Safeguarding Policy

Inner Being Medicine™ is committed to the safety and wellbeing of everyone who engages with our Services, including clients, their family members, and anyone who may be discussed or affected by our work together.

We take safeguarding seriously and act promptly and appropriately whenever a concern arises, in line with relevant UK legislation and best practice guidance.

Inner Being Medicine™ provides coaching, mentoring, teaching and related services to adults, parents, and practitioners. Please note that while Aleksandra Matakovic-Manca has a background in medicine, psychiatry, and psychotherapy, these services are strictly non-clinical. We do not provide medical, psychiatric, or psychotherapeutic assessment, diagnosis, or treatment, and we do not work directly with children or young people as clients.

Where a client's work touches on the wellbeing of a child or young person, for example through parent or family support, this Policy sets out how we respond if a safeguarding concern arises.

This Policy should be read alongside our Privacy Policy, which explains that confidentiality may be limited where we have a genuine and serious concern for someone's safety.

A safeguarding concern may include, but is not limited to:

• disclosure or suspicion that a child, young person, or vulnerable adult is at risk of, or experiencing, abuse or neglect;
• disclosure or suspicion that a client themselves may be at risk of serious harm, including from another person;
• a genuine and serious concern that a client poses a risk of harm to a child, young person, or vulnerable adult;
• expressions of suicidal intent or a serious risk to life.

If a safeguarding concern arises during our work together, we will:

• take the concern seriously and respond calmly and without judgement;
• where appropriate and safe to do so, discuss our concern with the person involved;
• seek advice from an appropriately qualified professional, such as a safeguarding lead, the client's GP, or a relevant statutory body, where we believe this is necessary;
• make a referral to the appropriate authority where we believe a child, young person, or vulnerable adult is at risk of harm, or where there is a genuine and serious risk to life;
• keep a written record of the concern, the actions taken, and the reasons for those actions.

We will always aim to act proportionately, and will only share information beyond what is necessary to keep someone safe.

Information shared with Inner Being Medicine™ is treated as confidential. However, as set out in our Privacy Policy, confidentiality may be limited where:

• disclosure is required by law;
• we have a genuine and serious concern for the safety of a client or another person, including a child or vulnerable adult;
• disclosure is necessary to obtain professional or legal advice.

Wherever possible, we will discuss our concerns with the client before taking any action, unless doing so would increase risk to any person.

Where our work involves a parent discussing their child, our role remains that of a coach supporting the parent. We do not assess, diagnose, or treat the child, and nothing in this work constitutes a child protection assessment.

If, in the course of this work, information emerges that raises a genuine safeguarding concern about a child, we will follow the approach set out above.

Where a safeguarding concern requires escalation, we may contact:

• the relevant Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) or children's services, for concerns about a child or young person;
• the relevant adult social care safeguarding team, for concerns about a vulnerable adult;
• the police, where there is an immediate risk to life or safety (999 in an emergency, 101 for non-emergencies);
• the client's GP, or NHS 111 (Option 2) for urgent mental health advice and triage;
• NSPCC Helpline: 0808 800 5000, where the concern relates to a child and Aleksandra wishes to seek advice before deciding on next steps.

Aleksandra Matakovic-Manca holds responsibility for safeguarding within Inner Being Medicine™ and can be contacted at info@innerbeingmedicine.com with any concern or question relating to this Policy.

Aleksandra Matakovic-Manca holds relevant safeguarding training and experience through her clinical background, including work within child and adolescent mental health services.

This Policy will be reviewed annually, or sooner if there is a change in the scope of our Services or in relevant legislation or guidance.

Records relating to safeguarding concerns are kept securely and confidentially, separately from general client records where appropriate, and in accordance with our Privacy Policy and applicable data protection legislation.

If you have a safeguarding concern relating to Inner Being Medicine™, or a question about this Policy, please contact us at info@innerbeingmedicine.com.

Last reviewed: 1st August 2026