Informed consent protects client rights and supports ethical, transparent practice. During placement, you may need to obtain consent in three different contexts:
- Informed consent for services – the client agrees to receive the psychological service
- Informed consent for education and training – the client agrees to the use of their information for student learning and supervision
- Consent to share information – the client agrees to their information being shared with another person or service
These consent processes are related, but they are not the same. A client may agree to receive services but decline the use of their information for education and training, or decline a request to share information with others.
1. Informed Consent for Services
This covers the psychological service itself, including privacy and confidentiality, limits to confidentiality, supervision, telehealth (if relevant), fees (if relevant), and complaints processes.
What to do: Always follow the placement organisation’s process and use their service consent forms. If you need to use the Cairnmillar template, discuss this with your supervisor first and amend it to fit the service context.
Template: Informed Consent for Service Template
2. Informed Consent for Education and Training
This covers the use of client information for student learning and supervision, including:
- supervision (if not already covered in service consent)
- education assessments using de-identified information (e.g. case reports, presentations, learning tasks)
- supervisor observations or recordings for learning and clinical oversight
- teaching using de-identified information
Important:
- Within the placement service, identifiable information may still need to be accessed by supervisors or the placement team for clinical oversight and safe care.
- Information used in education records (e.g. Sonia timesheets, placement assessments, case reports submitted for assessment, teaching materials) must be de-identified.
What to do
Check with your supervisor or placement contact whether the placement providers standard consent processes already include consent for education and training.
If it does not, discuss this with your supervisor and use the approved Cairnmillar form where permitted.
Guide: Student Guide: Informed Consent for Education and Training
Template: Informed Consent for Education and Training
3. Consent for Sharing Information
Consent to share information is used when client information needs to be shared with another person, service, or organisation outside the immediate care relationship. This requires separate consent unless otherwise permitted or required by law.
Examples may include:
- Sharing information with a GP or referrer
- Communicating with a school or other agency
- Coordinating care with another treating professional
Information should only be shared with the client’s consent, or where otherwise permitted or required by law. Always check the placement organisation’s process first and discuss with your supervisor before using the Cairnmillar template.
Template: Consent for Information Sharing
What to do on placement
Step 1 — Check the placement provider’s process first
Ask your supervisor or placement contact:
- Does the service’s consent form already include consent for education and training?
- Does the service have its own process for sharing information with others?
If yes, use the placement provider’s forms and processes.
Step 2 — Use the Cairnmillar template where needed
If the placement provider does not already cover the relevant consent area, discuss this with your supervisor and placement contact and use the approved Cairnmillar template where permitted.
Step 3 — Store consent correctly
Signed consent forms must be stored in line with the placement organisation’s record-keeping requirements.
Do not upload identifiable consent forms into Sonia or other education systems.
If you are unsure which form or process applies, check with your supervisor and placement contact before proceeding.
**The below resources are currently under review**
Child Behavioural Observation Guides
Family Violence Risk Assessment Form
Suicide and Self Harm Risk Assessment Form
Your Placement Handbook is an important resource and should be referred to frequently as it contains all the information you need. If you can’t find the answer in your handbook and its not urgent then please refer to the resources located on my.CMI before contacting your Placement Coordinator