CONNECT Communication Therapy Ltd – Terms & Conditions

Last updated: 27 November 2025

These Terms & Conditions outline how CONNECT Communication Therapy Ltd provides services to families, children, schools, colleges, and other organisations.

By booking, attending, receiving, or paying for any service, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agreed to these Terms & Conditions and the Privacy Policy.

1. Acceptance of Terms

1.1 Engagement = Acceptance

By booking, attending, or paying for any session with CONNECT Communication Therapy Ltd, you automatically agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Notice published on our website.

1.2 Case History & Consent Forms

If written consent forms are not returned:

• Continued attendance constitutes consent to: 
• therapy
• data processing (in line with GDPR requirements)
• these Terms & Conditions

2. Liaison With Other Professionals

With parental consent, the therapist may liaise with:

• schools
• teachers and SEN teams
• health professionals
• education professionals
• social care
• multidisciplinary teams

This ensures safe, joined-up support.

3. Communication & Professional Boundaries

To maintain a safe and effective therapeutic relationship:

• Email is the primary method for communication
• WhatsApp may be used only for brief scheduling
• Communication must remain respectful, constructive, and focused on the child’s needs

If communication becomes unmanageable, excessive, or breaches professional boundaries, CONNECT Communication Therapy Ltd may request a communication reset meeting or pause sessions.

4. Cancellation Policy (Families)

• More than 24 hours’ notice: No charge
• Less than 24 hours’ notice: Full fee payable
• No-show: Full fee payable

Sessions ended early for safety reasons (see section below) remain chargeable.

5. Payment

• Payment is required in advance of each session or block
• BACS only
• Block bookings must be paid at the start of the term/half-term
• Late payments may incur an administrative fee
• Payment of an invoice = acceptance of all Terms & Conditions

If fees remain unpaid, therapy may be paused until accounts are settled.

6. Safety: Right to End a Session Early

The therapist may end a session immediately if:

• a child becomes significantly dysregulated or unsafe
• there is a risk of harm to anyone present
• the clinical environment is unsuitable (noise, disruption, safeguarding issues)

Ending a session early on safety grounds does not constitute a breach of contract.

7. Right to Pause, Decline or Withdraw Services

CONNECT Communication Therapy Ltd reserves the right to pause or discontinue services if:

• communication becomes hostile, aggressive, or unmanageable
• professional boundaries are repeatedly breached
• information critical to safe practice is withheld
• fees remain unpaid
• the therapeutic environment is unsafe
• therapy is no longer appropriate or in the child’s best interests

Parents may withdraw consent to treatment at any time.

8. Collection and Storage of Personal Information (GDPR)

Information about the child’s communication skills may be gathered during assessment and therapy. This may include:

• assessment notes
• reports
• written records
• videos or recordings (with consent)

Records will be stored securely and destroyed in line with clinical guidelines:

• Children: retained until age 25
• Adults: retained for 8 years after last contact

Data is processed under:

• Legitimate interest
• Provision of healthcare

Full details are in the Privacy Policy.

9. Reports, EHCP Contributions & Written Documentation

Reports, EHCP letters, and written summaries are:

• optional
• charged separately unless included in a package
• completed within agreed timescales

Requests must be made in writing.

10. Complaints

If you have concerns, please contact the therapist in writing so that issues can be addressed promptly.

If resolution is not possible, formal complaints can be made to: The Association of Speech and Language Therapists in Independent Practicewww.helpwithtalking.com

You may withdraw consent to treatment at any time.

11. Terms & Conditions for Schools, Colleges & Educational Settings (Addendum)

This section applies to any organisation commissioning services from CONNECT Communication Therapy Ltd.

11.1 Acceptance

By:

• booking therapy days
• allowing onsite work
• or paying any invoice the school/college accepts these Terms & Conditions in full, whether or not a separate contract is signed.

11.2 Scheduling & Timetables

Schools agree to provide:

• a consistent timetable
• a safe, quiet therapy space
• access to the pupil
• staff awareness

Changes to the timetable require:

• 7 days’ notice for adjustments
• less than 7 days → 50% fee
• less than 48 hours → full fee

Same-day cancellations, off-site days, staffing changes, or pupil absence remain chargeable.

Schools may offer another student for the session if clinically appropriate.

