Guidance on Touch
The use of touch is a difficult topic in therapy...
Touch can be therapeutic and useful, even essential in certain settings. However, it can also lead to allegations and can be inappropriate and unethical. The following document sets out the NCIP position and you should check the position of any other accrediting organisations and your insurer:
Touch is permitted by any therapist in order to give emergency first aid or other emergency assistance, such as leading someone from a fire. This is often considered a “Samaritan” clause. If giving first aid, please follow the guidance of your first aid training as to what is permitted. All businesses must have a first aider on site, and personal training is recommended and counts towards your CPD.
Any touch that may be used in clinical practice must follow informed consent. This means that the client must understand why touch will be used and consent for it to be used or to receive it.
Any touch used should be contracted and carefully risk assessed.
Any touch other than point 1, or a simple handshake or other greetings (such as a COVID pandemic fist bump) must be therapeutically justifiable. During pandemics or flu outbreaks, for example, you should assess the risk as to whether such greetings are needed.
Any therapeutic use of touch must be covered by your insurance.
Any therapeutic use of touch must be covered in your training so that you are considered competent and qualified to use it.
Your professional registration must cover the use of the touch therapy method you are using and if this is not a specific form of an accredited body’s psychotherapy recognised by the NCIP, then you must be registered with an appropriate professional body for that method. Your contracting or advertising materials must make clear who covers you for which therapies and you must not insinuate that NCIP covers you for therapy methods that are not in our remit.
Verbal consent should be sought for EVERY OCCASION that you are going to use touch, not just with initial contracting. The client has the right to withdraw consent at any time.
Touch should be specifically risk-assessed in situations where the client may be vulnerable.
If using touch, you must be first aid trained.
When using touch, you must avoid any compromising situation and be careful to avoid any implication that the touch is sexual or sexually motivated. This must be included in your risk assessment.
Sexualised touch by the client of themselves or by either party of each other is never permitted.
Appropriate clothing levels must be worn by the therapist and client during any touch-based therapy. In therapies where any disrobing is recognised as appropriate, such as with body massage, there should only be the absolute minimum of undress by the client. As a general guide, the National Occupational Standards (NOS) for the therapy in question and the ethical requirement of the professional body you are registered with for any touch therapy, should be carefully followed in regard to all issues including dress and both contracted and verbal informed consent must always apply.
The NCIP absolutely does not permit any use of touch in psychotherapy designed to address sexual issues.
If touch is not a common part of your practice but something occurs such as a client hurting themselves, needing assistance, or putting themselves in danger with an incorrect posture, then you must still verbally ask for consent or if urgent declare what you are doing. For example, “May I just correct that posture, you might twist your back otherwise?” or in the event of a fall or seizure “I am just going to pop this cushion under your head/gently take your arm/place you in the recovery position”.
If any touch occurs that is not part of normal practice, this must be recorded as a significant incident in your incident recording log.
MT0225
