Professional Conduct notice / CJ

August 2024: Christophe Jouanneau, Reference No: 00959231 Registrant: ID:388077

Outcome Details

Consensual Disposal

Reasons

1. Christophe Jouanneau, a BACP member, agrees to the following outcome of the investigation into a complaint of a failure to meet the Professional Standards under reference PCP[…]

Background

2. On 6 October Year 2 a complaint was made about the Member’s conduct, in summary:

The Member became a member of BACP on […].

A complaint was made to BACP on 6 October Year 2 by […] about the Member who had worked at the service. The referrer had not had a therapeutic relationship with the Member but informed BACP of a […] (the Client) who had had a therapeutic relationship with the Member from 26 January Year 1 until 4 November Year 1 with regard to […].

The Referrer informs that on 2 October Year 2 the Client called the helpline and alleged that:

(a) the Member had begun a sexual relationship with her whilst therapy was ongoing and that she felt manipulated;

(b) the Member had begun to respond to her emails at around 01:00 and that he sometimes responded with phone calls or text messages from his work phone and sometimes from his personal phone;

(c) the Member met up with the Client during mid-May Year 1 whilst counselling was ongoing and that they met up on approximately five occasions and intimate relations developed. The counselling relationship continued throughout.

In the complaint form submitted to the Association on 6 October Year 2 the Referrer alleged that the Member has breached the following paragraphs of the BACP Ethical Framework 2018: 34, 35; and 36.

At that stage, the Member had been suspended by the Service.

Following the Services’ disciplinary process, the Member was dismissed on 10 November Year 2.

The Referrer has supplied the following documents:
(a) Investigative Meeting Minutes – 17 October Year 2
(b) Investigative Meeting Minutes – 31 October Year 2
(c) Disciplinary Hearing Minutes – 8 November Year 2

The Member made a self-disclosure to the Association on 12 October Year 2 in which he stated:

(a) Therapy with the Client started in January Year 1; the Client presented as […] with ongoing and repeated episodes […]

(b) During his work it became clear to the Member that he was developing romantic feelings towards the Client. The Member reported these feelings to his line manager and external supervisor and the subject was explored

(c) Despite attempts to impose boundaries on the situation and considerations regarding ending the therapeutic relationship, a romantic relationship still developed

(d) The Member did not disclose this romantic relationship to his line manager or supervisor

(e) The Member maintained that the needs and safety of the Client were always his number one priority and that he had no intention to cause harm although he does accept responsibility for his failure to put his Client’s needs above his own by way of succumbing to his own feelings

Following a Disciplinary Hearing on 8 November the Member was found by the Service to have been having sexual relations with the Client whilst employed as her therapist. The Member was therefore dismissed on 10 November Year 2.

Admissions

3. The Member makes the following admissions which BACP accepts:

1.1 After he became a member of BACP on […] and therefore became subject to the provisions of BACP’s Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions 2018 the Member continued to have a therapeutic relationship with a Client:
(a) with whom he had had a prior romantic and/or sexual relationship in Year 1 and/or
(b) continued to have a friendship with.

Mitigation

4. The Member has provided detail of personal mitigation surrounding the circumstances of his conduct; in summary, he describes his loneliness, that he had no friends during lockdown and that he was not addressing his personal issues in therapy or elsewhere.

Conclusion

5. The issues identified and admitted by the former Member amount to breaches of the professional standards reasonably expected of the Member having regard to the Ethical Framework for Good Practice in Counselling and Psychotherapy 2018 in particular:

1.2 The Member thereby failed to meet professional standards, including in particular by acting in a way which was inconsistent with paragraphs 8 and/or 33 a. and/or 33 b. and/or 33 d. of ‘Good Practice’ in the Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions 2018 which state:

8: Any professional or personal interests that conflict with putting a client’s interests first will be carefully considered in consultation with a supervisor, an independent experienced colleague or, when appropriate, discussed with the client affected before services are offered.

33: We will establish and maintain appropriate professional and personal boundaries in our relationships with clients by ensuring that:
a. these boundaries are consistent with the aims of working together and beneficial to the client
b. any dual or multiple relationships will be avoided where the risks of harm to the client outweigh any benefits to the client
…..
d. the impact of any dual or multiple relationships will be periodically reviewed in supervision and discussed with clients when appropriate. They may also be discussed with any colleagues or managers in order to enhance the integrity of the work being undertaken

6. One of the aims of the Professional Conduct Procedure is to protect members of the public. The IAC in considering the appropriate outcome and sanction for the admitted breaches in this case have taken into account the interests of public protection and determined that it is reasonable and proportionate to conclude it on the terms set out below.

7. In relation to the findings above the IAC considers it appropriate that the Member:

1. Undertake 16 hours of CPD training and provide evidence to the Panel of the sources used and the learning taken from this.

2. Provide evidence through a reflective piece of:

(a) changes he has made to his practice addressing and demonstrating his understanding of what went wrong in this case;
(b) acceptance of his conduct and an understanding of the importance of and his role in establishing and maintaining professional boundaries with clients including reference to the relevant paragraphs of the Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions 2018;
(c) how he plans to embed and monitor changes he has made in his practice;
(d) his understanding of the impact of his conduct on the client, on BACP specifically and on the counselling professions generally.

3. Provide confirmation that these issues have been discussed with his supervisor.

8. When requesting Consensual Disposal, the Member submitted evidence of relevant and sufficient CPD together with a comprehensive reflection including his understanding of what went wrong in this case, acceptance of his conduct, changes to his practice regarding establishing and maintaining professional boundaries with reference to the Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions 2018. His reflections included his plans to embed and monitor changes he has made in his practice and his understanding of the impact of his conduct on the client, on BACP and the counselling professions generally. He also stated he had discussed these issues with his supervisor. The Panel was satisfied that the sanction it would have imposed, had been met in full.

9. The Member agrees that this Agreement will be published by the BACP in line with the Publication Policy.

10. The Member agrees that he will not act in any way inconsistent with this Agreement such as, for example, by denying the admissions in paragraph 3 above.

11. If the Member acts in a way which is inconsistent with this Agreement the matter will be referred to a sanction panel for consideration.

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