11.3 Payment Terms

• Invoices due within 14 days
• Late payments may incur interest under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts Act
• Services may be paused if invoices remain unpaid

11.4 School Responsibilities

Schools agree to:

• provide a suitable and safe therapy space
• notify the therapist of safeguarding concerns
• ensure appropriate onsite supervision
• share EHCP and relevant student information
• uphold professional communication

11.5 Ending Sessions Early

The therapist may end a session early if:

• the child is unsafe
• staffing ratios compromise safety
• the space is inappropriate
• safeguarding procedures are not followed

The session remains chargeable.

11.6 Withdrawal of Services

CONNECT Communication Therapy Ltd may pause or withdraw services if:

• communication becomes unprofessional
• access to students is repeatedly blocked
• safeguarding concerns arise
• fees remain unpaid
• organisational behaviour compromises clinical integrity

12. Website Privacy Policy

All privacy, cookie, tracking, and data-handling practices are set out in the Website Privacy Policy available on this site. This includes information about how personal data is collected, stored, and used when you visit the website or submit information through online forms.

The Website Privacy Policy forms part of these Terms & Conditions and continues to apply in full alongside all therapy-related policies. By using the website, submitting information, booking sessions, or engaging with CONNECT Communication Therapy Ltd, you acknowledge and agree to the data practices outlined in both documents.

Use of Digital Tools

To support efficiency, clarity, and service quality, the therapist may use secure digital tools, including AI-assisted software, for administrative and organisational purposes. This may include drafting correspondence, structuring notes, proofreading reports, and organising therapy ideas or plans.

All clinical decisions, assessments, therapy planning, interpretation, and final written content remain the sole responsibility of the therapist and are reviewed in full prior to being shared. AI tools are used as a support only and do not replace professional judgement, clinical reasoning, or therapist expertise.

13. Changes to Terms & Conditions

CONNECT Communication Therapy Ltd may revise these Terms & Conditions at any time. Continued engagement with services constitutes acceptance of updated terms.

PRIVACY NOTICE

Connect Communication Therapy is committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal information responsibly, securely and transparently.

This Privacy Notice explains what personal information I collect, why I collect it, how it is used, how it is protected and your rights under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

As a registered Speech and Language Therapist, I also work in accordance with the standards of the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT) and all relevant professional and legal obligations relating to confidentiality and record keeping.

1. Data Controller

The Data Controller for Connect Communication Therapy is:

Susannah Burden Connect Communication Therapy

Email: susannah@connectcommunicationtherapy.com

2. The information I collect

The information collected depends upon the services you request.

Parent or Client Information

This may include:

• Name
• Email address
• Telephone number
• Postal address (where required)
• Preferred method of communication
• Appointment information
• Billing and payment information where applicable

Child Information

Where therapy is provided for a child, I may collect:

• Child's name
• Date of birth
• Relevant medical history
• Developmental history
• Communication profile
• Assessment findings
• Therapy records
• Clinical observations
• Reports
• Educational information
• Information provided by parents, schools or other professionals (where appropriate)

I only collect information that is necessary to provide safe, effective and appropriate speech and language therapy.

3. How information is collected

Information may be collected:

• when you contact me by email, telephone or via my website
• through enquiry forms
• during appointments
• through questionnaires
• from documents you choose to provide
• from schools, nurseries or other professionals with your knowledge and, where appropriate, your consent
• from Local Authorities where they commission my services

4. Why I process your information

Your information is used to:

• respond to enquiries
• arrange appointments
• assess communication needs
• provide speech and language therapy
• write reports
• plan therapy
• monitor progress
• liaise with schools and other professionals where appropriate
• manage appointments and invoices
• maintain accurate clinical records
• comply with legal and professional responsibilities

5. Lawful basis for processing

Under UK GDPR I process information using one or more of the following lawful bases:

Contract

Where you request assessment or therapy services.

Legitimate Interests

To respond to enquiries and administer my independent clinical practice.

Legal Obligation

Where I am required to retain records or disclose information in accordance with legal requirements.

Provision of Health Care

Health information (special category data) is processed because it is necessary for the provision and management of healthcare services by a registered healthcare professional.

6. Consent

Where consent is required, it will be obtained separately.

