Our Ethics, Rules & Procedures 

+ CSS Code of Ethics and Practice

This Code of Ethics (the Code) represents the high standards of practice expected of an Upledger CranioSacral Therapist registered with the CranioSacral Society as well as the commitment required to maintain them. The Code also informs members of the public what they should expect from members of the Cranio Sacral Society. The Code has been written in a spirit of support and encouragement for the practitioner to help them maintain a professional, positive and constructive relationship with their clients seeking Upledger CranioSacral Therapy (CST).

PROFESSIONAL INDEMNITY INSURANCE

Membership at all levels is conditional on evidence of professional insurance.

THE CODE

1. Act at all times in the best interests of your client.
2. Give your client your full attention.
3. Respect your client’s cultural background, religion, political and spiritual views, sexual orientation or identification, or any other preferences they may share.
4. Be energetically and intentionally neutral and non-judgmental when treating your client.
5. Every client has the responsibility for their own health.
6. Support your client’s journey of self-understanding in a manner that is constructive and empowering for your client.
7. Treat what you find. The only agenda is your clients’, that you access during therapy through their and your inner wisdom.
8. Keep your client informed of what their treatment involves and ensure your hand placement is appropriate and has been consented to. Avoid direct touch to genital or intimate areas, or areas advised as sensitive by your client.
9. Upledger CranioSacral therapy is received fully clothed. Practitioners qualified in other modalities such as massage, should ensure patients are covered in layered towels before using any CranioSacral techniques.
10. You are under no obligation to treat anyone that presents as a patient and you are within your rights not to do so.
11. Keep a record of your client consultation and obtain informed consent to treat before using CST. Consent is a continuous process.
12. Keep post-treatment notes, including any after-care advice and outcomes and store these in accordance with legal obligations.
13. Maintain confidentiality of your client’s information.
14. Regularly review the benefit with your client of continuing treatment.
15. Make your clients aware of how to give feedback on their treatment or experience with you.
16. Do not enter into a sexual relationship with a client.
17. Always practice within the law, with current insurance, and only within your qualified limits and scope of practice, especially in the case of juveniles, infants and vulnerable adults.
18. Ensure a parent or guardian is present when treating clients under 16.
19. Make sure you are fit to practice.
20. Maintain high standards of personal health, hygiene and appearance.
21. Ensure the premises where you practice are safe, clean and hygienic.
22. Do not countermand the advice of doctors. Be aware of any contraindications to treatment and the possible need to refer on your patient to other health care professionals.
23. Respect other practitioners, health care professionals and other training institutions.
24. Act with openness, honesty and integrity and ensure that your behaviour does not bring CranioSacral Therapy into disrepute.
25. Continue to develop your understanding of CST and your professional knowledge and skills.
26. Take responsibility for your actions.

Members can download the full Code, including the supplementary info, from the resources page in the Member's area.

+ Complaints Procedure

If a member of the public, after receiving treatment from a member of the Cranio Sacral Society, feels they have a reason to make a complaint then we have the procedure below in place that should be followed.

Our commitment to the person who has raised a complaint:

• We will acknowledge receipt of your written complaint within 2 working days
• We will inform you of the name and contact details of the person we have appointed to investigate your complaint
• We will listen and work to understand your complaint so that we register the facts and how you felt about the treatment you received
• We aim to contact the person involved in the complaint within 7 days of receiving the written complaint
• We will review the complaint against our Code of Ethics
• We aim to inform you of the outcome of our investigation in writing within 4 weeks of receiving the written complaint. If there are any delays we will keep you informed
• You have the right to respond to the written outcome of our investigation within 14 days of receipt of the decision of the CranioSacral Society
• We will consider any response to the outcome received and issue a final decision within 7 working days
• The CranioSacral Society will not consider any future appeal from either party after it has issued its final decision, however, anyone involved has the right to pursue this matter further should they chose to do so through other channels.

If you wish to proceed with your complaint, please complete the form you can download by clicking the button below. Make sure both parts are signed and return it to the Secretary, The Cranio Sacral Society, 196 Surrenden Road, Brighton, BN1 6NN.

Download the complaints form here.

+ Rules and Procedures

THE PROCEDURES AND RULES OF THE CRANIO SACRAL SOCIETY

The aims of the Cranio Sacral Society are:

1. To promote Upledger CranioSacral Therapy by facilitating regular contact and exchange of information amongst Members, and between the Society and other professions, bodies and individuals, including the general public.
2. By any appropriate means, to encourage the continued development and understanding of Upledger CranioSacral Therapy.
3. To set and maintain standards of qualification and practice in Upledger CranioSacral Therapy in the UK, and in any other territories as may be appropriate.

