Safeguarding & Child Protection

About Bonnie Silverback

Bonnie Silverback is a qualified hypnotherapist and trauma-informed practitioner with over 10 years of experience working in mental health, children's homes, youth justice, and trauma-informed environments. She holds specialist training in child-appropriate therapeutic approaches including the Bunny Talks Process.

Scope — Who This Policy Covers

This policy applies to all children and young people under the age of 18 who access services provided by Bonnie Silverback Hypnotherapy, whether directly or through a parent or guardian booking on their behalf.

For the purposes of this policy, a child is defined as any person under the age of 18, in accordance with the Children Act 1989.

Parental & Guardian Consent

We will not provide therapeutic services to any child under the age of 18 without the prior written consent of a parent or legal guardian. This consent is obtained before any session takes place and covers:

• Permission for the child to participate in therapeutic sessions
• Consent for the collection and processing of relevant health and wellbeing information
• Agreement to the therapeutic approach being used
• Understanding of the confidentiality policy and its limits (see below)

For online sessions, parental consent must be confirmed in writing via email before the first session. A parent or guardian may be asked to be present for initial sessions, particularly for younger children, at the discretion of the practitioner.

How We Work With Children

All therapeutic work with children and young people is carried out using age-appropriate, trauma-informed methods. Our primary approach with children is the Bunny Talks Process — a gentle, playful framework designed specifically to help children explore and resolve fears, worries and emotional difficulties in a safe, non-threatening way.

We are committed to:

• Always prioritising the child's safety, comfort and wellbeing above all else
• Using language and techniques appropriate to the child's age and developmental stage
• Never being alone with a child in a private physical space without a parent or guardian present or nearby
• Conducting online sessions in a professional, transparent manner
• Never engaging in any communication with a child directly outside of sessions without parental knowledge
• Maintaining clear, appropriate boundaries at all times

Confidentiality & Its Limits

We take confidentiality seriously and explain to children (in age-appropriate terms) that what they share in sessions is private. This helps children feel safe to talk openly.

However, confidentiality is not absolute. We will share information with appropriate authorities without the child's or parent's consent if we believe:

• A child is at risk of significant harm, abuse or neglect
• A child is at serious risk of harm to themselves
• A child is at risk of harming others
• We are required to do so by law or court order

Parents and guardians are made aware of these confidentiality limits as part of the consent process before any session begins.

Recognising & Responding to Concerns

As a practitioner, Bonnie Silverback is trained to recognise indicators of abuse, neglect or harm in children. These may include:

• Unexplained physical injuries or changes in behaviour
• Disclosures (direct or indirect) of abuse or harm
• Signs of emotional distress beyond what is expected for the presenting issue
• Concerns raised by the child about their home or wider environment

What happens if a concern is raised?

If a safeguarding concern arises during or after a session, we will:

• Listen carefully and remain calm — never promise confidentiality or dismiss what is shared
• Record the concern accurately and promptly
• Contact the relevant statutory agency — Suffolk Children's Services or the police — as appropriate
• Follow the guidance of statutory agencies thereafter
• Not investigate the concern ourselves or attempt to gather further evidence

Referral contacts

Suffolk Children's Services: 0345 606 1499 (Mon–Fri, 8am–5.30pm)
Emergency / out of hours: 0345 606 1499 (press option for emergency duty team)
NSPCC Helpline: 0808 800 5000 (24/7)
Police: 999 (emergency) or 101 (non-emergency)

Online Safety

Where sessions are delivered online, we take additional steps to ensure the safety of children:

• Sessions take place via Zoom or an agreed video platform with a secure meeting link
• Sessions are never recorded without the explicit written consent of the parent or guardian
• We do not communicate directly with children via social media, WhatsApp or personal messaging apps
• All communication with families takes place via email or telephone
• Parents and guardians are encouraged to remain in the home during online sessions with younger children

Data & Record Keeping

Records relating to therapeutic work with children are stored securely and confidentially, accessible only to Bonnie Silverback. Records are retained for a minimum of 7 years from the date of the last session, in line with professional practice guidance. All data is handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy and UK GDPR.

Policy Review

This policy is reviewed annually or following any safeguarding concern or significant change in legislation or guidance. It was last updated on 24 April 2026.