Examples include:

• sharing reports with schools
• liaising with other professionals
• communicating with third parties on your behalf
• photographs or video recordings
• anonymised teaching or training materials

Consent may be withdrawn at any time unless I have another lawful basis or legal obligation to retain or process the information.

7. Sharing your information

Information is treated as confidential.

Your information will only be shared:

• with professionals involved in your child's care where appropriate and authorised
• with educational settings where requested
• with Local Authorities where services have been commissioned
• where disclosure is required by law
• where there is a safeguarding concern

Only the minimum necessary information will be shared.

Your personal information is never sold or shared for marketing purposes.

8. Keeping your information secure

Protecting confidential information is fundamental to my clinical practice.

Measures used to protect personal information include:

• password-protected devices
• two-factor authentication where available
• secure email systems
• reputable cloud storage services that use industry-standard security measures and encryption during transmission and storage
• secure electronic record keeping
• regular review of information governance procedures
• secure disposal of records once retention periods expire

Clinical records are organised so that each family has an individual electronic folder. Where work is undertaken within schools or nurseries, each child is held within their own folder, separate from other families, with practitioner resources stored separately. This reduces the risk of confidential information being shared incorrectly.

Administrative procedures include checking recipient details before confidential information is sent.

Although no electronic system can ever be guaranteed to be completely secure, appropriate technical and organisational measures are in place to protect personal information and minimise risks.

9. Data retention

Information is retained only for as long as necessary to meet clinical, professional and legal obligations.

This includes:

• Clinical records retained in accordance with professional guidance and legal requirements.
• Financial records retained in accordance with HMRC requirements.
• General enquiries that do not proceed to assessment or therapy retained only for a reasonable period before secure deletion.

Records are securely deleted or destroyed once retention periods have expired.

10. Email enquiries

If you contact Connect Communication Therapy by email, telephone or through the website, I will use the information you provide to respond to your enquiry and discuss the services available.

As you have initiated the enquiry, your contact information may be retained for a reasonable period to manage correspondence and any follow-up discussions.

If you do not proceed with services, your enquiry information will only be retained for as long as reasonably necessary before being securely deleted.

11. Artificial Intelligence

Connect Communication Therapy may use secure Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to assist with administrative tasks such as improving written communication, organising information or supporting report drafting.

AI is used solely as an administrative support tool.

All assessments, clinical reasoning, diagnoses, recommendations and professional opinions remain entirely those of Susannah Burden as the treating Speech and Language Therapist.

Confidential information is handled carefully, and AI is never used as a substitute for professional clinical judgement.

12. Your rights

Under UK GDPR you have the right to:

• request access to your personal information
• request correction of inaccurate information
• request erasure where applicable
• request restriction of processing
• object to certain processing
• request transfer of your information where appropriate
• withdraw consent where consent is the lawful basis

Some rights may be limited where legal or professional obligations require records to be retained.

13. Personal data breaches

Connect Communication Therapy has procedures in place for managing personal data breaches.

Where a breach is identified, appropriate steps will be taken to:

• investigate the incident promptly
• minimise any potential risk
• contact affected individuals where appropriate
• maintain a breach record
• notify the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) where legally required
• review procedures and implement improvements to reduce the likelihood of future incidents

14. Website

My website may use cookies or limited website analytics to improve user experience and website performance.

Please refer to the Cookie Policy for further information.

15. Contact

If you have any questions regarding this Privacy Notice or how your personal information is handled, please contact:

Susannah Burden Connect Communication Therapy

Email: susannah@connectcommunicationtherapy.com

16. Complaints

If you are unhappy with how your personal information has been handled, you have the right to contact the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).

Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) Wycliffe House Water Lane Wilmslow Cheshire SK9 5AF

Telephone: 0303 123 1113

Website: https://ico.org.uk

I would always welcome the opportunity to resolve any concerns directly before a complaint is made to the ICO wherever possible.

Connect Communication Therapy - Information Governance & Data Security Policy

1. Purpose

Connect Communication Therapy is committed to protecting the confidentiality, integrity and availability of all personal information entrusted to the service.

This policy outlines the measures in place to ensure that personal information is collected, stored, used, shared and disposed of safely, lawfully and professionally.

The policy applies to all information handled by Connect Communication Therapy, whether in electronic or paper format.

2. Professional Responsibilities

Connect Communication Therapy is operated by Susannah Burden, an HCPC Registered Speech and Language Therapist.