Section One: The Procedures

1. Responsibility of Members
2. The Status of the Society
3. The Role of the Board

All Members shall be expected to further the objectives, interests and influence of the Society to the best of their ability.

The Cranio Sacral Society has been set up as a company limited by guarantee and not having a share capital under the Companies Acts 1985 to 1989. The words and expressions defined in the Company’s Articles of Association shall have the same meaning in these rules unless the context states or requires otherwise. The Directors will manage the business of the Society. From time to time, the Directors will make such rules as they believe necessary for the proper conduct and management of the Society. These include:

i) The admission and classification of Members of the Society

ii) The rights and privileges of such Members

iii) Conditions of membership

iv) The terms on which Members may resign or have their membership terminated

v) Subscriptions or other fees and payments to be made by Members

vi) The conduct of the Members of the Society in relation to one another, and to the public, and generally all matters which are related to the Rules of the Society

4. Rules and Bye-laws

4.1 Directors shall bring to the notice of the Society all rules and bye-laws made by them in the running of the Company.

4.2 The Society, in general meeting, shall have the power to alter or repeal rules or bye-laws, and to make additions to them.

5. General Meetings and Resolutions

5.1 The Annual General Meeting (AGM) The AGM shall be held once a year. Members will usually be given a minimum of twenty-one days’ notice. Notice of the AGM shall be given to all Members, all Directors and to the auditors of the Society’s accounts.

5.2 Extraordinary General Meetings All other meetings which involve the membership shall be called Extraordinary General Meetings. Members shall be given fourteen days’ notice of such meetings unless Paragraph 5.3 applies.

5.3 Meetings called at shorter notice A general meeting may be called at shorter notice if it is agreed:

i) In the case of an AGM, by all the members who are entitled to vote at the AGM.

ii) In the case of any other General Meeting, by a 95% majority of members who have the right to attend and vote, (assuming one member has one vote).

6. Frequency of Meetings

6.1 The Board will call meetings of the Members as appropriate, or

6.2 On the request of Members the Board will call an Extraordinary General Meeting which will be convened within eight weeks of the request being made.

7. The Quorum for General Meetings

7.1 A quorum is five people entitled to vote on the business being transacted. Each must be a Member of the Society or a proxy for a Member. No business shall be transacted at any meeting unless a quorum is present.

7.2 If a quorum is not present at a meeting within half an hour from the time appointed for the meeting, the meeting will be reconvened the following week or at such a time as the Directors may determine.

8. The Passing of Resolutions

8.1 Only Members of the Society shall be eligible to vote in resolutions or in elections for officials of the Society. Each Member will have one vote per resolution.

8.2 At any meeting a resolution shall be decided by a show of hands. A poll may be carried out if requested before the meeting or on the declaration of the result of the show of hands. A poll may be demanded by:

i) The Chair

ii) At least two Members who have the right to vote at the meeting

iii) By a Member or Members representing not less than one tenth of all the members having the right to vote at the meeting. The poll will be carried out at the direction of the Chair who may appoint scrutineers (who need not be members).

9. Proxy Votes

Any Member who is entitled to vote at a General Meeting shall be entitled to appoint another person as his/her proxy to attend and vote instead of him/her and any proxy shall have the same right as the Member to speak at the meeting.

10. Frequency of Meetings

The Board shall meet not less than twice during the financial year for the despatch of business of the CSS.

11. Decision Making at Board Meetings

A majority of votes shall decide questions arising. Each Director will have one vote. A meeting will be quorate when there are three Board members present unless the number of Directors on the Board declines to two.

12. Records of Meetings

12.1. The Board will keep minutes of all meetings, which will include:

i) The names of all persons present at each meeting

ii) A record of all resolutions and proceedings of each meeting

12.2 All minutes will be signed by the Chair. One copy will be kept at Society’s headquarters and a second copy will be kept with the Secretary of the CSS.

13. Accounts

The Board shall prepare a statement of accounts annually. These accounts shall be examined and certified for the correctness of the statement set out by a duly qualified auditor appointed by the Board. This authority will be confirmed by Members at each AGM.

14. The Board’s Expenses

The Directors may be paid all travelling, hotel and other expenses properly incurred by them in connection with their attendance at general meetings, meetings of directors, or committees of directors or in the general discharge of their duties.

