Guidance for Safer Working Practice for the Protection of Children, Vulnerable Adults and Practitioners.
(Please note that this statement should be read in conjunction with the EFT International Code of Conduct and Ethics).
The vast majority of EFT practitioners are “motivated by love and seek the highest good for others and self – and are thus inherently ethically minded” (Mollon, P. 2017). However, it is recognised that achieving these aims is not always straightforward and misunderstandings, mistakes and misconduct can occur, which can give rise to allegations being made against the practitioner. Allegations may be genuine, malicious or misplaced. They may arise from differing perceptions of the same event, but when they occur, they are inevitably distressing and difficult for all concerned. The following is intended to help allay concerns by giving practical guidance about which behaviours constitute safer practice.
Safeguarding people
‘Safeguarding’ means protecting the health, wellbeing and human rights of vulnerable people and enabling them to live free from harm, abuse and neglect. It's fundamental to high-quality health and wellbeing.
Safeguarding children and promoting their welfare includes:
- Protecting them from maltreatment, abuse and neglect, or things that are bad for their health or development.
- Making sure they grow up in circumstances that allow safe and effective care.
- Ensuring that they and/or their parents or legal guardians understand the process of EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques), its intended purpose and its limitations.
- Ensuring that you are properly qualified to work with children and young people, because they are not small adults.
Safeguarding adults includes:
- Protecting their rights to live in safety, free from abuse and neglect.
- People and organisations working together to prevent the risk of abuse or neglect, and to stop them from happening.
- Making sure people's wellbeing is promoted, taking their views, wishes, feelings and beliefs into account (no decisions about me without me).
- Ensuring that they understand the process of EFT, its intended purpose and its limitations.
- Ensuring that you are properly qualified to work with your intended client group, eg. people with mental health issues.
We help to safeguard people by:
- Sharing information we receive (particularly when concerns are raised about abuse, harm or neglect) to help to improve safety for that individual.
- Referring concerns to the appropriate statutory body(ies).
- Taking action if we find cause for concern.
EFT International practitioners operate in many countries in which there is legislation in place to protect the most vulnerable in society. EFT International expects that all practitioners engaging in work with vulnerable clients (including adults with physical, mental or cognitive disability) or those protected by legislation (such as children and young people under the age of 18 [or the legal age of responsibilities relevant to your location]) ensure that they are aware of, and are compliant with, law, legislation and working practice applicable in the country, state or administrative area in which they and/or their client reside. This may require practitioners to undertake further training with other professional bodies or in specialist areas of professional interest
It is well to remember that EFT is a powerful technique, and with great power comes great responsibility.
References: Mollon, P. 'Ethics – The Heart and Shadow of Energy Psychology.' ACEP Blog, January 6, 2017