Information governance is managed in accordance with:

• UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR)
• Data Protection Act 2018
• Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
• Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT)
• Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) guidance

Confidentiality forms part of professional practice and applies to all information obtained during clinical work.

3. Information Governance Principles

Connect Communication Therapy follows the following principles:

• Personal information is collected only where necessary.
• Information is processed fairly, lawfully and transparently.
• Only the minimum information required is collected.
• Information is accurate and kept up to date.
• Access is limited to those who require it.
• Information is retained only for appropriate periods.
• Information is securely destroyed when no longer required.
• Information governance procedures are reviewed regularly.

4. Information Collected

Information may include:

• Parent details
• Child details
• Clinical assessments
• Therapy records
• Reports
• Educational information
• Professional correspondence
• Appointment records
• Financial information
• Commissioning information

Only information relevant to the delivery of services is collected.

5. Lawful Processing

Personal information is processed using appropriate lawful bases under UK GDPR including:

• Contract
• Legitimate Interests
• Legal Obligation
• Provision of Health Care

Consent is obtained separately where required for specific activities such as sharing reports or liaising with other professionals.

6. Electronic Record Keeping

Electronic records are maintained using password-protected devices and reputable cloud storage services incorporating industry-standard security measures.

Clinical information is organised to minimise the risk of accidental disclosure.

Each family has an individual electronic folder.

Where services are delivered within schools or nurseries:

• each child has their own electronic folder
• practitioner resources are stored separately
• records relating to different children are not stored together within shared working folders

This structure reduces the likelihood of information being inadvertently shared with another family.

7. Device Security

Devices used for clinical work are protected by:

• strong passwords
• biometric security where available
• automatic device locking
• software updates installed regularly
• password-protected user accounts

Only authorised devices are used for accessing confidential information.

8. Email Security

Email is used for professional communication.

Before confidential information is sent:

• recipient details are checked carefully
• attachments are checked before sending
• only information necessary for the purpose is shared

Confidentiality statements are included on professional correspondence.

Parents are advised that standard email should not be considered completely secure, although appropriate precautions are taken to minimise risk.

9. Storage of Information

Information is stored securely.

Electronic information is protected through:

• password-protected devices
• secure cloud-based storage
• access controls
• routine security updates

Paper records, where used, are stored securely and disposed of confidentially.

10. Information Sharing

Information is shared only:

• with parental authority where appropriate
• when necessary for clinical care
• where required by law
• where safeguarding responsibilities require disclosure

Only the minimum necessary information is disclosed.

11. Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence (AI) may be used to assist with administrative activities such as improving written communication or supporting document drafting.

AI is not used to replace professional judgement.

All clinical decisions, assessments, recommendations and reports remain the responsibility of Susannah Burden.

Confidential information is handled carefully and proportionately when AI tools are used.

12. Retention of Records

Records are retained only for the periods required by professional guidance and legal obligations.

When records are no longer required they are securely deleted or destroyed.

General enquiries that do not proceed to assessment or therapy are retained only for a reasonable administrative period before deletion.

13. Managing Personal Data Breaches

Any actual or suspected personal data breach will be taken seriously.

Where an incident occurs, Connect Communication Therapy will:

• identify and contain the incident
• assess potential risks
• recover information where possible
• inform affected individuals where appropriate
• maintain an incident record
• notify the Information Commissioner's Office where legally required
• review the incident to identify learning
• implement improvements to reduce future risk

Information governance procedures are reviewed following any incident to strengthen systems and minimise recurrence.

14. Continuous Improvement

Information governance is viewed as an ongoing process.

Policies, procedures and working practices are reviewed regularly to ensure they remain appropriate, proportionate and reflect current legislation, professional guidance and technological developments.

Where opportunities to improve systems are identified, these are implemented as part of continuous quality improvement.

15. Responsibility

Overall responsibility for information governance within Connect Communication Therapy rests with:

Susannah Burden
HCPC Registered Speech and Language Therapist
Director, Connect Communication Therapy

16. Policy Review

This policy will be reviewed:

• annually
• following significant legislative changes
• following any significant information governance incident
• where improvements to working practices are identified

The aim of every review is to ensure that Connect Communication Therapy continues to provide a safe, secure and professionally accountable service for children, families and commissioning organisations.