services, consultations, discussions, preliminary advice, or informal support have already commenced prior to the signing of this agreement, the client agrees that all ongoing and future work undertaken by Oracle Social Work Ltd shall be subject to the terms contained within this agreement from the date of signature onward.

This includes, but is not limited to, meeting attendance, advocacy support, consultation summaries, written correspondence, professional guidance, and any continuing engagement following initial consultation.

 

23. GOVERNING LAW

This agreement shall be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of England and Wales.

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