15. The Appointment of Directors

15.1 The maximum and minimum number of directors may be determined from time to time by ordinary resolution. The minimum number of directors will always be one and there shall be no maximum number.

15.2 If the number of directors at any time is one, a sole director shall have the authority to exercise the powers and discretions as laid down in the Memorandum and Articles of the Society.

15.3 The Directors may appoint a person who is willing to act as a director, either to fill a vacancy or as an additional director, provided that the appointment does not cause the number of directors to exceed the number of directors determined in 15.1

15.4 If a person is to be appointed as a director at any general meeting, he/she must:

i) Be recommended by the Directors, or

ii) Not less than fourteen and not more than thirty-five clear days before the date appointed for the General Meeting, written notice must be received by the Society of the intention to propose a person for appointment. The notice must be signed by a Member qualified to vote at the meeting together with a notice signed by the person nominated which indicates his/her willingness to be appointed.


Section Two: The Rules of Membership

1. Categories of Membership

There will be four categories of membership:

• Network Membership Network Membership will be available to all those who have successfully completed Upledger CSTI and who are already in possession of Professional Indemnity Insurance for practice in another therapy.

• Qualified Membership Qualified Membership is open to those who have successfully completed Upledger CSTI and CSTII, SERI and SERII, Advanced I and Techniques Certification.

• Associate Membership Associate Membership is open to retired practitioners, non-practitioners and those who support Upledger CranioSacral Therapy. It is also open to those who have successfully completed an approved Upledger Introductory course.

• Student Membership Student Membership is open to those who are currently undertaking the Upledger Institute UK Training from Scratch programme, and who are in possession of student insurance.

Insurance

Prospective Network and Qualified Members will be required to provide proof of insurance on application.

2. Certificate of Membership and Use of Letters

All categories of membership will receive an appropriate membership certificate. Only Qualified Members may use the letters MCSS after their name. Network members may use the post-nominal letters CSS.

3. Application for Membership

3.1 Application for membership will be via the Society’s website. 3.2 No persons shall be admitted as a Member of the Society unless he/she fulfils the requirements of membership. 3.3 The Board reserves the right to request an application interview and to refuse membership of the Society without giving reason.

4. Honorary Membership

To be awarded by the Board in recognition of extraordinary service to the Society.

5. Continuing Professional Development for Qualified Members

Qualified Members are required to maintain their qualification by engaging in regular continuing professional development (CPD) activities. They must carry out a minimum of 24 hours per 2 years.

6. Subscriptions (including those resident in the UK and overseas)

6.1 Annual Subscription

The annual subscription to the Society shall be determined by the Board on the advice of the Treasurer.

6.2 Payment of Subscription

Members will pay an annual subscription which can be started at any time of the year, and will automatically renew annually, unless cancelled.

7. Termination of Membership

7.1 Termination of Membership may occur as follows:

i) A Member may at any time withdraw from the Society by cancelling their subscription on the website. The membership subscription will not be refunded in total or in any part.

ii) A Member whose subscription is fourteen days or more in arrears shall not be entitled to vote at any of the Society’s meetings. At the discretion of the Board, the Member may have his/her membership terminated immediately.

iii) Through termination of membership by the Board as a result of the Member being found responsible for professional misconduct. (See Code of Ethics below).

iv) Membership shall not be transferable and shall cease on the death of a Member.

8. Complaints and Disciplinary Procedures

A role of the Cranio Sacral Society is to uphold professional standards. We are also here to support Members who find themselves the subject of a complaint against them.

8.1 A complaint may be lodged with the Board about the conduct of any Member of the Society which adversely affects the interests of Upledger CranioSacral Therapy or the Cranio Sacral Society.

8.2 The Chair, with the assistance of other Board members if required, will conduct an investigation of the complaint.

Our commitment to the member of the CranioSacral Society involved in a written complaint received by the society:

• We will contact you within 7 days of receiving a written complaint.
• We will inform you of the name and contact details of the person appointed to consider the complaint
• We will review the complaint against our Code of Ethics
• We will aim to inform you of the outcome of our investigation in writing within 4 weeks of receiving the written complaint. If there are any delays we will keep you informed
• You have the right to respond to the written outcome of our investigation within 14 days of receipt of the decision of the CranioSacral Society
• We will consider any response to the outcome received and issue a final decision within 7 working days
• The CranioSacral Society will not consider any future appeal from either party after it has issued its final decision, however, anyone involved has the right to pursue this matter further should they chose to do so through other channels.

+ Articles of Association

Please click here to read our Articles of Association.