RULES FOR THE PROVISION OF COUNSELLING SERVICES

Article 1

Introductory provisions

1. Charles University (the “university”) provides through the Carolina Centre information and counselling services to its students and employees (“clients”) through the Carolina Centre in the meaning of Section 21(1d) of Act no. 111/1998 Sb., as amended, on institutions of higher education. In the event of free capacity at a counselling centre, the counselling services may also be used by university applicants and recent graduates. This is decided by the counselling centre coordinator after consulting with their superior.

2. Counselling services are provided to clients free of charge and are governed by the rules set out in this directive.

3. For the purposes of this directive, a counsellor is an employee of the university offering counselling services as an employee or based on a non-employment contract in the counselling centres at the Carolina Centre, which is part of CU Point of the university’s Rectorate.

Article 2

Terms for the provision of counselling services

1. By booking an appointment for counselling services through the application or by sending an e-mail containing a description of their problem or inquiry to the published e-mail addresses of the counsellors, clients acknowledge the terms for providing counselling in accordance with the rules set out in this directive.

2. Counsellors provide their services to the best of their ability, in a conscientious manner, and without undue delay and uphold confidentiality with respect to the matters of the clients.

3. In case where the client uses different services from more than one counsellor, counsellors may, with a written consent of a client, consult on a client’s matter among themselves in order to optimize the counselling services provided without a prejudice to the confidentiality duty.With the written consent of a client, counsellors may consult on a client’s matter among themselves in cases where the client uses different services from more than one counsellor, in order to optimize the counselling services provided without prejudice to the confidentiality duty. Without a client’s consent, counsellors may share anonymized case reports during intervision and supervision meetings. A client’s written consent is stored with the counselling centre coordinator for a period of five years after termination of provision of the service to the client.

4. The number of consultation sessions with one counsellor is limited. The specific number is determined after consulting a consultation with the client.

5. Clients are entitled to consult with a counsellor matters relating to studies at the university and purely private matters, with the exception of those specified in Article 7(1).

6. If a counsellor is also a teacher at Charles University, students may not use counselling service appointments for study consultation.

7. Clients cannot use the same type of service from multiple advisors at the same time. If the counselling centre coordinator finds out that a client uses the same service from several counsellors, they agree with the client on which counselling service will be terminated and which one will be continued. After consulting with their supervisor, the coordinator may also decide to terminate the counselling services for a particular client.

8. The counselling centre coordinator keeps a record of how many services the clients use. If a client makes excessive use of the capacity of the counselling centre of the Carolina Centre (as a rule, more than 30 consultation sessions per year), the counselling centre coordinator may, after consulting a consultation with their supervisor and the relevant counsellors, terminate the counselling services for that particular client.

Principles of work with clients

Article 3

Professional responsibilities

1. Counsellors provide advice to all clients, regardless of their race, gender, sexual orientation, worldviews or political affiliation, social status, etc. Counsellors ensure compliance with the university’s Code of Ethics.

2. Counsellors act in accordance with their best knowledge and conscience when dealing with clients, with regard to the specifications of the client, and in their interest.

3. In the event of a conflict of interest, the counsellor notifies the client of this possibility and refers them to another counsellor, another counselling centre, or another organization where this risk does not exist.

Article 4

Respect

1. Counsellors take into consideration the attitudes and opinions of clients and respect the right of clients to express their wishes, needs, opinions, attitudes, and decisions.

2. Counsellors respect the right of clients to refuse or withdraw from the offered service without providing a reason.

3. Counsellors respect the human dignity of clients in all, even emotionally tense, situations.

Article 5

Discretion

1. Counsellors are bound by the confidentiality duty with regard to all facts of the information concerning clients that they have learned in the course of their practice.

2. Counsellors are bound by the confidentiality duty in relation to clients, even after termination of the cooperation with or employment at the counselling centre.

3. Counsellors keep records of clients and the services provided and store this documentation in accordance with the rules on personal data protection .

4. Counsellors are required to request a client’s consent to the presence of other people who participate in a meeting or supervision, during individual as well as group counselling.

Article 6

Expertise

1. Counsellors have the appropriate education for their work position.

2. Counsellors continuously develop and increase their qualifications to improve the performance and effectiveness of their work.

3. Counsellors only carry out consulting activities that are in accordance with their competencies, knowledge, experience, and skills.

Counselling services

Article 7

Legal counselling centre

1. The legal counselling centre helps clients orient themselves in the legal regulations relating to university studies and personal matters. The legal counselling centre cannot consult issues pertaining to any client’s private business.

2. The legal counselling centre does not offer legal services within the meaning of Act no. 85/1996 Sb., on advocacy, as amended. Suppose a client is resolving a complicated problem that exceeds the scope of the legal counselling centre. In that case, the counsellor will refer the client to the professional services of lawyers or notaries.

Article 8

Psychological counselling centre

1. The psychological counselling centre offers psychological advice to overcome difficulties, demanding and very burdensome situations, and to nurture a client’s self-development. Psychological counselling is not a medical treatment.

2. The psychological counselling centre is not a clinical workplace. It does not provide systematic therapy for psychological disorders, comprehensive psychological diagnoses, crisis intervention, or pharmacotherapy.

3. Suppose a client comes with a problem that requires a service the counselling centre does not provide or that exceeds a counsellor’s professional skills. In that case, the counsellor recommends to the client different workplaces/experts to deal with their situation.

Article 9

Registering for an appointment with a counsellor

The application available on the counselling centre web page is used to register for counselling services. If there are no free dates in the application, a client may contact a selected counsellor directly by e-mail. In the event of free capacity, they may arrange an appointment outside the application.

Article 10

Refusing and terminating counselling by a counsellor

1. Counsellors are entitled to refuse to provide services to clients in the following cases:

a) If they would come into conflict with their employment obligations towards the university,

b) If they would violate the laws regulating their profession,

c) If they feel there is a conflict of interests,

d) If they have any other reasons to believe that they are not capable of providing to a client impartial professional services to the best of their ability,

e) If they have no capacity to provide counselling services,

f) If a client does not show up for an appointment twice without an excuse,

g) If a client is under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or other addictive substances or if a client behaves aggressively or in a vulgar manner.

2. Counsellors are entitled to terminate the counselling services at any time if the mutual trust between the counsellor and the client is broken.

Article 11

Feedback from clients and terminating counselling by clients

1. Clients may provide feedback or lodge complaints concerning the counselling services to the counselling centre coordinator or the head of the Carolina Centre; the updated contacts are available on the Carolina Centre web page. Feedback is to be treated discreetly so that no harm comes to the clients. Only non-anonymous complaints may be filed, and these are handled within 30 days of receipt. An anonymous notification is treated only as an initiative.

2. Clients may terminate the services without providing a reason.

Article 12

Final provisions

This Bursar’s directive comes into effect on 15th December 2021.

In Prague, on 15th December 2021.

JUDr. Tomáš Horáček, Ph.D.

Bursar